Weeks Nine-Ten: Definition Argument Essay Samples

"My God, who would not want a wife?"

The Oxford dictionary defines a wife as a married woman considered in relation to her spouse. In why I want a wife, the author develops compelling statements about the duties of a wife in a family household. These duties include taking care of children, looking after the house, prepare meals and wash clothes.
An ideal wife should take care of children and run the household while the husband is away because that is her duty. According to King, (2003) women are responsible for childbirth, child rearing, and education after weaning and through to age seven, and managing their homes after their husbands. If the wife has a job, she would be expected to perform her duties such as wash clothes, handle children, keep the house clean, and prepare meals. The wife is expected to fulfill the sexual needs of the husband, and if the wife does not work, she can only be replaced. Brady presents a strong argument against popular views of the traditional duties of a wife in the family. On the other hand, today women require an understanding of how they are to relate to their partners. The social changes that came about due to the feminist movement in the past decades have resulted in confusion about the idea of women's duties. Some women feel that the concept of tasks is disgusting and that if they stick to traditional standards they will lose their identity as well as their freedom. Some individuals have suggested new gender roles in modern society, which implies shifting from regular duties to distinct but equally firm sex functions. For instance, some radical feminists argue that motherhood is humiliating to women. However, many women at certain periods in their lifetime become mothers, which make the duty of a mother significant to their self-image. It seems that it is up to women and the relationship they have with their husbands to decide whether they assume the traditional duties of motherhood, give much of the roles of motherhood to their husband or work full time.
According to Brady, an ideal wife understands her roles in the marriage because she is expected to perform her duties without being told. Because marriage partners are different, it appears that gender functions cannot be equal. In addition, it seems that in real life, lasting family bonds are not in balance in various ways. Thus, it is understandable that the capacity to live with imbalances and inequities in marriage is a necessity if the marriage is to last. The ability to balance duties is the basis of lasting marriages because it enables the partners to practice roles, which brings out the best in each partner. It is a fact that when duties are prescribed by society, a majority of individuals adhere to them and only a few deviate from them because people feel safe when they follow such rules (Cox and Kevin). Other people feel threatened by numerous alternatives.
A woman is expected to submit to her husband without any condition because the husband is the head of the family. There is no instance regarding something good a father does for a wife to make her happy. The belief about gender roles is most often taken for granted. For instance, a male partner may need to express closeness and warmth to m his male friends but the male stereotype hinders him to do so. Wives may have the talent of being natural leaders, but such leadership talent is suppressed due to the stereotypes against them. Traditionally, the ability of a woman to bear children and the husband's great physical strength and need to defend the family are emphasized. In modern times, the status of men is still partly decided by their physical strength. In addition, traditionally, the role of a male is taken to be dominant in society as well as in the family. Moreover, traditionally, man are allowed more freedom regarding sex while women are seriously restricted sexually (Cox and Kevin). Although numerous women feel as if they are being treated as inferior and more like property instead of a human being, other women feel content with the way society is running for women.
In the end, it is clear that gender roles are strongly embedded in society such that it appears impossible to escape them altogether. The struggles over changing husband and wife roles, as well as the real world of numerous cultures, have resulted in confusion and frustration. Currently, women are encouraged to seek careers away from homes. On the other hand, wives are made to feel guilty by the society if they do not pay attention to their families. The majority of women are compelled to abandon their careers at certain times in order to fulfill their roles as mothers. Brady argues that having a wife is a good thing because wives have numerous duties. This gives us the feeling that the single purpose of a woman is to work for the husband like a slave and make his life easier, to keep her head up and never bother to complain about her everyday annoyance to the husband.

Work Cited

Brady, Judy. “I Want a Wife.” The Bedford Reader. Ed. X. J. Kennedy et al. 7th ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martins, 2000. 275-77.
Cox, Frank D, and Kevin Demmitt. Human Intimacy: Marriage, the Family, and Its Meaning. Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning, 2009. Print.
King, Margaret L. The Renaissance in Europe. London: Laurence King, 2003. Print.