Cult+of+Domesticity

1. Why were the four cardinal virtues established?** The cult of domesticity, otherwise known as the cult of woman hood, consisted of 4 main tenants that were developed during the industrial revolution to create a supportive network for women and to encourage stability in an uncertain time. It was said that every proper woman should embody these characteristics in the cult:
 * The Cult of Domesticity

Women during this age were supposed to be deeply connected with God. Women who had no propensity toward religion were thought of as revolting and not even a woman. While this may seem extreme to us, many people found stability with religion in the uncertain industrial time.
 * Piety**

Purity was revered as one of the most important parts of femininity. Someone who had lost their virginity out side of wedlock was often called a "fallen woman". The idea of their purity loss would often bring women to tears. This caused some confusion though, because the night they gave their virginity to their husband was to be considered the "greatest" night of their life. This was because they were giving themselves fully to their husbands.
 * Purity**

Submissiveness was the most "feminine" virtue of the cult of domesticity. This is also a very controversial part of the 4 sections, as it was said that women are inferior to all men. A phrase of the time period was "A woman's brain is too small for intellect, but just large enough for love." The cult claimed that all women should be subservient "to fate, to duty, to God, and to men." The woman was supposed to be entirely dependent on the male, both emotionally and financially, and as a result would become "an empty shell."
 * Submissiveness**

During the age of the industrial revolution the home was recreated. Instead of a work place or e functioning unit in society it became a place to hide away from the vulgarities of society. The wife of the household was the one who managed it and created a safe haven for her husband from the roughness of the world. It was suggested by the cult that a good wife would connect to her deity and fulfill her duties of purity and submissiveness by doing housework, such as cleaning, She would become no more than an beautiful object that complemented her surroundings. [] In this ad notice how the woman is staying at home fixing the flower arrangement while the male stands over her drinking coke and watching her in this 50's ad. The 50's were a good example of a less extreme version of domesticity, where the good female stays home and cleans.
 * Domesticity**

During the industrial revolution, the idea of working from home was pronounced inefficient. As a result, factories came into existence, and, for a while, both the man and the woman would go to work. However, that left their children unattended and running into trouble. For middle class society though, only one family member needed to go to work and make an income for the household, as this was usually the male; the mother of the household would stay home. The cult formed to advance the cause of housewife subservience to the working male.
 * 2. What allowed this group to come into establishment?**

The cult considered themselves morally and ethically correct, and they might have been for their time period. In our time, however, women are free to express their sexuality and independence and are thought of as equals to men. Given this modern perspective, we believe that the cult is morally incorrect for creating the idea that men are superior to women.
 * 3. What was the overall morality of the group?**

The industrial revolution did put a strain on the familial relationship for the lower class, however in the middle and upper classes, only one person needed to go to work while the other parent could stay home and take care of the children. More often than not, the mother figure would stay home to educate and nurture while the father figure would go out to get income.
 * 4. Their main concerns were raising their children, did the industrial revolution put a strain on that?**

At a time when everything was changing, this cult was source of stability for women. It gave them a place to stand and knowledge of their purpose in the world, much like religion. While it may have been needed at the time, the cult as a whole negatively affected women and their ability to gain rights and freedom.
 * 5. Why was such a group established? Was it needed?**

While this was not one of the only things that spawned feminism today it certainly did not help the effort. Modern day feminism is more based on the idea of women getting equal rights, which, at the time, was thought preposterous. Women are now free to express their individuality and are considered man's equal. While in some places, women are still thought to be inferior to males, the majority of society has adjusted to woman's rights well.
 * 6. Was woman's inferiority what created modern day feminism?**

It was said that women were inferior to men because women are normally smaller than men, physically. Women also generally have less stamina in physical activities. The idea that women get a "monthly" illness during menstruation contributed to the opinion, as did the female nervous system, which was thought to be more irritable than a males'.
 * 7. Why was it said that women were inferior to men?**

Women and men were separated into different "spheres" of existence. Each person's gender would represent a different trait. Women were supposed to be ideally nurturing, morally correct, passive, and delicate, while males were supposed to be aggressive, independent, and tough -essentially the yin and yang idea was expressed through the different spheres and applied to each gender. The only difference from this idea was that they considered the yin physically and mentally inferior to the yang. The sphere idea was formed when researchers were looking at the differences between to two genders. As said in Barbra Water's "The cult of domesticity "One of the reason religion was valued was that it did not take a woman away from her 'proper Sphere', the home".
 * 8. Women and men were separated into different "Spheres." How and why did this happen?**

Women's rights were not introduced to society until the cult of woman hood itself was dwindling in members. There was direct outrage from much of the female society that wanted women to be considered as a equal to men. The "feminist" idea was created in France and was quickly thereafter denounced by the London Daily Times as a threat. It was thus branded as dangerous.
 * 9. How did women's rights change the ideals of the cult of woman hood?**

The idea that a woman is supposed to marry is still held on to by many cultures today. While it is true that women have the right to choose whether or not to be married, people might still find the idea of an unmarried woman striking. There is also still the ideal of the "stay-at-home-mother," who supports her husband and creates a loving environment, but the man of the house is now expected to create a supporting environment for the children as well, creating a more loving and open atmosphere. Piety is still much revered in many families. However, intelligence with the mother is now looked upon fondly, rather than with disdain or fear. While many women in religious groups will save themselves until marriage, sexuality is free to be expressed in any way shape or form, contrasting the ideals during the height of the cult of domesticity.
 * 10. What ideals carry on today?**

//The Cult of Domesticity//. The College of Staten Island, Mar.-Apr. 08. Web. 18 Sept. 09. <[]>. //Abby Quick//. Wordpress, 08 Feb. 09. Web. 20 Sept. 09. <[]>. Saulsbury, Rebecca. "Cult of True Womanhood". //The Literary Encyclopedia//. 30 June 2002. [[], accessed 28 September 2009.] //Upper working Class Women//. The Victorian Web. Web. 25 Sept. 09. <[]>. //The Cult of true woman hood; Barbra Welter//. Provenience Christian College. Web. 27 Sept. 09. <[]>. .
 * Bibliography**
 * "Victorian Age." //World History: The Modern Era//. ABC-CLIO, 2009. Web. 28 Sept. 2009. <[|http://www.worldhistory.abc-clio.com]>.**