Women's Changing Roles

During the Gilded Age, women’s experiences differed widely based upon their social standing. Working class women were responsible not only for maintaining the home, but also for contributing to the family income. Many middle and upper class women conformed to a set of ideal expectations--typically found in etiquette manuals available at the time--which defined their roles as single women and wives. Proper social etiquette was essential to a woman’s marriage prospects, which would determine her status and security. While work was generally frowned upon for these women, some entered professional fields like medicine and education.