Thursday, August 31, 2006

The Good Wife's Guide - 1955



Click on the article to see a bigger version.

How far we women have come... It's interesting to see this and compare it to today's good wife. I wonder what a good wife is. Fellas? Any opinions on that one? Don't hurt me ladies, but I do think that many of these points are probably things that should be done. I mean "Be happy to see him", "catering for his comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction", "show sincerity in your desire to please him", "make sure your home is a place of peace, order and tranquility where your husband can renew himself in body and spirit"... now of course that last one should be for yourself as well. I mean if you really love your husband wouldn't those things come natural? Now some of those points are complete bull. "Never complain if he's out late...", "remember his topics of conversation are more important than yours", "don't ask him questions about his actions"... please. You have got to be kidding me.

I think this article ignores the line between being a good wife and a complete push over. Then again, this is a direct sign of those times when women didn't work outside of the home. Maybe it was most appropriate to behave like this. I don't know. But come to think of it, this may be a racial thing as well. The person who sent me this article is African-American and she wrote, "I was 9 when this article was written. And based on my upbringing my mother didn't get a chance to read this (or maybe she just ignored it)..." Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think this would have been upheld in black people's houses as much as it would in white people's houses.

But anyway, interesting read.

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