What was the approach of the people towards reading habit of women in the 19th century which was the reaction of the women in this context
Answers
Women in the 19th Century Europe and India where readers and writers of novels. Novels became popular among women because these give a new conceptions of womanhood. Many people feared that now woman would neglected traditional role as wife and mothers and homes would be in disorder.It was felt that women instead of being quite,well behaved and remaining in the background would become independent assertive, in control of their lives and earn public recognition.
Writers like Rokeya Hossein in a novel showed that need for women to perform their condition by their own actions. Hannah Mullens, a Christian Missionary and the author of the Karuna O phulmonir bibaran, informed her readers that she wrote in secret
As primary education became compulsory from the late nineteenth century, a large number of new readers were especially women.
Thus, the image of women as readers became common at that time.
Women became important as readers as well as writers.
Penny magazines were especially meant for women, as were manuals teaching proper behaviour and housekeeping.
However, in Britain, the patriarchal society tried to limit women’s reading by promoting the danger of reading some literary works that were not appropriate for women, making prohibition and creating a standard about what women were supposed to read.
The patriarchal society believed women must be protected from reading particular texts.
Women, who were earlier cocooned inside their homes could now know about the outside world thanks to the print technology.
Women were seen as important readers.
It created a spurt of many women writers. It can be said that print culture not only created readers among women but also writers among them.
Some of the best-known novelists were women: Jane Austin, the Bronte sisters, George Eliot. their writings became important in defining a new type of woman.