What was the role of Indian women in the 18th century?
Answers
2.They were denied education and freedom to participate in political and administrative matters like their male counterparts.They were made the victims of social evils like child marriage, sati, dowry, purdah system etc.
3.The coming of the Christian missionaries to India had brought a change in the role of women in India.Women education got importance and they began to realise their identity and position in the society
4.The women of the upper castes had to face several restrictions. They were expected to be the ideal daughters, wives and mothers.They rarely could step out of their houses.The purdah system was common among them.
5.The poor women belonging to lower classes had to work along with their husbands in agricultural field.They even managed heir household duties.
Answer:
Women had to take on various roles in the household during the 17th and 18th centuries. They were responsible for running the household, and for more affluent families, managing the servants. Women, or mothers, were also responsible for raising and educating their children. In addition, they were responsible for cooking and feeding the family. This required women to be well-educated in medicinal and culinary uses of herbs and plants, needlework, reading, and writing. In general, women had very few rights and experienced oppression at the hands of the patriarchy.SOURCE? Housework was particularly taxing due to the lack of modern cleaning methods. Women were expected to tend the garden, cook for the family, take care of the children, and see that their husbands’ needs were met. The mother of the household would often have many children because not many children were able to survive early childhood. Typically, most mothers had up to eight children, in hopes that some would survive and be able to work for the family. High infant mortality rates was a major issue during this time. The average life expectancy in England was about 39-40 years old. It was assumed that if a man or a woman reached the age of 30, they would probably only live for another 20 year. The infant and child mortality rates during the late 17th century and 18th century had a serious impact on the average life expectancy. A total of 12-13% of children would die during the first year of their lives, due complications such as diseases, physical accidents, and birth trauma. Men were usually in charge of all the finances involved in the household and did most of the work to financially support the family. It was common for a man to be well educated and have work outside of the household. The patriarch made decisions on behalf of the family, such as whether his wife could work outside the home and whether the children could attend school. He was the owner of all the property and monetary values in the household and women rarely spoke against or divorced their husband. Children were taught to obey the patriarch. The early half of the 18th century was a tumultuous time for women’s rights. Though women could work, they did not enjoy nearly all of the luxuries and rights as men. Women could not vote, own land while married, go to a university, earn equal wages, enter many professions, and even report serious cases of domestic abuse. Women who were found to be too argumentative or radical could deal with cruel and humiliating public penalties.