Victorian Family Analysis - 1058 Words

The Victorian family of the 1800s is discussed in chapter two titled â€Å"The Historical Origins of the American Pattern, 1650-1900† of The Marriage-Go-Round, written by Andrew Cherlin. This chapter analyzes the history of families in the United States, starting with the colonial family from the 1600s to the 1700s, and the Victorian family of the 1800s. The increase of the wage labor economy, new policies of monogamous relationships and birth control, and small ideological change which allowed women rights largely impacted the family structure for Victorian families, enforcing the man as the breadwinner and the woman as the subordinate housewife. As previously mentioned, the Victorian family is formed by a man and woman, the man as the†¦show more content†¦This family dynamic with the husband as the breadwinner would remain this way until the 1960s (Cherlin 62). State policy largely effected the Victorian families in the 1800s, with Congress creating laws on polygamy and birth control. First, Congress wanted to end the practice of polygamy, which was practiced by Mormons in the Utah territory. Congress passed laws in 1862, 1879, and in 1884 attempting to end polygamy amongst the Mormons (Cherlin 52). Each law was becoming stricter, until in 1890 the Mormons suspended the practice of polygamy. â€Å"The lesson for Americans who followed this decades-long dispute was that Christian marriage was a fundamental aspect of American society and that Congress and the courts would act forcefully to defend it when necessary† (Cherlin 52). Second, birth control was a largely debated issue during the Victorian era. Anthony Comstock, a reformer from New York, abhorred birth control and thought that birth control was a way to have sexual intercourse without the intent of having children, which he thought of as a â€Å"depraved act† (Cherlin 53). He lobbied Congress and the Comstock Act of 1873 was formed, which banned the U.S. mail to send out information on birth control and other lewd information. â€Å"These prohibitions reinforced the principles thatShow MoreRelatedWilliam Wilde s The Importance Of Being Earnest Essay820 Words   |  4 PagesBeing Earnest. During the Victorian times, being proper, rich is very important. Having the right manners, reading the right things, marry the right person. Is big during this time period. They only talk about certain things in good company. They live on the right block, having the right clothing is very important. In Wilde Importance of being Earnest in the first scene there was humor in there. Algernon was stuffing his face. Wilde likes to make fun of all Victorians from the upper classes. HeRead MoreThe Victorian And Post World War I1590 Words   |  7 PagesHistorically, social norms have been governed by ideas of the sex dichotomy. 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