The Cult of Domesticity Women of the 19th Century

What was the Cult of Domesticity? It was a new ideal of behavior for women, arising from women’s magazines, advice books, popular culture, etc.

Godey’s Lady’s Book A. Most widely circulated ladies magazine in the US; B. Encouraged motherhood; 1. Paintings and pictures depicted the “ideal” woman; 2. Fashion stressed to make women attractive to husbands.

Godey’s proclaimed A. the wife and mother are the center of the family; B. "The wife is truly the light of the home."

Ideal of Womanhood Piety Purity Submissiveness Domesticity

Piety Belief that women must believe in a religion and enforce this upon their children.

Submissiveness A. Women to be passive, submissive to fate, duty, God and men; B. Clothing emphasized passivity 1. Corsets closed off lungs and pinched inner organs 2. Large numbers of undergarments and weight of dresses limited mobility

Domesticity A. Defined: anything related to or of the home; “Housework is an uplifting task.” B. Women make the home a refuge for men so that they can escape from the crazy outside world.

Purity A. Once married, she has no legal or emotional existence B. 19th century purity fetish Limbs, not legs White meat, not breast Cover table and chair legs Separate male and female authors Stork and cabbage patch stories of babies