Custom of the Country

The fact that the protagonist in The Custom of the Country comes in the form of a woman, Undine Spragg, is of utmost significance. It is strongly believed that Wharton's novel would not have had such a vast effect on American society had the lead role been a man. Centering this book around the life of Undine gave Wharton many advantages; perhaps the greatest of these being the shock factor. The time period in which this novel is set views women as creatures that need to be cared for and controlled by the men in their lives. “Old New York”, where the majority of this story unfolds, takes these “rules” very seriously. In that world, a woman's sole existence is to look beautiful and participate in society. Miss Undine Spragg however, has been raised in a quite different environment and is not content to sit on the sidelines. “But After this she meant to lead her own life; and they needn't ask her where she was going, or what she meant to do, because this time she'd die before she told them”. In order to accomplish her goals she has learned to manipulate her parents as well as the people that surround her. “If only everyone would do as she wished she would never be unreasonable” (153). A male protagonist would have been more likely to act in the manner Undine did thus eliminating the startling elements of the story. It was not uncommon for a man in those times to be concerned with financial matters. In 1966, Barbara Welter publishedThe Cult of True Womanhood: 1820-1860? order explore and articulate a crucial phase in the history of sexual stereotypes.

Her work, though focusing principally upon what was thought to be the ideal role for women in the antebellum period in American history, nonetheless shines some light on the nature of gender relations and the expectations placed upon women throughout the North American continent as a whole. Indeed, the four pillars of true womanhood: piety, purity, submissiveness and domesticity, may be thought to apply to women in all settlements, north and south, Canada as well as the United States of America. Theproper role for women during this period was not culturally specific; however, this is not to say that Canadian society mirrored that of its American neighbor during this time. The status of women in the early nineteenth century was at once subservient and exalted. On the one hand, the cult of true womanhood requested that women become a ?tage in the home?t was better for her ?pray than to think submission was ?haps the most feminine virtue? all, and to be domestic was, in effect, to be a proper lady (Welter 1-3). On the other hand, the woman was an essential component of a well-ordered society. Without a true woman, all may well descend into chaos and disorder In The Custom of the Country, the important writer Edith Wharton satirizes an idea of intelligence many people have: ...