Private Lies, Public Spirit
Private Lives, Public Spirit
The book Private Lives, Public Spirit is a book that
describes the British Society from 1870-1914. It gives an
overview of several different categories that make up
society during these particular years. There are eight
specific components of society into which the book goes into
detail. Those components of society are (1)themes and
interpretations, (2)demography, death, and disease,
(3)family and household, (4)property, (5)work, (6)religion,
(7)society and the state, and (8)society and social theory.
In the first chapter, themes and interpretations, one
of the sections deals with sex and gender. Before the
1860?s women?s roles and women?s rights had never been an
issue. At this point in history as the book tells changes
began in women?s roles and women?s rights. Women could
begin to receive secondary and higher education. Also,
changes were evident in other areas: political, legal,
economic, intellectual, personal, and psychological. These
changes didn?t simply come about through a simple process.
This component of British History is best summed up by
saying, ?Even among those who favoured radical changes in
women?s status and role, there was much difference of
opinion about what those changes should consist of and the
best way to attain them-differences that were partly social,
partly ideological, partly generational.? (28).
The section dealing with demography, death,
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