The Cult of Domesticity

In the middle of the 19th century, the movement known as the Cult of Domesticity, or True Womanhood, took hold in the United States and Britain. It was a philosophy in which womens value was based upon their ability to stay home and perform their duties as wives and mothers, and their willingness to abide by a series of very specific virtues. Did You Know? The cult of domesticity, or true womanhood, was an idealized set of societal standards that became popular with middle- and upper-class women in the late 19th century.Piety, purity, submissiveness, and domesticity were the mark of femininity during this period.The early cult of domesticity led to the development of the womens movement, in direct response to the standards set upon women by society. True Womanhood in the 19th Century Although there was not a formal movement that was actually entitled Cult of Domesticity, scholars have come to use this term to refer to the social environment in which many middle- and upper-class 19th century women lived. The term itself was coined in the 1960s by historian Barbara Welter, who also referred to it by its contemporary name, True Womanhood. Victorian family life revolved around domestic pursuits. ilbusca / Getty Images In this social system, gender ideologies of the time assigned women the role of the moral protector of home and family life; a womans value was intrinsically tied to her success in domestic pursuits such as keeping a clean house, raising pious children, and being submissive and obedient to her husband. The idea that this was part of womens natural place in the family dynamic was emphasized by womens magazines, religious literature, and gift books, all of which stressed that the way to true femininity was by adhering to a series of specific virtues as guidelines: piety, purity, submissiveness, and domesticity. The Virtues of Domestic Life Religion, or piety, was the foundation upon which a womans role in the cult of domesticity was built; women were seen as naturally more pious than men. It was believed that it was up to women to present the spiritual cornerstone of family life; she was to be strong in her faith, and raise her children with a strong Biblical education. She was to guide her husband and offspring in morality and virtue, and if they were to slip, the onus of responsibility fell to the wife or mother. More importantly, religion was a pursuit that could be followed from home, permitting women to stay out of the public sphere. Women were warned not to let intellectual pursuits, such as reading novels or newspapers, lead them astray from the word of God. Purity was a womans greatest virtue in the 19th century; the absence of it tarnished her as a fallen women, and marked her as unworthy of the comforts of good society. Virginity was to be protected at all costs, and death was considered preferable to the loss of virtue. The gift of a womans chastity to her husband was something to be treasured on their wedding night; sex was to be endured as part of the sacred bond of marriage. By contrast, if women were expected to be pure and modest, men were expected to try to challenge that virtue at every possible opportunity. It was up to women to keep amorous suitors at bay. A true woman was submissive to her husband, to whom she was completely dedicated. Because staying home with the family was an integral part of the cult of domesticity, women were wholly financially dependent upon their spouses. It was up to him to make the decisions for the entire household, while she remained passive and supportive. After all, God had made men superior, so it stood to reason that they were in charge. Young ladies were advised to respect their husbands wishes, even if they didnt agree with his opinions. Finally, domesticity was the end goal of the cult of true womanhood. A woman who considered working outside the home was seen as a unfeminine and unnatural. Ladylike activities such as needlework and cooking were acceptable forms of labor, as long as it was done in ones own home and not for employment. Reading was frowned upon, other than religious texts, because it distracted women from important things like caring for their children and spouse. They provided comfort and happiness, often at the expense of their own silent suffering, so that their menfolk would have a pleasant home to return to each day; if a man strayed and wanted to be elsewhere, it was the fault of his wife for not meeting his domestic needs. Although all women were expected to abide by the standards of true womanhood, in reality, it was predominantly white, Protestant, upper-class women who did so. Thanks to social prejudices of the period, women of color, working women, immigrants, and those who were lower on the socioeconomic ladder were excluded from the chance to ever be true paragons of domestic virtue. The Womens Movement in Response to Cult of Domesticity Victorian woman unpacking her basket in the kitchen.   Whitemay / DigitalVision Vectors / Getty Images Some historians have argued that working-class women who were employed as servants, thus taking them into the private, domestic sphere, did in fact contribute to the cult of domesticity, unlike their peers who worked in factories or other public places. Teresa Valdez says, [W]orking-class women were subsequently choosing to remain  in  the private realm. The same study shows that the majority of servants were young single women. This indicates that these women were preparing for their lives as wives and mothers by supporting their father’s household through work in a private home. Regardless, this social construct of true womanhood led directly to the development of feminism, as the womens movement formed in direct response to the strict standards set out by the cult of domesticity. White women who had to work found themselves excluded from the concept of true womanhood, and so consciously rejected its guidelines. Women of color, both enslaved and free, did not have the luxury of the protections afforded to true women, no matter how pious or pure they might have been. In 1848, the first womens movement convention was held in Seneca Falls, NY, and many women felt that it was time for them to begin fighting for equal rights. During the second half of the 19th century, when the right to vote was extended to all white men, women who advocated for suffrage were seen as unfeminine and unnatural. By the time the Progressive Era began, around 1890, women were vocally advocating for the right to pursue educational, professional, and intellectual pursuits of their own, outside of the sphere of home and family. This ideal that emerged of the New Woman was a direct contrast to the cult of domesticity, and women began taking on jobs in the public sector, smoking cigarettes, using birth control methods, and making their own financial decisions. In 1920, women finally gained the right to vote. In the years following World War II, there was a slight resurgence of the cult of domesticity, as Americans in particular sought a return to the idealized family life that theyd known before the war years. Popular films and television shows portrayed women as the foundation of the home, domestic life, and childrearing. However, because many women not only maintained their family life but also held down jobs, there was once again resistance. Soon, feminism reappeared, in what historians call the second wave, and women began fighting in earnest for equality once again, in direct response to the oppressive standards laid upon them by the cult of domesticity. Sources Lavender, Catherine. â€Å"Ê ºNotes on The Cult of Domesticity and True Womanhood.†Ã‚  The College of Staten Island/CUNY, 1998, csivc.csi.cuny.edu/history/files/lavender/386/truewoman.pdf. Prepared for Students in HST 386: Women in the City, Department of HistoryValdez, Teresa. â€Å"The British Working Class Participation In The Cult Of Domesticity.†Ã‚  StMU History Media - Featuring Historical Research, Writing, and Media at St. Marys University, 26 Mar. 2019, stmuhistorymedia.org/the-british-working-class-participation-in-the-cult-of-domesticity/.Welter, Barbara. â€Å"The Cult of True Womanhood: 1820-1860.†Ã‚  American Quarterly, The Johns Hopkins University Press, www.csun.edu/~sa54649/355/Womanhood.pdf. Vol. 18, No. 2, Part 1 (Summer, 1966), pp. 151-174

Analysis of Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451 - 525 Words

Ray Bradbury’s dystopian novel, â€Å"Fahrenheit 451† depicts a future in which all books are outlawed, and the main character, Guy Montag, is a â€Å"fireman†, someone hired to burn books. The novel has won multiple awards and is widely regarded as one of Bradbury’s best works. â€Å"Fahrenheit 451† is largely subjected to interpretation, surrounded by many theories as to why it was written. â€Å"Fahrenheit 451† is strongly themed and can lead the reader to produce a plethora of ideas for it’s meaning , and the fact of book burning not being a new idea sheds some light on what might have been going through the Writers head at the time of conception, but we werent given much of a solid answer by the writer himself until much later. In the novel a solid reason for the banning of books is not given, however the book puts possibilities in your head. One possibility that immediately popped in my head is that all people in general have los t interest in reading. I think that books represent intellectualism and the burning of said books represents the decline of intellectualism. Looking back on the book from where we are now as a nation, and how intellectualism seems to have seen a decline in much of the modern public eyes, this theory jumps at me especially. Another possible reason that sticks out to me is oppression. Books spread the concept of free thought, promote intelligence, and in several cases bring people together. A common trope of sorts in dystopian novels is the struggle ofShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 4511113 Words   |  5 Pagesand Dying, once imagined that, â€Å"The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of those depths.† The text’s collection focus on Ray Bradbury’s science fiction, Fahrenheit 451 discusses about the growth and struggles of Guy Montagâ €™s beliefs against his society. Montag is a fireman and his job is to restrain people from learning by burning books. He meets special people and realizes the stimulation andRead MoreAnalysis Of Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451829 Words   |  4 Pagesschool you tripped in front of everyone and everybody laughed.Consequently You realized you shouldnt have let society control you.In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury thinking books were bad was just like the pair of shoes everyone thought that books were bad because they were illegal so nobody could read them and get knowledge from them. This story Fahrenheit 451 by ray bradbury is about a firefighter who loves books but in the story books are illegal and firefighters burn down the house of anyone whoRead MoreAnalysis Of Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 4511038 Words   |  5 Pagesexpressionless faces connected to even more mindless robotic people. A world where one just breathes and eats, but never truly feels any emotion. Our world is on t he way to becoming this, but for Millie and Montag this was a sad, sad, reality in Ray Bradbury’s book Fahrenheit 451. Everything grows with time as did our main character Montag throughout the book. Montag begins as a mindless follower and evolves into a fearless leader. As he grows into this leader his relationship with Mildred goes through multipleRead MoreAnalysis Of Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 4511088 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"I’m seventeen and crazy† (Bradbury 7). She realizes something that Montag doesn’t soon that crazy does not sound so crazy after all. She asked the questions that have never been asked before she has seen what no one has seen before. In Ray Bradbury story Fahrenheit 451 Clarisse McClellan changed the actions of Montag the theme and the main character, Montag. Clarisse changed the theme dramatically from simple and no emotion to as story that has emotions and has a happier feeling. As Clarisse startsRead MoreAnalysis Of Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 4511199 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"With rebellion, awareness is born,† quoted by Albert Camus. An act of rebellion can cause awareness and open peoples eyes to horrendous acts. In the book Fahrenheit 451 written by Ray Bradbury, when Montag realizes that the government wasn’t being fair, he decided he needed to make the society aware. Montag knew a rebellion was the only way to show that the government was not treating citizens right. It is acceptable to rebel when it is believed that the government is being unfair to their citizensRead MoreRay Bradburys Fahrenheit 451 Character Analysis708 Words   |  3 Pagesworld is like for Guy Montag in Ray Bradburys novel Fahrenheit 451. In the beginning of the novel, Guy Montag is a fireman who believes that there has never been and will ne ver be a need for books and every book should burn. As the story progresses, he interacts with people and experiences events in his life that change his beliefs and views of the world. By the end of the novel, Guy Montag can recite parts of books off the top of his head. In Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, Guy Montag learns the truthRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 4511118 Words   |  5 PagesIn the book Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury explains how there is a war going on. That brings sadness because people are dying while they are doing nothing. There is also a sense of adventure, curiosity, and wonder going through the book. He explains that all of this story is taking place in a city in America. He also gives a hint that is placed in the year 2053. One of the characters that is in the book is Guy Montag. He is 30 year old fireman who burns books. Montag is a little laid back at the beginningRead MoreAnalysis Of Ray Bradbury s Fahrenheit 451 1396 Words   |  6 PagesAn Analysis of Freedom of Information in Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury This study examines the issue of freedom of information in the story of literary oppression found in Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. Bradbury presents the oppression of an authoritarian state that does not allow its citizens to reads books. Guy Montag is initially a servant of the state that requires him to locate and persecute members of the community that still collect books. In various cases, Bradbury defines the rightsRead MoreRay Bradburys Fahrenheit 451: A World Without Books1095 Words   |  5 Pagesmatches† (Wikiquote, â€Å"Ray Bradbury†). Author Ray Bradbury made this observation in 1979 and his thought has only become more true as time has gone on. Bradbury warns of the possibility of this happening in his novel, Fahrenheit 451. The message of Fahrenheit 451 is more important than ever because today’s book editors, movie critics, and plays have intentionally and unintentionally removed Bradbury’s original intent of the novel. This hasnâ€℠¢t only happened to Fahrenheit 451, but many other booksRead MoreAnnotated Bibliography : Ray Bradbury1077 Words   |  5 PagesFahrenheit 451: Ray Bradbury An Annotated Bibliography Johnston, Amy E. Boyle. â€Å"Ray Bradbury: Fahrenheit 451 Misinterpreted.† L.A. Weekly, 4 Apr. 2016, Http://Www.laweekly.com/News/Ray-Bradbury-Fahrenheit-451-Misinterpreted-2149125. This article is about the author having an interview with Ray Bradbury about how people are mistreated because they was been kept uninformed and ignorant about censorship when its really about technology destroying the use of

Don Quixote de La Mancha Free Essays

In Miguel de Cervantes’ classic novel Don Quixote de la Mancha, a necessary counterpart to Don Quixote’s character is found in Sancho Panza. Sancho is Don Quixote’s so-called squire and companion through his adventures. The vital contrast between these two characters contributes to the literary success of Cervantes’ novel. We will write a custom essay sample on Don Quixote de La Mancha or any similar topic only for you Order Now It is only through the eyes of Sancho that we witness Don Quixote’s madness and only through the latter’s madness that we evidence Sancho’s sanity. Without the presence of these complementary characters, the story of Don Quixote would not exist as it does. Cervantes’ masterpiece is known for the eccentric character of Don Quixote and his insane adventures and travels through Spain. The first part of the novel was published in 1605 and the second in 1615. The novel became widely popular and is today considered one of the greatest literary achievements of all time. In Cervantes’ novel, Don Quixote becomes entranced with the romances of chivalry by reading books. He sets out on his own quest for the woman of his affection: Dulcinea. With the help of Sancho Panza, his sidekick, he has many imaginary adventures in which he draws others into his fantasies. Sancho attempts to reveal Quixote’s eccentricity and Quixote, in turn reveals Sancho’s inability to imagine. A prime example of this contrast in perception is evident from the moment Sancho and Don Quixote meet. Sancho is but a peasant when Don Quixote enlists his help. â€Å"[Don Quixote] used so many arguments, an made so many promises, that the poor fellow resolved to sally out with him and serve him in the capacity of a squire† (Cervantes, 32). Don Quixote convinces Sancho of his nobility and Sancho, initially realizing the insanity of Quixote’s claims, lays doubt to his proclamations. Sancho is â€Å"shallow-brained† but still must be persuaded by Don Quixote before leaving with him (32). In Sebastian Juan Arbo’s biographical study of Cervantes, he provides insight into this contrast: â€Å"Each defends the other, but Sancho defends the reality of life, and Don Quixote the reality for his dreams without which he cannot live† (250). The sharp distinction becomes clear in adventures that the two partake in. In one episode, Don Quixote decides to free galley-slaves who are being held against their will. Sancho dictates very clearly to Quixote that they are erving a punishment mandated by the king himself, but Quixote will hear nothing of it. He decides he will oppose â€Å"force† and â€Å"defeat violence† as though he is running a campaign of self-promotion. Ignoring Sancho’s warnings is something Don Quixote consistently fulfills. Aubrey F. G. Bell in her biography Cervantes, tells us likewise, Sancho is, despite his  "skeptical credulity and his hesitation in action, his character is as consistent as that of his master† (199). In the end, Sancho must watch the slaves escape to present themselves to the Lady Dulcinea per Don Quixote’s request. In this particular case, Quixote’s fantasy wins out over reality, but such is not always the case. The adventure of the windmills is the most prominently featured example of Don Quixote’s episodic adventures. In this particular event, Don Quixote claims that windmills are giants that are on the plains. A very honest Sancho tells his master that they are not giants but windmills. After Quixote is knocked down by a windmill sail, Sancho says: â€Å"did not I warn you to have care of what you did, for that they were nothing but windmills? (Cervantes, 36) Quixote, now seeing the truth, claims that an evil sage has turned the giants into windmills to deprive the knight of his glory. Though Sancho warns Don Quixote from the beginning, it is almost inevitable that he is caught up in the imagination of his master (Mack, 1526). Another example of reason triumphing over fantasy is when Don Quixote wishes to battle the lions. When they by chance come across the carriage transport ing the lions, Don Quixote wishes to battle them for nothing more than the sake of proving himself. Sancho begs with his master to allow the lions to remain in the cages, but Don Quixote is persistent, claiming he has strength over the beasts (266). Quixote will defeat anything that threatens his love Dulcinea, even at the cost of his own life. Sancho, on the other hand, fully understands the danger of the situation and when the doors to the cages are opened, he flees. This is the way the two characters work together. In Edward Honig’s essay, On the Interludes of Cervantes, the counterparts come alive in contrast to the other. Don Quixote and Sancho Panza are dramatic: their voices engage each other and depend on each other; they come alive through the irritation of their complementariness, by the mere fact that they are thrown together and must reckon with each other† (154). This is true even to the point that they are nothing without each other. When Don Quixote is on his deathbed, Sancho begs him not to die, but to continue in the adventure and quest that they had j oined one another in. Sancho is afraid of what might happen if his master is gone. By the end of Cervantes’ novel, the lives of the two characters have become so intertwined it is painful to separate. W. H. Auden is a critic of Cervantes and best expresses the importance of this pairing. Take away Don Quixote, and Sancho Panza is so nearly pure flesh, immediacy of feeling, so nearly without will [†¦ ] Take away Sancho Panza, on the other hand, and Don Quixote is so nearly pure spirit [†¦ ] who rejects matter and feeling and is nothing but an egotistic will (80, 81). In the end, Don Quixote dies a sane man, and Sancho is left with the memories of adventure and nothing more. The character of Sanson, who was also involved in Don Quixote’s endeavors, is the first person to legitimately recognize Sancho’s stance when he claims â€Å"honest Sancho is very much in the right† (Cervantes, 443). Quixote, too is satisfied with his ending, proclaiming â€Å"I was mad, I am now sane† on his death bed (443). Quixote ends his life as a sane man, but if he had lived it sane, there would be no story to tell. Don Quixote and Sancho Panza are essential components to the attractive Cervantes novel. Without the two supplementing one another there would be and could be no story. The two characters are forever embedded in one another through literary history. Quixote and Sancho’s characteristics never fail to impress, amuse and enlighten. These characters are the devices of Cervantes’ literary technique, and the life force of Don Quixote de la Mancha. Works Cited Arbo, Sebastian Juan. Cervantes: The Man and His Time. New York: The Vanguard Press, 1955. Auden, W. H. The Ironic Hero: Some Reflections on Don Quixote. † Ed. Lowry Nelson, Jr. Cervantes. Englewood Cliffs, N. J. : Prentice-Hall, Inc. , 1969. Bell, Aubrey F. G. Cervantes. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1947. Honig, Edwin. â€Å"On the Interludes of Cervantes. † Ed. Lowry Nelson, Jr. Cervantes. Englewood Cliffs, N. J. : Prentice-Hall, Inc. , 1969. Mack, Maynard, ed. The Norton Anthology of World Master pieces. New York: W. W. Norton, 1997. Saavedra, Miguel de Cervantes. Don Quixote de la Mancha. Trans. Charles Jarvis. New York: Washington Square Press, Inc. , 1957. How to cite Don Quixote de La Mancha, Papers

Juvenile Delinquents Analysis Essay Example For Students

Juvenile Delinquents Analysis Essay On March 7, 2000, Californians voted in favor of Proposition 21 The Juvenile Justice Initiative. . The number of crimes committed by juveniles has risen dramatically, and it will continue to rise unless some action is taken. Thus, juvenile offenders should be punished more severely to deter other teenagers from committing crimes and for the safety of all citizens. I am in favor of the requirement that juvenile offenders, age 14 or older, be tried as adults for serious crimes, such as murder or violent sex offenses. Juveniles that commit these serious offenses should be tried and sentenced as an adult, rather than just being given a slap on the wrist. Having more severe punishments for juvenile offenders that commit violent crimes would most likely decrease juvenile offenses. More severe punishment for juveniles would equal less crime, because juveniles would then think twice before breaking the law if they are aware that a severe punishment awaits them. While it is not appropriate f or these individuals to be placed in the same facilities as adult offenders, they should receive the same degree of punishment, but in a facility with peers their own age who have committed similar offenses. The juvenile justice system is not adequate in handling serious crimes committed by minors. It does not ensure that these young juvenile offenders will end their days of crime. In most cases, sentences issued are merely slaps on the wrist. With this in consideration, it can be realized that a stricter justice system can eventually deter teenagers from committing violent crimes. In the past, the majority of cases brought to juvenile court were misdemeanors. Today, the crimes are becoming more and more serious than in the past. More felonies are committed by juveniles today, than misdemeanors. More strict penalties need to be set for serious crimes committed by juveniles. Juveniles who perpetrate violent crimes or felonies should be sentenced as an adult. While some misdemeanors are still serious crimes, the ones who commit them do not require as harsh a treatment as the ones who commit violent crimes or felonies. Many people believe that under the guidance of social workers or probation officers that young offenders undergo a type of rehabilitation. So, instead of placing violent juvenile offenders into facilities where they should be treated as prisoners, the juvenile justice system places them into facilities where they receive guidance in hopes of rehabilitating them. However, this youth guidance facility usually includes comfortable amenities such as: television, recreational games and sports, better food, and medical care than what one would have at home. This does not set a good example for an offenders peers. Their peers come to realize that the punishment is not at all that bad. Subsequently, these young offenders will commit the same crimes because they are not afraid of the consequences. If juvenile offenders are punished the same degree as adult offenders, it would possibly strike fear into the hearts of others. As a result, many juveniles may refrain from committing crimes. Many p eople believe that when juveniles are imprisoned, the development of their criminal traits is only encouraged. When placed in an adult environment at a young age, many believe that the adult prison system will act as a school of crime for juveniles. I do not believe that they are going to learn anything in prison that they havent already learned on the outside. I also believe that separate facilities should be created, in which to place minors apart from adults to serve sentences for the crimes they have committed. Just as adult offenders have a trial and receive a sentence, juvenile offenders who commit violent crimes should also be tried and punished for their crimes. It is not acceptable for juvenile offenders to get off the hook with just a requirement to attend a class and pay a fine, which is basically a slap on the wrist. Adults who commit the same types of violent crimes are prosecuted and required to serve prison time. A separate court should be created within the juvenile justice system when a minor commits murder or a violent sex offense. Cases in which the offenders are minors, should not be sent to the