Attitudes Towards Women and Marriage - a Literary Comparison Between Florence Nightingale and Sarah Stickney Ellis

Sarah Stickney Ellis in her treatise "The Woman of England: Their Social Duties and Domestic Habits" discusses the importance of women in having "a generosity, a disinteredness and a moral courage" (Norton, 1598). The phrase "disinterested kindness" signifies the kind of nature that women should aspire to as part of their education in that they should have moral greatness. Women should perform kind acts for kindness' sake only. Ellis believes that because women are morally competent, they should serve as a second conscience to men as well as "for mental reference, and spiritual counsel, in moments of trial;" (Norton 1598). Finally, women must be at home in order to be men's second conscience. Women do not need to be a part of the immoral jungle.

Because Florence Nightingale was a typical upper middle class Victorian women who was also educated in ways more than her heart, pursuing the path of her intellect was of prime importance. in contrast to Ellis, Nightingale would believe a women's place is not at home and she would not approve of women living a subordinate role in serving as a second conscience to men. Nightingale would also be quite antagonistic because as an upper class woman, she saw no professions available to her and therefore, her intellect would simply waste away. She states, "But might they not, (men) at least, have a type in their minds that such an one might be a discoverer through her intellect, such another through her art, a third through her moral power?" (Norton 1607)

In addition, Nightingale perceived education as a tool in which to pursue professional horizons outside the home however, Ellis saw school as the means to teach women in order to be back at home. She states, "...that some system of female instruction will be discovered, by which the young women of England may be sent from school to the homes of their parents" (Norton 1599).

With regard to women's moral and social position in Victorian society, as an upper class women with professional ambitions, Nightingale would not disapprove of Ellis' moral principles of "moral greatness" and claim to the belief that it is not available without full personal development of heart and mind. These aspects of a woman's moral nature strengthens her subordinate position as a woman both in the home and with her relationship with her husband. However, Florence Nightingale perceptively feels a need for man and women to know one another. She does not see marriage as a solution for a woman where she employs all the moral greatness that has been instilled in her. She states, "It is not so surprising that husbands and wives seem so little part of one another" (Norton 1608). She continues: "The true marriage - that noble union, by which a man and woman become together the one perfect being - probably does not exist at present upon earth" (Norton 1608).

Regarding the role of women in Victorian society, Nightingale wold see Ellis' social and moral beliefs regarding the position of women as a springboard in giving into the "unfair system of equality," which keeps women in their subordinate position in serving the men and therefore, do not pursue their interests, ambitions and aspirations. This is essentially what Nightingale longs to do instead of acting as hostess to people who come and as a result, is confined to the house. One important distinction to keep in mind is that Ellis was a deeply religious woman who saw a Christian basis behind a woman's position and in this respect, Ellis is a traditionalist. Religion therefore, defines the traditional position of women which Nightingale would surely abhor had she have to live that type of role.

This debate on the status and social role women in Victorian society also ties in with the roles women are expected to perform today. The Victorian debate regarding the social role of women also differs today's debate regarding the education and professional status of women. Women all over the world are connected with material characteristics which seemingly makes them better educators similar to Ellis' perceptions on the social position of women.

Works Cited

The Norton Anthologyof English Literature. Gen. Ed. MH Abrams. 5th ed. New York: Norton, 1986.