Gender Roles in the American Civil War. The Case of Belle Boyd

Bachelor Thesis , 2020 , 43 Pages

Gender Studies

This bachelor thesis will address the negotiation of gender roles during the time of the American Civil War. In this thesis, it will be investigated how women were coping with these strict gender roles and their respective expectations, and if these women were aware of them. All this will be surveyed under the aspect of the American Civil War from 1861 until 1865, a grave distinction from normal life. As a case study, the life of Belle Boyd will be analyzed. She was an upper-class woman, who was working as a spy for the Southern government. She is particularly known for her ability to use traditional assumptions about gender insofar as to sometimes deconstruct them for her own and the South’s benefit. In her memoir Belle Boyd in Camp and Prison (1865) she describes her adventures and challenges of war and spying rich in detail and from a very personal point of view. Based on her memoir, it will be examined if and in what ways Belle Boyd is playing with prevalent gender roles and how she redefines them, to fit her circumstances.

Gender roles had strict boundaries as to how women and men lived their lives. This did not only concern the social intercourse between the sexes, but dictated everybody’s whole being. From expected behavior in the public to dealings with family and friends or colleagues at work. Especially women had a very strict developmental outline. A free and unrestricted development was almost never an option.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• Women in Southern America during the American Civil War
• Women and Gender after the American Civil War
• The Case of Belle Boyd
• Conclusion

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This bachelor thesis examines the negotiation of gender roles during the American Civil War. The study focuses on the experiences of women in the South and explores how they navigated societal expectations and the challenges of war. The main objective is to analyze Belle Boyd's life and actions through her memoir, "Belle Boyd in Camp and Prison," to understand how she used traditional gender roles to her advantage, ultimately deconstructing them for her own and the South's benefit.

• Gender roles and their impact on women during the American Civil War
• The experience of women as spies in the Confederate Army
• The role of women in the South's war effort
• The relationship between gender, class, and social change during the Civil War
• Belle Boyd's use of gender as a strategic tool

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Introduction: This chapter sets the stage for the thesis by introducing the concept of gender roles during the American Civil War. The focus is on the strict expectations placed upon women and how they coped with these limitations. The chapter also introduces Belle Boyd as a case study, emphasizing her unique position as a female spy for the Confederacy.
• Women in Southern America during the American Civil War: This chapter explores the lives of women in the South during the war. It examines the societal expectations placed upon women, the challenges they faced, and their varying roles in supporting the Confederacy. This section focuses on the broader context of women's lives in the South and how war impacted their everyday experiences.
• Women and Gender after the American Civil War: This chapter provides a brief overview of women's lives in the years following the war. It highlights the challenges they continued to face in a patriarchal society and touches on the rise of the women's suffrage movement. This section contextualizes the historical period and the evolving role of women in the United States.
• The Case of Belle Boyd: This chapter delves into the life of Belle Boyd, focusing on her memoir and analyzing her actions during the war. It examines how she used traditional gender roles to her advantage as a spy, exploring her strategies and the impact of her work on the conflict. This chapter is the core of the thesis, offering a deep dive into Belle Boyd's story.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This bachelor thesis focuses on gender roles, the American Civil War, women's history, female spies, Southern culture, Belle Boyd, and the negotiation of social expectations during a time of conflict. The primary lens for this analysis is Belle Boyd's memoir, "Belle Boyd in Camp and Prison," which offers unique insight into the experiences of a woman who challenged gender norms and contributed to the Confederacy's war effort. This work explores the interplay between personal agency and societal constraints, highlighting the complexities of women's lives during a turbulent historical period.

• Author: Manon Kaemper (Author)
• Publication Year: 2020
• Pages: 43
• Catalog Number: V1339883
• ISBN (PDF): 9783346845139
• ISBN (Book): 9783346845146
• Language: English
• Tags: gender, roles, american, civil, case, belle, boyd