Manhood Lost - Fallen Drunkards Redeeming Women in Nineteenth Century United States

Informationen zum Autor Elaine Frantz Parsons teaches American history at Duquesne University. Klappentext In fiction, drama, poems, and pamphlets, nineteenth-century reformers told the familiar tale of the decent young man who fell victim to demon rum: Robbed of his manhood by his first drink, he slid inevitably into an abyss of despair and depravity. In its discounting of the importance of free will, argues Elaine Frantz Parsons, this story led to increased emphasis on environmental influences as root causes of drunkenness, poverty, and moral corruption-thus inadvertently opening the door to state intervention in the form of Prohibition. Parsons also identifies the emergence of a complementary narrative of "female invasion"-womanhood as a moral force powerful enough to sway choice. As did many social reformers, women temperance advocates capitalized on notions of feminine virtue and domestic responsibilities to create a public role for themselves. Entering a distinctively male space-the saloon-to rescue fathers, brothers, and sons, women at the same time began to enter another male bastion-politics-again justifying their transgression in terms of rescuing the nation's manhood. Zusammenfassung Entering a distinctively male space-the saloon-to rescue fathers! brothers! and sons! women at the same time began to enter another male bastion-politics-again justifying their transgression in terms of rescuing the nation's manhood. Inhaltsverzeichnis Contents: Acknowledgments Introduction 1 Volition 2 Manhood 3 Contentment 4 Seduction 5 Invasion 6 Resolution Conclusion Notes Essays on Sources Index

Product details

• Authors: Elaine Frantz Parsons, Elaine Frantz (Duquesne University) Parsons
• Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 21.09.2009
• EAN: 9780801892561
• ISBN: 978-0-8018-9256-1
• No. of pages: 256
• Series: New Studies in American Intell; New Studies in American Intellectual and Cultural History; New Studies in American Intell
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > Regional and national histories; Non-fiction book > History > Miscellaneous; USA, Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Gender Studies, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Disease & Health Issues, HISTORY / Social History, Social & cultural history, HISTORY / United States / 19th Century, c 1800 to c 1900, 19th century, c 1800 to c 1899, Illness & addiction: social aspects, 18th century, c 1700 to c 1799, Social and cultural history, United States of America, USA, Gender studies, gender groups, History of the Americas, Health, illness or addiction: social aspects