Middle Class Families In The 1800s Essay

The transformation of English society during the Victorian era brought with it numerous industrial, cultural, as well as social changes. The overwhelming influx of population from rural to urban areas and the various new job opportunities created by factories and London?s sudden shift to industrialism affected not only the public, but also the personal lives of its residents. A new class system had begun to form, beginning with the emergence of a new middle class. Women were especially affected by this, because as they were expected to live off of their husbands and thrive solely on society and their own families, it became increasingly important to marry well and remain in high

I believe during the time of the 1800’s having a well run household was extremely important. i am not saying that what Winslow said was completely correct as it tends to try to keep the women suppressed and subordinate to men. But at the time men were the people who were in control. Women did not have the right to vote or be involved in any political issues. Once again i am not saying this was morally correct but at the time it was definitely considered correct according to society. With that said having a well run household was essential for the society. The women would be taking care of the children, doing the cloths, and making the food which are all essential things to keeping a running family working. There is some part i disagree with

During nineteenth century, American society had undergone tremendous change due to the Industrial Revolution and the Civil War, including change of gender role expectations. In the book of the American Family: from Obligation to Freedom, Peterson del Mar (2011) argues that the status of white middle-class women became higher at the end of the nineteenth century compared to the beginning. Indeed, this assertion is supported by the three guides assigned this week. In fact, various components played crucial roles in this situation. Based on the descriptions from Peterson del Mar’s work and evidence from those three provided guides, it is not hard to find that white middle-class women status had increased overtime.

Families have always played an important part in society, from having a son to carry on the family name, having multiple children to help on the farm, to the parents having someone to take care of them when they are unable to do so in their old age. Majority of families before the 1900’s consisted of the husband working and the wife keeping the house along with raising the children. After the 1900’s though the family dynamic would be changing, the large fluctuation of clerical positions were up for grabs and while it was tradition for women to stay home, they seemed to be made for typing. The single woman were more prominent than ever before taking on what society considered gender specific roles such as, nurses, secretaries, librarians, and teaching. While the majority of society believed as Theodore Roosevelt did “the greatest thing for any woman is to

After William IV died, his niece, Victoria, became the Queen of England, starting the victorian era. In Victoria’s reign, the British Empire came to cover over ¼ of the world. The Industrial revolution is created during her reign, producing more products available to the common people of England. On the down side, people working in the mill had a hard life.

Marriage ceremonies weren’t happy or necessarily didn’t enjoy marriage on how it was thought to be. It was considered foolish to marry out of love ,but it could occur in one's marriage. If love did occur, which rarely did, it would still be treated as the same as it would be for finance. Marriage wasn’t done with no input of love and feeling for the person ,rather done for financial situations and the benefit of marriage in the future of the rest of the era(Ros). Marriage was viewed as a benefit for both families to gain more ownership toward wealth and land.

The history of social class can be tracked to the late 18th century. The term “class” had began to replace normal classifications that were used at the time such as “ranks” or “orders”. Two broad definitions of social class emerged after the 18th century being the 19th –century materialist economic models of the Marxist and anarchists and the 20th-century sociological stratum models of society.

Leonore Davidoff and Catherine Hall are the authors of the novel, Family Fortunes: Men and Women of the English Middle Class, 1780-1850. The novel, Family Fortunes bickers that men and women of the middle class had accepted distinctively colorful class identities, particularly the language of class configuration was gendered. Mostly all social associations were gendered. The affiliations between the sexes were planned by property behavior. During the eighteenth century, determined middle-class people asserted moral capacity for themselves. The middle-classed people had religious beliefs. At this time period men were to be active in the world as citizens. On the other hand, women were to be very dependent. “If religious belief offered individuals a sense of identity and a community, it also offered personal comfort and security in an unstable and unsafe world” (Davidoff, Hall 77). In this quote it states that religion can offer an individual with a sense of individualism or an identity. Many sections come up in this novel including, Religion, economic structure, and everyday life. The authors give many examples and provide vital information about these three topics in great detail. The setting of the novel takes place in Birmingham, England. The authors bring up multiple topics in their novel, Family Fortune. The topics give an understanding of what the middle class was like in England during the 1780’s through 1850’s. The novels give a context of the shaping of the middle

“The Victorian society was divided into Upper Class, Middle Class, and the Working Class. The Victorian Upper Class consisted of the Aristocrats, Nobles, Dukes, other wealthy families working in the Victorian courts. The Upper Class was in a powerful position giving them authority, better living conditions, and other facilities.” (Victorian-Era.org)

Marriage, and the reasons to get married. Victorians might have at times married for love, but most marriages were also business transactions such as the one Lady Bracknell tried to conduct between Algy and Cecily- all for the sake of going up in social ranking

To the Victorians marriage provided social possibilities for both parties involved. It served as a way to network for the improvement of family finances and preservation of family names. Courtship was the process right before marriage

Throughout the novel Pride and Prejudice, written by Jane Austen, there are many notable and prominent themes that come up. Out of all of these striking themes, marriage is a topic that comes up many, many times. Compared to the 21st century, when marriage is not as important, the 19th century placed great importance on marriage. Many women married for the sole purpose of money, wealth, and power, while some had married for love and mutual affection. Some women already have some form of inheritance, but still get married just to gain a higher social status, or for companionship. Even though these reasons for marrying are not the best reasons in today’s society, these were the factors that made a successful marriage during Austen’s time. So, according to Pride and Prejudice, a successful marriage consists of a substantial fortune from either side of the marriage, mutual affection, and a good dose of companionship and compatibility.

Marriage in the 19th century was a woman’s priority. Many times women married for social status or attraction but hardly ever for true love. In many cases the happiness of a marriage was based on whether the girl was beautiful and lively and the boy handsome and competent, and whether they were attracted to each other. Jane Austen would not believe that the happiness of marriage was based upon attraction, she believed it should be based upon love. In her novel Pride and Prejudice, she illustrates three main reasons for marriage, true love, attraction, and economics.

The American view of marriage, generally the companionate marriage, is the most prevalent in my mind. Marriage between two people, generally one man and one woman, who work together. Now, marriage can even be between two partners of the same sex. Today, communication and expression of feelings are two things strongly stressed in marriages. These marital values are contrasted by seventeenth- and eighteenth-century America, when people, according to Coontz, “wanted a mate who did not pry too deeply under the surface” (478). People during this time period wanted fairness, kindliness, and good temper with their partner. They did not want a completely open and deep relationship that people of today expect and need to feel as if they belong.

Marriage is one of the oldest cultural institutions in the world. In the last few decades alone has gone from being a social expectation to simply an option for most people. During the renaissance age, early history, politics and money trumped emotions. According to Psychology Today, “12th-century Europe: Marriage is good for loving...someone else—Upper-class marriages are often arranged before the couple has met. Aristocrats believe love is incompatible with marriage and can flourish only in adultery.” During the 1600s, people were still turning to friends and family rather than a companion. In the 18th century, according to Psychology Today, “18th-century Europe: Love gains ground—In England and in the