1. Provider and Head of Household:
- Men's primary responsibility was to provide for their families financially.
- They were responsible for earning a living, managing household finances, and ensuring the material well-being of their wives and children.
- The ideal was for men to work in the public sphere, often in professions or trades.
2. Patriarchal Authority:
- Victorian society was patriarchal, meaning men held positions of power and authority within the household and society.
- Men were seen as the decision-makers, and women were expected to submit to male authority.
- This patriarchal authority extended beyond the family to societal institutions such as politics, the workplace, and the legal system.
3. Chivalrous Gentleman:
- Men were expected to display chivalrous behavior, such as being respectful, polite, and protective toward women.
- This chivalrous ideal influenced social etiquette, encouraging men to offer assistance to women and exhibit courtesy.
4. Emotional Restraint:
- Men were expected to be stoic and emotionally controlled.
- Public display of emotions was seen as unmanly, and men were encouraged to be rational and logical in their thinking.
5. Class-Based Roles:
- Men's roles varied based on their social class.
- Upper-class men were often educated and might pursue professions such as law, medicine, or politics.
- Middle-class men were involved in business, trade, or professions, while working-class men engaged in manual labor or unskilled jobs.
6. Gentlemen's Clubs:
- Gentlemen's clubs became important social spaces for upper-class men.
- These clubs provided environments for socializing, networking, and discussing politics and other intellectual pursuits.
7. Sports and Outdoor Activities:
- Men were encouraged to participate in physical activities, hunting, fishing, horseback riding, and other forms of recreation.
- These activities reinforced notions of masculinity and physical prowess.
8. Paternalism in the Workplace:
- In the industrial workplace, men were often in positions of authority over women and younger workers.
- Paternalistic attitudes assumed that men had a duty to protect and guide women in the workplace.
It's important to recognize that not all men conformed strictly to these socially prescribed roles, and there were certainly variations in individual experiences. However, these broad cultural norms shaped the roles that men played in Victorian society.