"Cult of True Womanhood"

After reading Chopin's story, I was inspired to look into the repression of woman in the 19th century. During my research I come across similar sentiment in following example. In Europe's mid-19th century, women were discouraged from participating in intellectual studies, it was perceived that this behavior would influence younger generations. Towards the end of 19th century, an art studio in Paris started to offer classes to woman for life drawing, which was considered the quintessential part of academic study at the time. Marie Bashkirtseff, a student of this art class later released "In the Studio." This artwork depicts women in this time, who were eager to learn. By examining this artwork, you notice the room is filled with women students with successful draft work hanging from above. Bashkirtseff seems to showing women be working together to achieve mastery of artwork, which to me appears to be a symbol of progress.

In the Studio

by Marie Bashkirtseff

Chopin's short story was written during the women’s suffrage in American. Which begun around Civil War era. At this time, the ideals of biological determinism was becoming more widespread, meaning that your physical and mental capabilities were determinism by your race and gender. Meanwhile, many American women were beginning to disagree with the “Cult of True Womanhood”. Which is, the belief that a “true” woman is a subservient wife, who is only concerned with her household. These two clashing ideologies eventually led to the new way of thinking and redefined what it meant to be a woman.