Why was the role of men in Victorian society so heavily distinguished from the role of women? Professor Kathryn Hughes would argue that shifts towards industrial labor (replacing families working together at home) during the 19th century, led to a significant divide in gender roles between men and women. The main argument here is that as more men began to work in factories, more women were left at home to tend to domestic affairs (Hughes). You can see how this divide in labor distribution between the genders could have contributed to shifting gender roles in Victorian society. However, what this really means is that, similarly to women in the Victorian era, men were also required to fulfill certain gender roles. Failure to conform to these roles would lead to an oppression of individual identity in men living in Victorian society. We see this in The Mill on the Floss through the character,
Why was the role of men in Victorian society so heavily distinguished from the role of women? Professor Kathryn Hughes would argue that shifts towards industrial labor (replacing families working together at home) during the 19th century, led to a significant divide in gender roles between men and women. The main argument here is that as more men began to work in factories, more women were left at home to tend to domestic affairs (Hughes). You can see how this divide in labor distribution between the genders could have contributed to shifting gender roles in Victorian society. However, what this really means is that, similarly to women in the Victorian era, men were also required to fulfill certain gender roles. Failure to conform to these roles would lead to an oppression of individual identity in men living in Victorian society. We see this in The Mill on the Floss through the character,