These are actual article clippings from a 1950's Good Housekeeping Magazine for a wife's conduct
*Prepare yourself. Take fifteen minutes to rest so you'll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh-looking
*Greet him with a warm smile and show sincerity in your desire to please him
*Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not one of them. Let him talk first. Remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours
*Don't complain if he's late home for dinner or even if he stays out all night. Count this as a minor compared to what he might have gone through that day
*Make the evening his. Never complain if he comes home late or goes out to dinner or other places of entertainment without you
*Don't ask him questions about his actions or question his judgment, remember he is the master of the house. You have no right to question him
*A wife always knows her place
2007-03-27 05:24:04 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
Could you imagine life like this? That would be creepy!!!
2007-03-27 05:24:53 · update #1
I know this article sounds a bit ridiculous at first glance, but it is interesting to consider that more marriages survived in the 50's than they do today.
In fact, if you read the advice above but make it go both ways (ie. the husband should do these things for his wife AND the wife should do these things for her husband), it doesn't seem like such bad advice... I know I wouldn't mind a supportive, communicative, trusting, respectful, pampering marriage.
2007-03-27 05:42:24 · answer #1 · answered by JenniFire 2 · 3⤊ 2⤋
That would definitely be a tough life, compared to what we are used to now. I do however think that for the most part, men treated thier women with respect and not the "property" that those articles portray. But in general that is how the wife was back then, which really isn't that long ago when you think about it. We have really come a long way.
2007-03-27 12:34:59 · answer #2 · answered by michy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This just goes to show how the times have changed. Now women are fully in the workplace, in once male dominated positions, and showing everyone they can do the same work as the men. Now; if only we could get rid of the "glass ceiling" when it comes to pay for what we do, that would be the best improvement.
2007-03-27 12:36:05 · answer #3 · answered by Spirit 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This article was written in a day where most women stayed at home (running the household was their "job") and men were the breadwinners and worked outside the home. It was expected that the woman would have part of the day free to attend to her hobbies and interests, while when the man came home, it was HIS time to attend to his hobbies and interests. What is sad today is that at many times, the woman is still supposed to take care of the home, raise children, work 40 hours a week, and still do all of the above!
2007-03-27 13:07:06 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
That seems strange to people of our generation, but to people who were alive and married in the 1950s, it was normal. 50 years from now, people are going to look back at something that was written in 2007 and laugh and call it strange.
What's interesting though is that the divorce rate in the 1940s/1950s was ridiculously low compared to the rate today. I guess they were doing something right. :)
2007-03-27 14:00:57 · answer #5 · answered by brevejunkie 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Stepford Wives. Creepy.
2007-03-27 22:51:25 · answer #6 · answered by Trillium 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't know... I think it's kind of nice. And like JenniFire said, divorce was a rare occasion in those days. I always liked the "Virtuous Woman" passage in the Bible, and wished I could have been such a good woman. Like almost anything, your article has good along with bad, depending on one's perspective.
2007-03-27 13:01:40 · answer #7 · answered by Ana Thema 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
We have to understand that we belong to different generations and gladly in each generations there are pros and cons, but I am more happier that I belong to the later generation where women are regarded equal with men in career and relationship; irregardless of marriage or not.
2007-03-27 13:07:09 · answer #8 · answered by angel 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Now a days both the husband and wife have to work just to make ends meet. So, this wouldn't work in todays world.
2007-03-27 12:40:49 · answer #9 · answered by George P 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
OMG!!!
anw these kinda things still happen in other parts of the worlds, like Asia.. I see it everyday. I can't believe the women do not object of being treated that way.
2007-03-27 12:35:06 · answer #10 · answered by Lisieux 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋