Marital Bonds and Chains: An Examination of 19th Century Marriage as a Sexual Contract and its Impact on Women's Rights and Freedoms

Abstract

This paper investigates the institution of marriage in the 19th century as a form of sexual contract and its implications on women's rights and freedoms. Utilizing a feminist historical perspective, the study examines the societal and legal constructs of marriage during this period and their role in the subjugation and oppression of women. The research also explores the rise in divorces during the 19th century as evidence of conflicts over the principles of marriage. The work and beliefs of Victoria Woodhull, a prominent women's rights advocate of the time, are analyzed, with a focus on her Free Love ideology that posited marriage as a form of sexual slavery for women. The paper concludes with a discussion on Woodhull's vision for a societal revolution in sexual matters and its relevance in the context of the evolution of women's rights and freedoms.