(Interpretive Essay on Women in the 19th Century)

(Interpretive on Women in the 19th Century) - Essay Example This is the period when work for a woman became different. This is attributed to the fact that women during the 19th century gained access to rights and even embraced working away from home, as opposed the prior concept of women always working at home. With regard to this, this essay will discuss some evolutionary cases in regard to women in the 19th century in relation to #87 Nickerson's Case, #89 Mercein vs People Ex Rel Barry, #96 Declaration of Seneca Falls convention, #136 Bradwell vs ILL, #137 Minor vs Happersett. Women’s position in the family during the 19th century and decency During this period, women were meant to respect the father as the head of the family as seen from the #89 Mercein vs People Ex Rel Barry. According to this case, Barry, the father of the infant expected to be granted more opinions and privileges on the infant more than the mother of the child. This is related to prior ways of handling issues of the family before 19th century. It is the judge Mer cein who changed this perception especially to individuals like Barry and made it clear that both the parents needed to provide custody for the child (Rife & Smith, 2002). Nickerson’s case is another evidence of what women not being considered to play important roles in the development of their children; this is related to biasness that was implicated on the mother of the child when handling issues on custody. This is also the period that women were not allowed to make any statements in the public, and the divorce laws always favored the man of the family, who was always considered to be the head of the family. Women in most instances could not make any contracts, appear in lawsuits as one of the witnesses in a case, or even initiate laws suits. During this period, most of the women who were now categorized to be in the working class category increasingly shunned marriage (Rife & Smith, 2002). Women’s rights in the 19th century in education Initially, women were meant not to proclaim self-independence as attributed to the fact that most of them were not allowed to go for proper education, thus not allowed into profession. It is through #96 Declaration of Seneca Falls conventions that women’s perception on being self-independent came out clearly. The year 1865, women were given an opportunity to pursue their careers, for instance, become doctors. This can be evidenced from the first woman to become a doctor, Elizabeth Garrett in the year 1836-1917. This is the period that she also managed to become the first female mayor of her town. Most of the female lawyers and dentists were produced during this period (Rife & Smith, 2002). It is through this convention that women could now be legitimate owners of some properties, serve in the juries as key decision makers and also the issue of voting rights was brought in to light during this period. As a result, women begun to have almost an equal power to men in the society. For example, the case base d on Seneca Falls convention, was mainly meant to address the major issues on women’s right. This mainly touched social issues, economic, religious and political. This followed that, in the year 1884 and the following years, most of the women were allowed to attend classes at Oxford University and also take their examinations seriously for the first time. Although they were given the opportunity to take their exami