The Duties of Women "Lecture IV. Duties of Contract: Wives.—Friends"
15
Introduction to the lecture on Social Duties
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2020-12-03T13:37:46-08:00
40.7128° N, 74.0060° W
1898
(DRAFT)
Frances Power Cobbe is known, in part, for her lecture series The Duties of Women. At a glance, this book contains a series of essays about ethical practices of feminism. Cobbe describes how women came to be the lesser sex and goes in depth describing the three major moral duties that women (and men) should uphold: Religious, Personal, and Social. This book was published in 1881, a revolutionary time for women because the British Parliament had just passed the Married Women Property Act so women could now inherit and own land. Throughout these essays, Cobbe urges her female audience to break out of the stereotypical role of women during that time period and become their own individual self. She targets women with higher social status to set the example for all other women to follow and specifically the women living in America, since Cobbe associated the New World with a hope for a better future for women. The focus of this entry is “Lecture IV. Duties of Contract: Wives. — Friends.”
“Lecture IV. Duties of Contract: Wives. — Friends” is directed, like the rest of The Duties of Women lectures, at both feminist and non-feminist audiences and may be intended to mediate public perception of the feminist movement in the late 19th century (Hamilton, 2002). Based on this audience, Cobbe appeals to them using themes that will connect with her audience while she challenges them in her personal life. Mainly, Cobbe includes commentary about religion and traditional marriage roles in Lecture IV. The religious investigation of this text will focus on an introduction to religion in the late 19th century and Cobbe’s personal rejection of traditional Christianity. These broader concepts of religion trickle down to more specific incidents of Cobbe’s religiosity in her own life, including other works where she draws on religious ideals (despite her rejection of the organized religion) like she does in Lecture IV. The marriage investigation will focus on an introduction to marriage roles and expectations in the late 19th century, Cobbe’s rejection of those marriage roles and her identity as a lesbian woman in a lifelong partnership, and Cobbe’s legislative work regarding divorce. These two paths of religion and marriage will, finally, converge in a summary of the paradox of feminist recovery in “Lecture IV. Duties of Contract: Wives. — Friends” and in Cobbe’s work as a whole.