Did a typical Victorian woman have to obey their husbands?

Question

It's for an essay about Victorian women in 'Great Expectations' by Charles Dickens

Answer 1

For much of the Victorian era, married women had the same legal standing as children.

They did not have the right to own property, start a business or open a bank account in their own name.

In legal matters, they were not permitted to sit on juries or act for themselves in the criminal or civil courts.

A male intermediary was required for matters which would today be considered quite ordinary, such as making a claim of inheritance.

In family life, women surrendered all their property to their husband's on marriage, and he could then do as he wished with it. She could not even make a legally binding will.

The husband also had the power to cast the wife from his home, and could institute divorce proceedings through an ordinary court (in the UK a woman had to apply to Parliament for an 'Act' to obtain a divorce, which was a very practical way of limiting the numbers who did applied!). If her husband went to court to divorce her, she was not permitted to defend herself.

A divorced woman was not entitled to any assets of the marriage, including any money she had brought TO the marriage, so she would leave penniless. Also, a divorced woman could not have custody of the children of the marriage.

Women were required to be obedient to their husbands, not only by the law but also by religion, social pressure and common sense.

As an example, until very recently (long after Victorian times), women could not refuse to have s3x with their husbands, even if they were ill. To refuse was grounds for divorce and a life of penury as a social outcast.

So yeah, I guess you could make a case that the average Victorian woman HAD to obey her husband.

However, it is also important to remember that the Victorian era was quite long ~ over 60 years, and during that time there were big changes in industry, commerce and public thought which laid the groundwork for the enormous social changes throughout the 20th century.

By the end of the Victorian era, while many of these laws were still on the books, they were applied less and less, until finally they were overthrown.

Cheers :-)

Answer 2

Typically Victorian women did obey their husbands, in some of my studies there were a small and I mean a very, very small few that would and did rebel, but the ones who did not get by with it were beaten by the brutes...

Answer 3

yes but they were pampered as well.  

Answer 4

Men and women of the victorian age had to obey a set of rules.

Answer 5

Why don't you read the book and base your essay on the contents of the book?  Or here is a though...do some research.