There was a lot of sexist employers as most of them thought a ‘women’s place’ was in the home. Women faced a lot of discrimination against men if they were seen displaced in the field of work. Most women would be employed in Domestic Service which would include being maids and cleaners for higher class citizens who could afford servants. They would polish silver, wash and do normal household chores. Most women were brought up to support her husband and look after her home and children; her time was always contributed to her home.
World War 1 played a significant part in developing women's political rights in both positive and negative ways. World War one may have foiled the drive by women to gain political rights just as much or even more so then it helped. Pre war women did have working opportunities though very little compared to men, as they were seen as weaker and that their place was in the "home". Their employment was limited to the domestic service (cleaning or working as a servant) and secretarial work and not manual labor in factories or working class women often worked in the textiles industry. Women were lower paid and were restricted to do less skilled work, as they were considered incompetent.
During the nineteenth century women were considered inferior and expected to be submissive to men; their place is meant to be in the home raising the children and managing the plantation. Stowe considers housekeeping as one of the most essential duties of 19th century women: they have an obligation to govern their staff, manage household finances, and create a “heaven” for their families. Although the "separate spheres" philosophy is limiting because it confined women to the home, it also provides a model for a woman run government that separates from slavery. It is a disgrace for a woman to interfere in the place of men, or the workforce, as it is believed to be only for men. A key example of this would be Mrs. Shelby.
Women could also free slaves, make adoptions, and go to court without the presence of a man. The women were permitted to go out in public, though it was frowned upon. Instead they worked in the fields at home, and in the workshops owned by the family. Though they had this great freedom, compared to other civilizations, their occupations were very limited. Most women simply stayed at home and took care of the house and the family.
Children were an economic responsibility for women - providing food, housing and clothing until the child was independent and could go out to work to provide for the family themselves. Most working class women worked, as this was an obligation, but this work contrasted hugely to that of their male counterparts, occupying roles of lower skill and less pay. Edward Cadbury in 1909 said that marriage was ‘an escape from work’ Trint, S. History Learning Site 2010-2011. Women’s Rights. www.historylearningsite.co.uk [accessed 07122011].
Unfortunately, not all societies viewed women as equal. Some actually viewed women as slaves or servants. On the other hand there were cultures that did treat their women with virtually the same human rights as men. Women played a different role than men in their day to day lives. In ancient times, they were known mostly as gatherers, mothers, caregivers or teachers.
In the novel we see with one of Okonkwo’s wives that women face tough times, where they are seen as weak and even worth nothing but caregivers to the husbands unless they hold a higher authority. There is a difference in the level of respect with the women in the Ibo village and women in the our society today. To contrast between the two more women in our society hold authority than the women in the Ibo village. In the novel Things Fall Apart we notice women are treated much different which leads us to think about women in our world compared to women in the Ibo village. Okonkwo the main character in this novel has many wives, his wives play an important role in his life but from some of the passages in the novel it is as if they are there just to please him.
The central and significant role of women in this book plays an important aspect throughout the story as women take on the jobs of housekeeping, care taking, cleaning, cooking, gardening, etc. In her novel, Allende portrays women as the ones who mostly belong in the domestic realm where they take care of the children, elderly, and sick, while the men belong exploring the world and doing whatever they want in life. This might prove that women’s involvement in the outside world (other than the home) is very low and not accepted. They might play roles such as the housekeeper, cook, nanny, or cleaner. For example, Allende writes about Esteban’s thoughts on what roles’ women deserve to play, "It would go against nature.
Anderson is also one of Canada’s leading advocates of women rights. Firstly, women are treated differently than men in society which is not right because women can do everything a man can do. Secondly, men are considered to be superior to women because they work to feed the women. This was believed to be true by many people in Mohan 2 the olden days when women didn’t work outside a lot. This would not true in today’s world because they are many women who work nowadays and support the whole family while the man sits at home.
Their ideologies of social reform were more conservative and traditional in nature. They felt that because women had different needs, the law must be made to recognize these differences because they are significant and relevant to women’s lives and their futures. They fought for women’s suffrage not because they believed it was their “right” as women to vote, but more on the pretense that it was their “duty”. They believed that by having the vote, women would have more political power to improve life for themselves and their children. Their emphasis was on women’s responsibilities as mothers, “Maternalism”, Public Housekeeping, and women’s biological difference from men.