Woman's Work and Woman's Culture: A Series of Essays

by Josephine Butler (Editor)

First published in 1869, this influential volume contains a compilation of essays written by prominent Victorian feminists and their supporters, both men and women, discussing a variety of issues which were considered of importance to the early feminist movement. Edited by campaigner Josephine Butler (1828–1906), the contributions from activists and supporters including Frances Power Cobbe (1822–1904) and Sophia Jex-Blake (1840–1912) challenge the widespread assumption that 'women's sphere is the home', through discussion of the contemporary attitude to and condition of women. Various aspects of the inequality which women experienced, including the need for female suffrage, the ending of women's legal non-existence, and the right of women to access higher education and careers including medicine and science, are explored and advocated, illustrating the central concerns of the early feminist movement and the areas in which the movement had success in later years.

Genres: Victorian

438 pages, Paperback

First published September 30, 2010

About the author

Josephine Elizabeth Butler was a Victorian era British feminist and social reformer who was especially concerned with the welfare of prostitutes. Along with other charity efforts, she led the long campaign for the repeal of the Contagious Diseases Acts both in Britain and internationally from 1869 to 1886.