Usually when you think of Husband and Wife you think of a team or couple working together to raise a family or conduct a household properly. In todays era there are more equalities that come along with a relationship between the man and woman of the household. I think it is because there is more of a sense of independency practiced by the woman’s part. Back in the colonial days there were many inequalities that were fitting in that social aspect of life and the view in which that generation saw things in America. Also it was how America viewed women that led to these inequalities.
In general women were subordinate to me because their chief duty was to obey their husband. In the Southern colonies of America, the men usually did not want to deal with assertive women because they felt that the women were acting out of character. When it came to income and the workforce there were also mor inequalities that shaped relationships. Men were looked at as the breadwinners of the house. At times the whole family would work to survive including children. But mainly it was the men that worked and the wives that looked over the house. Now in modern society the woman at times would be the bread winner. On the other hand when it came to the vows of marriage and the love that was suppose to be shared upon the husband and wife then the affection was deemed as equal. They were suppose to show a great deal of affection and always remain faithful. In that day and age divorce was not granted at easy as it is today. Divorce today could be granted on the grounds of whatever reason you want to separate. In the colonial days it had to be a serious issue in which included divorce, bigamy, or impotence.
Children's lives at that time were short-lived because they would usually die before the age of ten. But as for their role in the family; they were taught to behave, be obedient, and docile. Like I mentioned earlier, children were forced to work and child labor was very extensive. In the New England colony there were more inequality when it came to gender. Boys were the ones often schooled and girls were not because they were raised to be homemakers so they did nto need formal education.
I want to know what others think in regards to how things have changed overtime with respect to gender and the roles of everyone in the household?
Depending on the type of family and their social situations, family life has changed considerably. Some families may still take the colonial approach and have both families working to provide for themselves(Amish, Mennonites, etc.)
ReplyDeleteChildren for the most part are raised more leniently and held to a different standard from adults, partly due to developmental science dispelling the idea that children were "miniature adults."
When it comes to couples, things get complicated. On the one hand, women have more options now than they did in the past when it comes to their futures. They can hold careers or raise families, or both. However, it's still considered normal for men to take the position as the family head, and it's seen to be the most "functional." Usually women are the main adult in the family because the father is absent or otherwise unable. There are husbands who stay at home and take on the supporting role of the family, but they're underrepresented in popular culture.
Overall, the chapter provides a great frame of reference to dispel the myth of the "good old days." All points in history had their fair share of family issues.