Women's Rights Research Paper

Submitted By MaceyH14
Words: 1394
Pages: 6
Open Document
Macey Varney
April DierksEnglish Comp
March 23, 2014
Women’s Rights 1800s-1900s
In the late 1800s to early 1900s, women lived in a male dominated society. Society was not kind to women until a few decades later when they put together a movement and fought for their rights as women. Women were to be seen not heard. They were hardly ever seen in the workforce and if the women did work outside of the home, they had to give their earnings to their husband. They had very few rights and even less say in their day to day life. Women were not allowed to vote and very few women were allowed to attend college. Women were expected to be stay at home wives and mothers. Those duties included cleaning house, cooking and having babies. Some women were even discouraged from any kind of work, even work done inside the home. If women rebelled against their husbands’ wishes and demands about her role in society, there could be serious consequences. Women were also not allowed to get divorced even if they were abused. You can see some of the ways women were treated during this time in Kate Chopin’s “Story of an Hour” and “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.
John’s wife is believed by him and her brother to have a nervous depression that is brought on by something unknown. He sticks her in a hideous discolored yellow room, gives her medicine and allows her to do nothing. She feels that writing helps to express her feelings and keeps her from going completely crazy but John does not allow it. For example, Gilman writes in "The Yellow Wallpaper", "So I… am absolutely forbidden to "work" until I am well again" (Gilman 377). The "work" that is being discussed is later described as writing. “There comes John, and I must put this away- he hates to have me write a word" (Gilman 378). John’s wife later says, “Personally, I believe that congenial work, with excitement and change, would do me good (Gilman 377). The simple task of writing that women used for expressing themselves was even denied.
Also in “The Yellow Wallpaper”, her being sick and stuck in this room made her feel like she was a burden to John. She couldn’t help with their baby or do any of the house work she was used to doing. Since wealth was brought into the home by men, women had to take care of their family and home. Generally, being a successful wife and mother was desirable. Some women were accepting to this position of homemaker, like John's sister in "The Yellow Wallpaper." Gilman writes, "She is a perfect and enthusiastic housekeeper, and hopes for no better profession" (380). Women had more responsibilities at home as a wife and mother and were praised for their dedication to their family and home. John’s wife was an exceptional mother and wife but this sickness made it very hard to live everyday life and keep up the appearance she had always maintained.
“The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin also shows some great examples of the unfair treatment of women during the late 1800s. During this time period society believed that women were meant to serve the men. This is another example of a “male dominated society.”
The main character in “The Story of an Hour,” Mrs. Mallard, is living during a time when women had little or no say in who they were married to. During this time wives were fully dependent on their husbands. Mrs. Mallard has a troubled heart who is not at all fond of her controlling, dominate husband so when Mrs. Mallard is misinformed that her husband has passed away she experiences an epiphany, “She said it over and over under her breath, “free, free, free!” “Free! Body and soul free!” she kept whispering.” (Chopin 116). Mrs. Mallard was very over-joyed to be free from her male dominated marriage. She soon finds out that her husband is actually still alive. She became so consumed in her newfound future that she suffered a heart attack and died the moment that it was taken away. (Chopin 116).
Another story that also ties into women’s rights of
Show More

Related Documents: Women's Rights Research Paper

Indigenous Women's Rights

are marginalized and face several conflicts as a cultural minority in comparison to non-Indigenous people (Hanson 2009). In many ways, Indigenous women’s rights are impeded, including their reproductive rights and autonomy and are marginalized in health care (Mann 2013). With this in mind, I pose the following question, how are Indigenous women’s rights and dignities protected and marginalized in the health care system of Canada in terms of their reproductive health and well-being? In this literature…

Words 1771 - Pages 8

Revolution Women's Rights

Women’s Right and Women’s Roles Do you think women have the same right as men? Women’s right has been a problem throughout the nineteen century, however women played a big role in the war of Independence. They started questioning their rights because they could help men win the war. Women generally have had fewer legal rights and career opportunities than men. Wifehood and motherhood were women's most significant professions, in the 19th century; however, women won the right to vote and increased…

Words 1580 - Pages 7

Women's Reproductive Rights

From illegality to equality : reprodutive rights in the United States Exactly one hundred years ago, the first birth control clinic opened in the United States. Although the history of reproductive rights started at the beginning of the XXth century, they are still nowadays a central issue of public debate. We will explore the social history of repoductive rights in the United States since the 1910s, paying close attention to the the emergence, development, and persistence of the movement for…

Words 1862 - Pages 8

Women's Rights Grievances

a conference was held that helped establish a basic set of grievances that the women of 1848 were experiencing. Even though women would not win their rights for almost seventy years, the Declaration of Rights helped set the stage for the women’s rights and suffrage movement. The first way the Declaration of Sentiments helped establish the Women’s suffrage movement was in the exceptional clarity in which the women of the convention stated their grievances with both men and society. Without a clear…

Words 582 - Pages 3

The Women's Rights Movement

Women eventually gained the right to equality but it was hard to get to that point. The fight for women’s suffrage and equality paid off in the end because women now have the same or similar rights as men. Many things led up to women gaining their freedom such as events before the movement, the changing rights for women, occurrences before the movement, and the lasting effects of the Women’s Rights Movement. Before the Women’s Rights Movement women had to go through a series of events in order to…

Words 1113 - Pages 5

Women's Rights In The Crucible

Women’s Rights (ENTER MORE INTERESTING TITLE) Women’s rights is one of the most significant movements in this country’s history. Since its independence, women have been treated unfairly and with much disrespect. Woman were not even allowed to vote until 1920. These mistreatments are due to the gender bias in human nature. This bias is apparent in everyday life as well as in books such as The Crucible. While The Crucible explores gender bias in human nature, the issue of woman’s rights in contemporary…

Words 1175 - Pages 5

Women's Rights In Iran

considering the circumstances) is women’s rights. This area has always been a subject for discussion considering the authoritarian nature of Iran, but the mixture of Islam (specifically Sharia Law) has led to a lot of misconception on the standing of women. The true question that stands to be answered is, what impact has the Islamic movement had on the status of women in Iran? This question will be answered through an analysis of the following sectors in women’s…

Words 1914 - Pages 8

The Women's Rights Movement

The women’s rights movement has been a long continuing struggle. Most accounts would point to two periods in which it has gained the most popularity. The first upsurge started with the right to suffrage in the 19th century. The second wave emerged in the mid-1960 and continues on up to today. It mainly focused on a variety of issues concerning women and securing a more equitable environment for them. This paper would attempt to briefly account the historical background of the first wave which…

Words 1344 - Pages 6

The Women's Rights Movement

for their rights and others’ in which brought about a significant movement. The Women’s Rights movement was created by the group of middle-class women who decided to wrap this movement with republican ideas of home and motherhood before the Civil War erupted in the United States. The main purpose of Women’s Rights was to make them have a greater social role and reform a political culture. Actually, there was a few women who tried to set up their groups and cried out for their rights in which involved…

Words 661 - Pages 3

Women's Rights Dbq

Imagine a world where you're in a constant battle for your rights. Well since the 19th century, this has been a constant problem for women around the world, called the fight for suffrage. Because of this, women have faced many struggles which made it harder for them every day, having their traditional values challenged. So, years ago, many protesters believed women's rights were necessary and needed. This is shown from the countless protests that took place to gain their suffrage because they believed…

Words 321 - Pages 2