Life in 18th Century London Essay Example

Life in 18th century London was way different from life today, and I wouldn't have liked it.  Even though some progress was made in gender equality, I would not like being an 18th century woman. This is because my childhood, socioeconomic status, and marriage would be controlled by another person, which I do not like. Additionally, I would always stay at home and be a good housewife while my husband or father goes to work. 

First of all, my childhood would not have been what I would dream of. My parents would be medicinal shopkeepers(shopkeepers were lower-class individuals), and as a result, I would help them around with the shop. Instead of going to school, I would be tutored at home by my mother. I would have to learn things that would “line up with my abilities”, such as sewing, cleaning, and being a good housewife, rather than modern academics(https://sites.udel.edu/britlitwiki/social-and-family-life-in-the-late17th-early-18th-centuries/). This would frustrate me because my life would feel boring. After the age of 17, many girls, like Mary Ellenor, went to London to become domestic servants(https://www.londonlives.org/static/Lives.jsp). I would do this in order to make an independent living.

Additionally, 18th century homes, food, and clothing aren't what they are today. According to , people mostly ate bread and potatoes; meat could only be afforded by the rich, which made up a sliver of the population. Furthermore, at this time, tea became a common drink. A poor person's house in the 18th century had two or three room, and the furniture was plain. In terms of clothing, women wear corsets to have good posture. This would have made proper breathinv difficult, seeing as we would have to move a lot.. Likewise, my legs would have been covered by a petticoat and overskirt. It included a “false rump” which was normally made of cork(). This would make me feel hot, and therefore, sweat bullets. Consequently, I would tire out faster, apart from not being able to breathe thanks to the corset. Overall, these aspects of life are way different than today.

Moreover, my socioeconomic status and marriage are already decided for me. In this life, I would have been married off at around 20 years old to a man of a higher social class than my own; it is believed that  I(a daughter) would pose a great risk for my family(https://sites.udel.edu/britlitwiki/social-and-family-life-in-the-late17th-early-18th-centuries/). This suggests love wasn’t a huge factor in 18th century marriages. The concept of not even keeping my own last name would make me feel trapped. Additionally, I would be a housewife and be treated like property. I would be in charge of cleaning and maintaining my house, while also tutoring my future daughter about being a good housewife. As Jane Austen communicates, the best prospect for an 18th century woman was marriage. 

All in all, life in 18th century London would not be the same as it is today. It would make me want more out of life and therefore, I would have been unhappy. Of course, people would hold that against me, and as a result, try to change my mind. We should appreciate our lives as they are because they could have been much, much different-and worse.