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Theme: Relations between women in the 18th and 19th
centuries.
Thesis: Relationships between women in the nineteenth century
America created aweb of love and support for women. Mothers and
daughters, sisters and friends from childhood formed emotional and
sometimes physical bonds that lasted lifetimes. These ties were
acknowledged and easily accepted in their societies. Many women
survived unthinkable hardships such as geographical isolation,
child birth,and loss of children because of the unconditional love
found in their relationswith other women.
I. IntroductionA. Female friendship of 19th century not really
studied beforeB. Abundance of evidence suggests very strong
emotional ties bet
ween women.C. All types of relationships are suggested
fromsisterly love to passionD. In this world men are hardly
noted
II. Defining and analyzing these relations
A. Question of method and interpretationB. How to view same sex
relations1.Psychopathology2.dichotomy between normal and
abnormal
C. Viewing within a cultural and social settingD. Based on the
diaries of women from 35 familiesfrom 1760s to 1880s
1.Represents brood range of women2.Middle class
III. Sensual and platonicA. Sarah Butler Wister and Jeannie
Field Musgrove
1. Met while families vacationed; spent 2 years
together at boarding school2. throughout life wrote to eachother
talking oftheir deep affection and their anguish when apart3.
Marriage brought physical separation but noremotional.4. Made
references that may imply a relationshipthat is not necessarily
platonic5. Friendship lasted their entire lives
B. Molly and Helena1. Met at boarding school2. Formed friendship
similar to that of Sarah andJeannie3. many references to a physical
relation
4. marriage brought depression and changes becauseof now having
male lovers.5. Molly tells Helena she loves her as "wives dolove
their husbands"
C. Significance of these letters1. Do not define as hetero or
homosexual but asexamples of the intensity of the emotional bond2.
Force us to place female love in a particularhistorical context
7/29/2019 Womens Relations in the 19th Century Outline Form
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IV. Emotional function of such female loveA. American society
characterized by strict gender-roleseparation.
1. women formed supportive networks that came withrituals for
every important event in a woman's lifefrom birth to death2. these
emotions supported by strict restrictionsin relations between young
men and women. Twototally separate spheres existed, women's and
men's
B. The woman's world was a cycle of home, church, andvisiting
other women. This world was inhabited solelyby women and children.
Help with domestic during illness and othe
r problems. Vacations often designed forold friends to meet
again.
V. Women and their female kinA. Women's female kin were the core
of this world offemale ties.
1.Relatives provided the nucleus aroundwhich groups of friends
and networks revolved.2.Much of a woman's life could be focuses
aroundher family and extended family (in-laws)
B. The mother-daughter relationship is at the center ofthis
world. The daughters relied on their mothers for
support and learned their female duties from them, sortof an
apprenticeship.C. through relations with female kin, the web
grewthrough the non-relative friends of kin as a girlgrew she made
her own friends and they were incorporatedinto this familial
world.
VI. Rituals in the life of a womanA. Marriage was one of the
great rituals. Supportsurrounded the bride for months before
hand.B. Childbirth was a solely female ritual, friends andrelatives
were present through the entire process.
VII. ConclusionThe relationships between women during this era
was core to their lives
and survival. Without the love, support, and rituals surrounding
their daily lives together, many of the women would not have
survived the hardships that often presented themselves in life.
Point of Analysis: I feel that the author was a bit long winded
in her explanations of some things. There are many things that she
repeats. I also feel thatshe could have presented more about the
lives of men. After reading this, I wonder what the men did all day
and if they had relationships like this with theirfriends and male
kin. It is a great essay and does show vividly the lives of women
during this time
Point of Synthesis: This article really helped me to understand
the women during this time much more. To see their lives on a much
more personal level, and how they socialized really creates a
deeper and more personal understanding of women here. Connecting
this with their political lives, regional, and religious helps to
make the circle complete and create a true understanding of women
duringthis era.
