A Man’s World? Men were believed to be rational. Women were thought to be emotional, delicate creatures.

Social Changes: The population of England was rapidly rising The population of England was rapidly rising Urbanization was starting to change the way people worked and lived Urbanization was starting to change the way people worked and lived Rise of the novel- Sentimentalism Rise of the novel- Sentimentalism

The Nervous System A common misconception was that the female nervous system was different than the male one, which contributed to the belief that women were delicate and weak A common misconception was that the female nervous system was different than the male one, which contributed to the belief that women were delicate and weak

Great Expectations Women were expected to be passive and modest. Women were expected to be passive and modest.

Conduct Literature Written by both men and women and directed mainly at daughters Written by both men and women and directed mainly at daughters Provided guidelines for women’s behavior– how they should think, feel, and act in social situations Provided guidelines for women’s behavior– how they should think, feel, and act in social situations Supposedly, if a young lady followed this advice, she would be attractive to marry Supposedly, if a young lady followed this advice, she would be attractive to marry

A Few Rules of Conduct:

“Avoid novel reading, for it gives young women a false view of life, and leads girls and women to live in an unhealthy, dreamy state of erotic fantasy”

“It is important to have simple good taste in dress but immoral to pay too much attention to clothes.” “It is unattractive for women to drink too much.” “Do not spend too much time going out. This highlights a woman’s frivolity and hints at sexual promiscuity.”

Young women were encouraged not to give themselves over to “the insensible passion of love.” ~John Gregory, A Father’s Legacy to His Daughters, 1774 What’s Love Got to Do With it?

Not only were women told how to act and present themselves, they were even instructed on how to react in certain situations: “Honest pleasures are not inconsistent with true modesty; but an affected air of coyness and gravity is always suspected. When a young lady is praised for her merit, good mien or beauty, she should not reject such commendations with an angry look, or a scornful disdain; but receive them with ease and civility, if they be obligingly offered.” ~Wetenhall Wilkes, A Letter of Gentile and Moral Advice to a Young Lady

Sex Sexual impulses were considered to be characteristics of men Sexual impulses were considered to be characteristics of men Any woman whose sexual desires were not directed towards marriage and motherhood was labeled “unnatural” Any woman whose sexual desires were not directed towards marriage and motherhood was labeled “unnatural” "Every improper curiosity defiles the character. She that listens, with pleasure, to wanton discourse, defiles her ears; she that speaks it, defiles her tongue; and immodest glances pollute the eyes. As nothing is more clean and spotless, than pure virginity, so the least recession from it is the more discernable." ~Wetenhall Wilkes, A Letter of Gentile and Moral Advice to a Young Lady

Anti-Feminism Jean-Jacque Rousseau’s Emile: Or, On Education (1762) Jean-Jacque Rousseau’s Emile: Or, On Education (1762) *The confinement of women to the private, domestic world

Emile lays out the “appropriate education, training, domestic and familial structure for a representative male citizen in the 18 th century and his female counterpart”

Male vs. Female Man = Husband, citizen, father and “beginner of new generations”; dominant Man = Husband, citizen, father and “beginner of new generations”; dominant Woman = Wife, mother; submissive and domestic Woman = Wife, mother; submissive and domestic Rousseau encouraged the belief that women should be educated in respect to their relationships with men Rousseau encouraged the belief that women should be educated in respect to their relationships with men

The Feminist Response In her 1792 essay A Vindication of the Rights of Women, Mary Wollstonecraft blamed women’s weak minds and bodies on a “false system of education” – NOT the Nervous System In her 1792 essay A Vindication of the Rights of Women, Mary Wollstonecraft blamed women’s weak minds and bodies on a “false system of education” – NOT the Nervous System

Female Writers