Role of Women During and After the Age of Revolutions Essay -- French

There have been many stereotypical views and misconceptions about the role of women during and after the age of revolutions. Although the role of women did change, it is important to understand their position before the revolutions in order to wager how their role changed and of course, to what extent. It would be unrealistic to assume that all women during this period fell into one category. There are many factors to consider and so it is vital to address how different types of women behaved in their varied working and living environments. In pre industrial Europe the life of a single woman can be regarded as extremely difficult from an economic perspective. Most single women, irrespective of age, belonged to a family, either as a servant or a daughter. In both respects they were regarded as dependent. In a time when female wages were extremely low, the only way for a woman to obtain a degree of economic stability was to marry. The type of work a single woman carried out differed quite greatly from that of a married woman. As with all women their working role began in a similar way, helping within the home, assisting their mothers. Obviously the jobs they carried out varied according to the productive nature of their particular household, for example in agricultural areas daughters would often help with dairying, poultry, or the making of food and cloth. The very first time women began to ban together for the same rights that men have was during the French Revolution. Everything was being questioned in France then, and for the first time, women were doing some of the questioning. Why couldn't women vote? Why couldn't women hold public office? Why were women expected to tend to the kids and the house all day?... ...e of the Enlightenment era, the role of women in society began changing drastically as the lights of the world were now open with this brand new enlightened era. Women began holding jobs, yet still did not receive the same privileges as men. By the time the Industrial Revolution came along in the 19th century many more jobs were opened to a woman in the work force. Reforms began in all areas throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries as women were gaining more and more rights and acceptance into everyday life. By the time the 20th century rolled around and throughout, no longer was it thought that women belonged in the home (although few still feel that way), yet many women began serving professional jobs as doctors, lawyers, and politicians. Now today some of the most successful people in the business world are women, as women have even began their own companies.