著者

野々村 淑子

出版者

九州大学

雑誌

大学院教育学研究紀要 (ISSN:13451677)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.3, pp.79-105, 2000

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Chatharine Esther Beecher was one of most famous women in 19th century America. She made efforts to advance institutions for women's education and wrote many advice books for women. Her major books on housekeeping are said to be the foundation of the modem domestic science. This paper discusses what 'motherhood' is, and how it functions. 'Motherhood' is the most important image in C. Beecher's works. Yet Woman's Profession as Mother and Educator, With Views in opposition to Woman Suffrage, written by her in 1872, is the only book which has the key word 'mother' in the title. C. Beecher says being a 'mother' is the most suitable work for women. She believes women should live in 'women's sphere', as emphasized in 19th century America. This idea is based on Providence in Christianity, and requires women to obey 'the family states'. However, she says almost nothing about the real and practical mothering. 'Motherhood' in her thought acquiring skills as 'mothers', C. Beecher's advice books on housekeeping were textbooks for girl's education and intended to give skills made them to earn for themselves. This image in C. Beecher's thought was the basis for two ways of thinking about 'motherhood' in the late 19th century and 20th century. The first was the 'maternalization' of public affairs. Since the late 19th century, Women have marched into the public arena, especially in the fields of public education and social welfare, in the name of 'motherhood'. The second was 'scientification' and 'professionalization' of 'motherhood'. The advice books to mothers came to be written by doctors and psychologists. These images of 'motherhood', regularized and rationalized, would provide the important idelolgy for thought about not only parent-child relations but also modern systems of 'education'.