39 Questions
In the 19th-century American society, the concept of 'True Womanhood' as presented in women's literature and magazines was seen as:
A hostage in the home, preserving the values disregarded in the larger society.
The 'temple of the chosen people' in the 19th-century American context refers to:
A metaphor for the materialistic society focused on building bridges and railroads.
The phrase 'True Womanhood' was used in the mid-19th century to:
Portray women as hostages preserving cherished values at home.
According to the text, what was the core virtue of a true woman in the nineteenth century?
Submissiveness
How was religion valued in women according to the text?
It was considered essential for the betterment of society
What did Mrs. Osgood's poem and various other sources emphasize about woman's role?
Her influence on men in the spiritual realm
According to the text, what was considered as vital as piety for young women?
Purity
What did Joseph M'D. Mathews believe female education should primarily focus on?
Religious studies
In the text, what did True Women urge to maintain and avoid?
Virtue and temptation
Which virtue was considered the most feminine according to the text?
Submission
What did the Cult of True Womanhood emphasize the most?
Women's obedience to husbands
Why were women warned not to tamper with their passive virtues?
To maintain the order of the universe
According to Eliza Farnham, what did she conclude as the barrier against which men's sensual nature surged?
Women's purity
In the story 'The Two Lovers of Sicily' by The Lady's Amaranth, what prevailing standards influence the fate of lovers, Bianca and Tebaldo?
The rigid standards of True Womanhood
According to Reverend Jonathan F. Stearns, what did he believe was women's source of power?
Women's purity
According to the text, what analogy did Dr. Meigs use to illustrate the female principle?
The Venus de Medici
According to Mrs. Farrar, what nature should love in the heart of a woman largely partake of?
Gratitude
According to Grace Greenwood, what is true feminine genius?
Timid, doubtful, and clingingly dependent
What did Caroline Gilman advise the bride to do in order to establish the proper order from the beginning of a marriage?
Watch well the first moments when her will conflicts with her husband's
In 'Recollections of a Southern Matron', what did Mrs. Gilman's perfect wife realize as essential for domestic happiness?
Reverence her husband's wishes even when she does not his opinions
What was the prevailing sentiment about the role of women in 19th-century American society, according to the text?
Women were considered as hostages in the home, holding values dear but treating them lightly.
What was one of the key concerns of 19th-century American men about the society they had built?
The neglect of religious values in a materialistic society
In the 19th-century American context, what was the significance of the phrase 'True Womanhood'?
It emphasized the ideal virtues and role of women in society.
What was the core virtue of a true woman in the nineteenth century, according to the text?
Piety
Why was religion valued in women according to the text?
It served as a tranquilizer for their longings.
According to Dr. Charles Meigs, why were women naturally religious?
Their confiding nature led them more readily than men to accept the proffered grace of the Gospel.
What did Joseph M'D. Mathews believe female education should primarily focus on?
Religious devotion and piety as the core elements
According to the text, what nature should love in the heart of a woman largely partake of?
Purity and innocence
What analogy did Dr. Meigs use to illustrate the female principle, as mentioned in the text?
A precious gem requiring protection and preservation
In the 19th century, what did Eliza Farnham conclude about the purity of women?
It was the everlasting barrier against men's sensual nature
According to William Alcott, what was better calculated to preserve a young man from low pleasures and pursuits?
Frequent intercourse with refined and virtuous young ladies
What did The Ladies' Wreath emphasize as the highest beauty and the true pole-star to guide humanity?
Purity
In 19th-century American society, what was the expected role of women according to the concept of 'True Womanhood'?
To embody purity, piety, submission, and domesticity
According to George Burnap in his lectures on The Sphere and Duties of Woman, what qualities did a woman need to possess?
Pliability of temper, humility of mind, and a spirit of obedience and submission
According to the text, what analogy did Dr. Meigs use to illustrate the female principle?
The Venus de Milo compared to the Apollo of the Belvedere
According to Grace Greenwood, what is true feminine genius?
Timidity, doubt, and dependency
In 'Recollections of a Southern Matron', what did Mrs. Gilman's perfect wife realize as essential for domestic happiness?
Reverence for the husband's wishes and opinions
What did the Cult of True Womanhood emphasize the most?
The importance of maintaining passive virtues and subordination to men
Why were women warned not to tamper with their passive virtues?
To maintain their desirability as marriage partners
Study Notes
- Amelia's "thoughtless levity" and "loss of virtuous principle" led to disastrous consequences, according to a young man's misinterpretation and Mrs. Graves' editorial in a story called "Amelia."
- A popular story, "Lucy Dutton," describes a naive young woman, Lucy, who was beautiful, trusting, and thoughtless. Her innocence did not match the sophistication of a city man, leading to shame, the death of her baby, and her own madness and eventual death.
- In the 1800s, women had no legal existence once married and could not manage property or sue in court. Laws were passed in the 1840s and 1850s to help women gain legal autonomy.
- Women's intellect was often considered geared towards their hymen, not their brains, and any deviation from the norms of True Womanhood could lead to shame and tragedy.
- Eliza Farnham, in her attempt to prove female superiority, concluded that women's purity was the barrier against which men's sensual nature surged.
- In the story "The Two Lovers of Sicily" by The Lady's Amaranth, the rigid standards of True Womanhood prevail, even when lovers, Bianca and Tebaldo, are stranded on a desert island.
- According to William Alcott, a man could be preserved from contamination by intercourse with refined and virtuous women.
- The Reverend Jonathan F. Stearns believed that women's purity was their source of power, and they should never compromise it.
- The Ladies' Wreath saw purity as a woman's greatest gift and chief means of discharging her duty to save the world.
- Any form of social change was seen as a threat to women's virtue in the nineteenth century.
Test your understanding of moral codes and social expectations in Victorian literature with this quiz. Explore the themes of virtue, innocence, and societal judgment through the lens of classic narratives from the era.
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