Discussion Questions & Written Assignment
Reading Assignment:
Carl Degler, “What Ought to be and what was: Women’s sexuality in the nineteenth century”; Carroll Smith-Rosenberg, “The Female World of Love and Ritual: Relations between Women in Nineteenth-Century America”; Hellerstein et al, documents 16, 17, 37, 38, 39 (Degler and Smith-Rosenberg articles available on JSTOR)
Written Assignment for Tuesday, April 14:
1. For each article, write 2 clear, well-developed, and well-organized paragraphs in which you summarize and respond to the important ideas in that article. Use the discussion questions below to help you focus your response. (A minimum of 4 well-developed paragraphs total, 2 on the Degler article and 2 on the Smith-Rosenberg article are due for this part of the assignment.)
2. Pick one of the documents from the Hellerstein reading and write at least one clear, well-organized paragraph about the document you have picked.
You must complete BOTH 1. And 2. for this assignment.
Discussion Questions:
On the basis of these articles, how do you think our idea of women’s sexuality in the 19th century (=of 19th-century women as asexual beings) differs from the reality?
What does Degler argue was true about 19th-century women’s sexuality? What evidence does his present to support his case?
How has friendship between women changed since the 19th century? Which aspects of friendship between women no longer exist? Which have been taken on by other people in women’s lives (other than their women friends), and who are these people?
Think about what prescriptions for women’s sexuality are contained in these documents (especially Dr. Acton). How do Acton, Debay, and Blackwell differ in their prescriptions and in their understanding of women’s sexuality?
