Piety: Two of the Four Ideals of Womanhood

Piety is defined as reverence for God or devout fulfillment of religious obligations. In other words, women of the 19Th century were expected to be extremely religious. The idea of women is said to have related to Eve and work with God to free the world from sin by displaying her purity and "passionless love". Religion was an acceptable interest for women because they could learn about it in their homes. A quote that sums up the ideal of piety is, "godless, no women, mother tho she be."

citation:
Lavender. "The Cult of Domesticity and True Womanhood."
www.library.csi.cuny.edu. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2010.
truewoman.html>.