Running head: CGarcia HUM 112 – Assign 2, women’s roles 1

A Queen and an Empress Discuss Women’s Roles and Progression

By Claire Garcia, Strayer Student

HUM 112 winter 2014, Prof. Nancy Barlar

Assignment 2, Women’s Roles Then & Now

CGarcia HUM 112 – Assign 2, women’s roles 2

Do gender roles exist? A Deeper Look at Basic Female Motivation

Is there a deeper reason that women’s rights have advanced at such a significantly

different rate than men’s have? Do women have a different intrinsic motivation that has affected

their ability to surpass men in some areas? Studies show that women do not require extrinsic

motivation to feel fulfilled. Women derive satisfaction from the intrinsic motivation related to

care giving, moral obligations to marriage, or social acceptance. Success tied to altruistic

preferences not linked to extrinsic reward result in lower motivation to succeed extrinsically in

society. Women’s rights advance only as fast as women are available in society with comparable

self-interest and extrinsic valuation as the men in the same society. The competitive culture

between men and women, and the cultural norms of the time are also a factor in the advancement

of women’s roles and rights. Generational gender roles within a small section of society or a

family have a strong influence on the continuation of intrinsic values of women of that group.

The lines begin to blur when intrinsic values feel like an extrinsic value. What happens when a

woman with both sets of values becomes a strong leader? Can you combine the deep

compassionate intrinsic feelings with competitive extrinsic values? The need for social

acceptance related to extrinsic compensation and status have increased alongside cultural

changes made by competitive women in society. Catherine the Great and Queen Victoria are two

examples of strong female leadership that had significant cultural impact.

CGarcia HUM 112 – Assign 2, women’s roles 3

A Queen and an Empress Discuss Women’s Roles and Progression

Queen Victoria and Catherine the Great both rose to reign at an early age. Both made a

significant impact on their country and culture. A female in leadership in the 18th or 19th century

had a difficult role to play in comparison to the women over which they ruled. Imagine the

dialogue that these two strong female leaders would have regarding the women of their own

time, and that of women of the future.

Queen Victoria

Young and vibrant Victoria rose to the throne at the age of eighteen in May of 1837.

After Victoria’s father died in 1820, her mother, the Duchess of Kent, moved them both to

Kensington Palace with her new partner John Conroy. They used the “Kensington System” to

raise young Victoria. Watched 24 hours a day, kept apart from friends and family, and required

to sleep in her mother’s bedroom. Victoria had an unhappy childhood. When she assumed the

throne after the death of William IV in 1837, she had a determination to rule on her own, relying

on the support of people other than her mother and Conroy. She was forced however to live with

them because she was unmarried. When they moved to Buckingham Palace in 1837, she

required that her mother give her written notice before seeing her. After a lengthy scandal

involving the presumed pregnancy of Lady Flora, Victoria was desperate to remove the duchess

from the palace. Just months after the scandal, her cousin, Prince Albert, arrived at the palace.

Five days into his visit, Victoria proposed to him. News of the marriage seemingly

overshadowed the scandal that had engrossed the palace. Victoria later announced her behavior

in the scandal was immature and a mistake. Despite a period of scrutiny, she remained a popular

figure amongst her compatriots.

CGarcia HUM 112 – Assign 2, women’s roles 4

Catherine the Great

Biographer Simon Henderson described her saying “she was a dynamic, energetic, thoughtful

monarch, sometimes generous, sometimes cruel, always vain, always tenacious, but with an

unswerving commitment to modernizing Russia.” Catherine had a skilful way of asserting her

position of power. Doubted at times as an enlightened leader, she did not stop continuously

asserting an almost vain style of powerful leadership. In 1774, Catherine married Peter III, a

boorish man. Catherine had many lovers to make up for the unhappy union. Catherine had

aggressive methods of reformation that did not always include a solid plan, but they always had

passionate impulse to illicit change and transformation. Russian schools in the 1780’s

superseded their European counterparts. Catherine was the founder of the first girl’s school in

Russia. Though Catherine was seen as a bully by some, she made significant advancements in

the areas of education, particularly that of girls.

Women of the 18th Century. The eighteenth century was a time of massive reform for

women’s rights. Apart from the women appointed to high leadership positions, such as Catherine

the Great, there were others attempting to change the roles and rights of women in society. One

such women is Olympe de Gouges. In 1791, she drafted a “Declaration of the Rights of Women

and the Female Citizen.” She also published a Social Contract where she proposes equality in a

marriage between a male and female. At the same time, Mary Wollstonecraft published “A

Vindication of the Rights of Women” (1792). “…I wish to persuade women to endeavor to

acquire strength, both of mind and body…” She waged a significant internal personal battle

within her private life, all the while attempting to have women seen as more than second-class.

During the 18th century the rights of man had been well establish, whereas the rights of women

CGarcia HUM 112 – Assign 2, women’s roles 5

did not receive the same importance. Women such as Olympe de Gouges and Mary

Wollstonecraft took a public stand to improve the rights of women.

A conversation between Catherine the Great and Queen Victoria regarding the women

of their time. Context: The two women having a conversation regarding the gender role of

women from the perspective of a woman in leadership.

Catherine the Great: It pains me to see the common woman treated as a second-class

citizen. I sincerely wish they could find the inner strength to rise above and fight for their rights.

Queen Victoria: But Catherine, have you not yourself oppressed the women of your

region by essentially giving them away as servants to private proprietors?

Catherine the Great: Yes I have. The peasants that I handed over also included men.

Though it may have been an aggressive decision, I did not punish the men any more or less than

the women. I have supported my fellow female citizens by starting the first girl’s school in

Russia.

Queen Victoria: I see you are protecting their right to education. I would like to see

women have the right to assert their independence sooner than I was allowed. How ridiculous it

was to have to live with my parents until I was married. How can I be trusted as a leader to

make such impactful decisions, and not seen as strong enough to live on my own?

Catherine the Great: I agree. This is why I support literature and the proliferation of

information. I am aware my methods may be seen as harsh. Many men have made similar

decisions and not received such opinionated scrutiny.

CGarcia HUM 112 – Assign 2, women’s roles 6

A conversation between Catherine the Great and Queen Victoria regarding the women of

modern times. Context: The two women discussing access to education and career for modern

women.

Catherine the Great: I am exuberantly pleased at the access all girls have to education in

the modern society.

Queen Victoria: Catherine, I am also very pleased by this. I am also pleased at the

freedoms they have to drive cars, live on their own, and choose their relationships.

Catherine the Great: It is interesting and exciting that women can find their way into

power not by birthright, but by being promoted or voted into power because people have

confidence in their ability to perform the job.

Queen Victoria: I cannot imagine how different my role in society would be in modern

time. I could have moved away from my parents. I could have sought my own career path and

education. Being born into the right family would not have determined my destiny as it has in

our times.

Catherine the Great: Women of the modern time are still judged for their actions and

decisions differently than men, but they have many more freedoms as leaders to make aggressive

decisions. However, in this new modern time there seem to be more human-rights issues that I

did not have to worry about in my time.

Queen Victoria: Women of the modern time also have the added factor of the rapid

proliferation of information. The scandal I was involved with was news in my local area, but in

this modern time it would be news around the world in a very short time. However, the scandal

would have been much easier to solve with modern technology in science.

CGarcia HUM 112 – Assign 2, women’s roles 7

References

Sayre, H.M. (2012). The humanities: culture, continuity and change, Volume 2 (2nd ed.). (2011

Custom Edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

Henderson, Simon (Mar2005). "Catherine the Great -- Enlightened Empress?" History Review.

Issue 51, p14-19. 6p.

Williams, Kate. (Apr2009) "Queen Victoria and the Palace Martyr." History Today. Vol. 59 Issue

4, p42-47. 6p.

Folbre, Nancy. (Dec2012). "Should Women Care Less? Intrinsic Motivation and Gender

Motivation." British Journel of Industrial Relations. Vol. 50 Issue 4, p597-619.