In Dr. Coontz’s talk, she discusses common myths about and the history of marriage and family. She informatively and succinctly exposes myths and terminates common misconceptions about the history of family, while explaining the current age of familial flexibility.
Single parent families and stepfamilies are concepts that are typically thought out of as new occasions, however, Dr. Coontz explains how they are more traditional than we think they are. As it turns out, one-parent families were actually quite standard throughout most of history.
This was largely due to high death rates. Looking back at the beginning of the 19th century reveals that the majority of marriages ended with death approximately ten years prior to the last child being …show more content…
It took about 150 years of implications of these new thoughts and traditionalists’ concerns to emerge.
Furthermore, the idea of separate spheres for men and women is not a traditional concept that has always been in place and pursued. It occurred in part to redefine love and marriage and make them more controllable and adaptable. Men and women were considered to be completely different beings who were essentially “halfway humans”, therein they were two halves that would make a whole. Thus, ideas of men being dominant, protective breadwinners and women being subordinate nurturers emerged and began to reshape marriage and family. Strict gender roles arose, perpetuating new stereotypes and forcing men and women into boxes that reconstructed ideas of family and marriage. It was partially developed to create the sense that they could “only reach humanity by combining in marriage”, therefore constructing the impression that it was essential for them to become married to be complete. This also altered how men and women felt about each other and interacted in relationships and marriage,
Single parent families and stepfamilies are concepts that are typically thought out of as new occasions, however, Dr. Coontz explains how they are more traditional than we think they are. As it turns out, one-parent families were actually quite standard throughout most of history.
This was largely due to high death rates. Looking back at the beginning of the 19th century reveals that the majority of marriages ended with death approximately ten years prior to the last child being …show more content…
It took about 150 years of implications of these new thoughts and traditionalists’ concerns to emerge.
Furthermore, the idea of separate spheres for men and women is not a traditional concept that has always been in place and pursued. It occurred in part to redefine love and marriage and make them more controllable and adaptable. Men and women were considered to be completely different beings who were essentially “halfway humans”, therein they were two halves that would make a whole. Thus, ideas of men being dominant, protective breadwinners and women being subordinate nurturers emerged and began to reshape marriage and family. Strict gender roles arose, perpetuating new stereotypes and forcing men and women into boxes that reconstructed ideas of family and marriage. It was partially developed to create the sense that they could “only reach humanity by combining in marriage”, therefore constructing the impression that it was essential for them to become married to be complete. This also altered how men and women felt about each other and interacted in relationships and marriage,