Roles of Women in the 18th and 19th Centuries

Women's Roles Then And Now:

Societies have continued to change in every century because of influences of cultures in that time period. As these societies grow and develop, the role of various people in the family structure and unit also changes. The changes in the role of women in the society are mainly influenced by societal perception regarding women. As a result, there are significant differences in the role of women in the 19th Century and the roles of women in the 18th Century. One of the main reasons for these differences is that the modern society has is so fast-paced because of increased technological advancements unlike the 18th Century society. An understanding of the changing role of women in the 18th and 19th centuries can be seen from the conversation between two notable women i.e. Maria Elisabeth of Austria and Queen Victoria of Great Britain.

Biographic Information for Each Woman:

Maria Elisabeth of Austria lived in the 18th Century between 1680 and 1741 and was the daughter of Hapsburg Emperor Leopold I. Elisabeth was one of the notable women in the 18th Century following her appointment as the governor of Netherlands and her decision to remain unmarried or single throughout life. In addition to being the sister of Maria Anna, Queen of Portugal, she was renowned for being creatively and culturally proficient.

On the contrary, Queen Victoria lived in the 19th Century between 1819 and 1901 during which she became the Queen of Great Britain and contributed to the emergence of a period known as Victorian Era. As the only child of the Duke of Kent, Edward, Victoria ascended to the throne and became the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland (Sebellin, Woods & Grove, 2006). She ascended to this position at the age of 18 years and mostly relied on the Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne, who acted as her teacher in political decision-making. Queen Victoria was an influential leader during the empire period and democracy in the nation.

The Conversation:

As previously mentioned the changing role of women in the 18th and 19th centuries can be seen in a conversation between these two notable and influential women during these periods. The dialogue is as follows & #8230;

Maria Elisabeth: During the 18th Century, women were mainly considered as slaves, which had a significant impact on the kinds of roles they played during my time. The treatment as slaves was evident in the high significance that was placed on marriage and increased dependence on men who played crucial roles for the survival of women ("The Role of the Woman," 1997).

Queen Victoria: I think the situation was quite different during my time because women were gradually allowed to play certain roles outside the home. However, their involvement in these activities was characterized by poor working conditions and settings.

Maria Elisabeth: During my times, only middle and upper class women accessed limited academic opportunities and were not allowed to access employment opportunities except those that were within the household settings. Educational opportunities for women in the 18th Century were mainly restricted to feminine arts such as needlework, music, dancing, and drawing ("The Role of the Woman," 1997).

Queen Victoria: Things were quite different in the 19th Century since some women started accessing educational opportunities in resident college and universities, a trend that contributed to a considerable change in the conditions and roles of women in the society. In most cases, women could be educated and allowed to study as long as their education did not have any effects on their roles at home (Radek, 2008).

Maria Elisabeth: For us ummm & #8230;.. eeeh & #8230; only a woman of high social status or caliber could access higher academic opportunities either in a seminary or be taught by an educator. A woman from middle class could teach herself as best as she could whereas those from lower classes were not educated even in feminine arts. One of the reasons for the seemingly meager education of women in the 18th Century was because it was primarily meant for accomplishment instead of employment. However, apart from being competent in these areas, a woman was required to be sociable and beautiful to qualify for the accomplishment.

Queen Victoria: Okay! ... While women in the 19th Century did not have many choices, they lived in much better conditions than slaves though they had to obey men. Since the husband held all resources, women could only own wealth and property upon the death of their husbands. In such circumstances, a woman inherited or automatically inherited what belonged to her husband. However, things started to change when women were slowly allowed to own small businesses like clothing stores, shops, and cafes. How was it during your times? Did women own property?

Maria Elisabeth: I think it was relatively different to the 18th Century because only unmarried women or widows could own resources or property. Nonetheless, men used and treated women as other material possessions that they could use for their own selfish gains.

Queen Victoria: That was also a characteristic of men in the 19th Century since the woman's rights were fundamentally her husband's rights. This was partly brought by women's consent to obey their husbands during a marriage ceremony (Wojtczak, n.d.).

Maria Elisabeth: I think women in the 18th Century should have been allowed to play a more influential role in the society other than their restricted roles in working at home and taking care of the hearth. A woman's influence on the society should have not been based on accomplishment but rather increased education and employment opportunities.

Queen Victoria: I agree with you on this. Women in the 19th Century should have also been allowed increased access to educational and employment opportunities in light of the changing attitudes and perceptions towards them.

Maria Elisabeth: The common practice of treating women as slaves to their husbands denied them an opportunity to realize their full potential as humans and contributed to relatively slow development in the society during this period.

Queen Victoria: Women in the 19th Century could have been allowed to play a crucial role in the society by allowing them to make independent choices in marriages and family as well as education and employment opportunities. In addition, as a new philosophy was emerging, more and more women should have been allowed to occupy positions of power and authority.

Maria Elisabeth: The current roles of women in the society reflect the desires of women in the 18th Century as they have become more influential in the society. The enhanced current roles of women have partly contributed to increased development in the modern society.