History 326 Readings Wiki

You've loaded an old revision of the document! If you save it, you will create a new version with this data.

====== Suburban Men and Masculine Domesticity ======

In the late nineteenth century, there were two ideals of masculinity. One was a rugged adventurer who had deep disdain for anything that could be considered "feminine." The other was what Margaret Marsh refers to as "masculine domesticity" -- a man who was middle-class, probably suburban, and who actually spent time with his wife and children. Marsh establishes three main criteria for the development of masculine domesticity: marriage as companionship, job security for middle-class men, and the physical space of the suburbs. (Jazper Schmidt)

This reading delves into the shift of masculinity between 1870 and 1915. The model of early masculinity frames men as a detached patriarchal breadwinner, and shifts to identifying manhood through emotional engagement as well as nurturing domestic participation. This shift is solidified through the ideas of figures like Beveridge and Macfadden who believed that the home and family should be a centralized figure in regards to practicing manhood. They also explained how nurture and love should be expressed towards children in these families by fathers. The new model of manhood views men as someone who fosters emotional bonds through active involvement, trips, and activities. Marsh explains how masculinity becoming more domestic doesn't diminish what it means to be a man, nor does it make a father any less masculine than a single, childless man. Marsh conveys that domestic involvement works to redefine masculinity and backs this statement up by explaining how family men still have aggressive outlets like sports to preserve their negative ideals of domestic masculinity. (Reiley Gibson)

Marsh introduces the suburban father as another model of masculinity who presents mostly in the middle class, and shows more familial involvement and the embrace of domesticity. After the war, women spent more time in public which meant men had to adopt more domestic roles within the family. Men’s wives contributed to this new model because they replaced other men as a primary social companion, causing them to spend more time at home. The companionship of marriage is new and emotionally guided. This relationship contributed to stable employment and salaries as well as the creation of families. Stable salaries came from the influx of corporate jobs which also offered predictable hours which allowed more time for the family and leisure. (Reiley Gibson)

Edit summary

Note: By editing this page you agree to license your content under the following license: CC Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International