Love and Courthship

The Historical Journal, 50 I (2007), pp. 173-196 Cambridge University Press Printed in the United Kingdom.
Love and Courtship in Mid-Twentieth-Century England
Claire Langhamer
University of Sussex

In Claire Langhamers article, Love and courtship in Mid-Twentieth Century England. In the life cycles of the majority of heterosexual people in the 20th century, a formative stage for emotional attachments exists. The author compared data findings from England’s Mass-Observation of 1937 to the most recent Mass- observation in 1981. Langhamer states that love and courtship have changed within twentieth century England. Courtship in the 1930 was seen as a rite of passage where now once you become a teenager you have the opportunity to have many casual relationships with the opposite sex. Her arguments suggest that women and their roles have changed as so has their outlook on courtship and the process of marriage. Modern women now are more independent and do not have to rely on a man to support them. She further argues that this is a prelude to the gendered male and female roles of today. Women especially are still expected to have traditional roles such as being a house wife and the male as the bread winner. In summary she states that courtship has its own life cycle and this warrants it to be examined due to changing roles of women in society.

Written By Mariana Gost