"Woman ist not born, but made." - Simone de Beauvoir
This paper attempts to present a view of American women in the 1950s. During that time, women were primarily seen as bearers of children and as housekeepers and homemakers. The discrimination against women was at height in the 1950’s when women were told to put home and family first because the family was the core of a free society. This message was carried on to the women of that time through the media and the attitudes of the patriarchal society.
The main thesis of the paper states that women in the 1950s were constructed by men according to their wishes and perceptions. They were undermined according to the values of the Fifties and one of the most important value of that time was the family unit.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. AMERICA IN THE 1950’S
3. CONSTRUCTION OF THE PERFECT FEMALE
3.1. Women enslaved through fashion
3.2. Undermining through language
3.3. Women as sex objects in a sexless time
3.4. Oppression through psychiatrists
3.5. Modern Women: The Lost Sex
3.6. I Love Lucy (...but only when she does the dishes)
4. HOW WOMEN MANAGED TO SURVIVE
4.1. Productivity in the community
4.2. Protestors against the misogynist fifties
4.3. Betty Friedan
4.4. The League of Women Voters
4.5. The Ladies’ Home Journal
5. CONCLUSION
Research Objective and Scope
This study explores the social and structural construction of American women in the 1950s, analyzing how patriarchal norms, media, and psychological discourse confined them to domestic roles. It investigates the mechanisms of this oppression and highlights the ways in which women navigated or resisted these restrictive social conventions.
- The influence of 1950s cultural fashion and language on female identity.
- The role of psychiatry and domestic ideology in suppressing women's autonomy.
- Representations of gender roles in popular media such as "I Love Lucy."
- Methods of survival and resistance utilized by women during the era.
- Key historical figures and organizations that challenged misogynist climate.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1. Women Enslaved Through Fashion
Cathy Whitaker represents the processes which lead to the product woman in the 50s movies and also – unfortunately – in real life in the 50s. This fact shows instantaneously – women were dressed up like dolls and expected to have no will of their own. Cathy ‘s body is wrapped up in a 50s-package which sexualizes her body.
It was Christian Dior who invented the so-called “New Look” in 1947.
“We were leaving a period of war, of uniforms, of soldier-women with shoulders like boxers” […] I turned them into flowers, with soft shoulders, blooming bosoms, waists slim as vine stems, and skirts opening up like blossoms. “(Dior in Marling, 10)
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION: Outlines the thesis that 1950s women were socially constructed by men to fit domestic ideals, using "Far from Heaven" as a case study.
2. AMERICA IN THE 1950’S: Describes the socio-political climate of the decade, defined by the "Great Fear," consumerism, and strict adherence to traditional gender roles.
3. CONSTRUCTION OF THE PERFECT FEMALE: Details how fashion, language, psychology, and media were used to enforce domesticity and undermine women's independence.
4. HOW WOMEN MANAGED TO SURVIVE: Examines strategies of resistance and community engagement, highlighting key individuals and organizations that countered the misogynist status quo.
5. CONCLUSION: Synthesizes the findings, noting that while many women were trapped by domestic ideology, others successfully resisted and laid the groundwork for future gender equality.
Keywords
1950s, Patriarchal society, Women's rights, Gender roles, Domesticity, Betty Friedan, Feminine Mystique, Suburbia, Oppression, Fashion, Psychiatry, Resistance, Equality, Media representation, Social construction.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper examines how American women in the 1950s were socially and culturally constructed to conform to submissive domestic roles under a patriarchal framework.
What are the central themes explored?
Major themes include the impact of fashion, the use of language to undermine autonomy, the role of psychiatry in enforcing gender roles, and the influence of media.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to demonstrate how women were systemically reduced to their domestic duties and to analyze the methods used by society to enforce this oppression.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The author uses a qualitative analysis approach, combining historical research, literary/film critique (specifically "Far from Heaven"), and social analysis of media and psychiatric literature.
What does the main body of the work cover?
It covers the various facets of female construction, including fashion ("The New Look"), linguistic discrimination, societal pressures from psychiatrists, and representations in popular media.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Patriarchal society, 1950s, Gender roles, Domesticity, Oppression, and Women's resistance.
How did the psychiatric field contribute to female oppression in the 1950s?
Psychiatrists often pathologized women who were unsatisfied with domestic life, using the authority of medicine to force them back into their traditional gender roles.
What role did the "Ladies’ Home Journal" play during this era?
While the journal promoted domesticity, it also provided a platform for influential voices like Sylvia Plath, inadvertently supporting the nascent movement for women's equality.
Why is the "New Look" by Christian Dior highlighted in the text?
The "New Look" is cited as a device that physically restricted women through padding and corsetry, symbolizing their reduction to decorative, child-bearing objects.
- Quote paper
- Mag. Sabine Maschler (Author), 2002, The Obedient Woman as a Product of the Partriarchal Fifties, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/79215
