Module 6 Discussion - Catherine Beecher

Module 6 Discussion Catherine Beecher

Catherine Beecher was the great ideologue of the cult of domesticity. She glorified the special tasks and responsibilities of women. She agreed with most middle-class men that women's place was in the home; but she also believed that women should dominate that sphere as professionals and masters of the domestic arts.

Please read the attached document.

Questions to Consider: (You don't have to answer all of these. These are to get you started.)

How does Beecher connect women's support of democratic institutions with their religious beliefs?

According to Beecher, what is necessary "in order that each individual may pursue and secure the highest degree of happiness within his reach"?

Explain how Beecher describes the "separate sphere" of women in American society.

Taking into account that Beecher was writing in 1841, was she realistic in her expectations? Why or why not?

Evaluate the place of Beecher's beliefs about a women's role in today's society. Do they still apply? Have they been achieved?