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Summary |
| The Two Sexes | |
| The last number of the Ladies’ Magazine contains its usual variety of valuable and interesting matter. The following true and elegant paragraphs are extracted from an article by Mrs. Sigourney, whose mind is the dwelling of light and beauty. | The following is an section from an article by Mrs. Sigourney in the Ladies’ Magazine. Her mind is full of light and beauty. |
| “Man might be initiated into the varieties and mysteries of needlework; taught to have patience with the feebleness and waywardness of infancy, and to steal with noiseless step about the chamber of the sick; and woman might be instructed to contend for the palm of science; to pour forth eloquence in senates, or to ‘wade through fields of slaughter to a throne.’ Yet revolting of the soul would attend this violence to nature; this abuse of physical and intellectual energy; while the beauty of social order would be defaced, and the fountains of earth’s felicity broken up.
“We arrive, therefore, at the conclusion. The sexes are intended for different spheres, and constructed in conformity to their respective destinations, by Him who bids the oak brave the fury of the tempest, and the Alpine flower lean its cheek on the bosom of eternal snows. But disparity does not necessarily imply inferiority. The high places of the earth with their pomp and glory, are indeed accessible only to the march of ambition or the grasp of power; yet those who pass with faithful and applauded zeal through their humble round of duty, are not unnoticed by the ‘Great Task-master’s eye, and their endowments, though accounted poverty among men, may prove durable riches in the kingdom of Heaven.” |
Men can be taught tasks like sewing, childcare, or caring for the sick. Women can be taught to be scientists, politicians, or warriors. But the soul would revolt at this corruption of the natural order of things. The beauty of society would be ruined, and happiness would end.
We can only conclude that men and women were designed to operate in separate spheres by God. But this does not mean one is better than the other. It is true that praise and glory can only be achieved through ambition and power. But if done well, the humblest tasks can still be rewarded by God. |
Background
By the 1830s, many Americans believed that physical differences indicated mental, social, and emotional differences. This led to the development of “separate spheres” for men and women. Men were expected to operate in the public sphere, working to support their families, engaging in politics, and building their communities. Women were expected to operate in the private sphere, caring for their home, raising and teaching their family, and promoting spiritual practices. It was widely believed that each sphere was uniquely suited to the gender assigned to it. The separate spheres ideology set the standards of appropriate behavior for men and women.
But almost no one could actually maintain separate spheres in their home life. Most working-class women and women of color had to support their families by working outside the home. Some immigrant men were shut out of traditionally masculine jobs by racist hiring practices. And some people just refused to be controlled by social expectations, like the women who publicly campaigned for important social issues. Separate spheres is not an ideal most Americans could live up to, but it was a convenient way to judge the lives of others.
About the Resources
This article about separate spheres was printed in Godey’s Lady’s Book in 1830. Godey’s Lady’s Book was the most popular magazine in the U.S. before the Civil War. It was edited by Sarah J. Hale and Louis A. Godey and printed in Philadelphia. It is a useful resource for understanding popular culture and values before the outbreak of the American Civil War.
Vocabulary
Discussion Questions
- According to this author, what are the proper roles for men and women?
- According to this author, what would happen if men and women did not stay in their separate spheres?
- Are separate spheres practical? What are some problems with this ideology?
Suggested Activities
- Separate spheres were an ideal that most Americans could not live up to. Ask your class to brainstorm some social and cultural ideals that Americans hold to today. How are these ideals reinforced in media and popular culture? Are they helpful or harmful?
- To learn more about the development of the idea that physical attributes indicated mental capacities, see: On the Capabilities of Women.
- After analyzing this article, ask students to pick one of the following resources and then write a short paragraph about how their resources challenged the notion of separate spheres and why:
Themes
AMERICAN CULTURE
