Life after death : widows in Pennsylvania, 1750-1850
著者
書誌事項
Life after death : widows in Pennsylvania, 1750-1850
（American civilization）
Temple University Press, 1992
大学図書館所蔵 件 / 全1件
-
該当する所蔵館はありません
- すべての絞り込み条件を解除する
注記
Includes bibliographical references (p. 173-210) and index
内容説明・目次
内容説明
In early nineteenth-century Pennsylvania widows comprised 10 per cent of the female population. Most never remarried. Lisa Wilson traces the experiences of widows in a society that imposed an ideology of proper female behavior. She challenges the common portrayal of widows as helpless women, unable to fend for themselves or their families. In lieu of their husbands, widows appeared in court, wrote wills, and conducted business transactions, despite the constraints of femininity. Using novels, advice literature, wills, probate records, and diaries to explore the lives of widows during this period, Wilson alters our understanding of the diversity of women's experiences and casts doubt on the "separate spheres" explanation of gender roles. The focus of this study, Chester and Philadelphia counties between 1750 and 1850, provides a backdrop from which many classes of widowed women can be observed.
Wilson contends that, despite the dictates of their gender, many women were, in fact, partners rather than dependents of their husbands and, while carrying on business activities outside the home challenged prevailing ideas of femininity, for a widow, this concern was secondary to the often pressing needs of her family. Author note: Lisa Wilson is Assistant Professor of History at Connecticut College.
目次
Introduction 1. "My Widowed State" 2. Settling the Estate 3. Poverty and Widowhood 4. A "Man of Business": The Widow of Means 5. A Death in the Family Conclusion Appendix Notes Index
「Nielsen BookData」 より
