Beginning of Essay
Anne Firor Scott's The Southern Lady: From Pedestal to Politics 1830-1930 takes a social yet intellectual approach to the cultural image of the ideal southern woman. Scott analyzes the effect of this predominate image on women's behavior. Southern women are given ....

Middle of Essay
.... from the expected image. Women were often transformed from single, carefree, sought -after girls to responsible, submissive, plantation mistresses. They were led to believe that depraved women and men were the only sexual creatures; thus, they were supposedly incapable of erotic feelings. Women were often uneducated, and when they began to voice their opinion concerning a need for education, most men disagreed with them. However some men did agree with them, but it was for the wrong reasons. Men believed that women should be educated in order to conduct female responsibilities more gracefully and effectively. Men felt that women needed to dev ....