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introduction: The "OpenQuestion"of SWarriage Is not marriage an open question, whe n it is alleged, fro m th e beginning of the world, that such as are in the institution wish to get out; and such as are out wish to get in. RALPH WALD O EMERSON , "MONTAIGNE ; O R THE SKEPTIC " Nearly al l adults i n early America expecte d t o marry a t some point in their lives.1 Husbands an d wive s fought an d quarreled, love d and hated , and i n many way s behave d muc h a s they d o today. Wha t marriage — and th e role s o f husban d an d wife—mean t t o th e peopl e o f earl y America, however , wa s muc h differen t fro m today . I t wa s a tim e when American s glorifie d marriage , whic h joine d togethe r husban d and wif e a s a symbo l o f th e bond s tha t hel d togethe r th e disparat e aspects o f republica n society . Eighteenth - an d earl y nineteenth-cen tury American s considere d marriag e a microcos m o f a large r world . It wa s throug h marriag e tha t me n an d wome n coul d lear n t o b e vir tuous citizen s a s well a s to instill virtu e i n future generations. 2 But not everyone was happily married , an d those who were unhappily marrie d cam e from al l walks of life. I t is impossible to know ho w many peopl e were unhappy i n their marriages . Mos t probabl y lef t n o traces i n lega l record s o r othe r standar d sources . Th e majorit y o f un happily marrie d peopl e i n earl y America , i n fact , di d no t divorce . i 2 INTRODUCTION Instead, the y foun d solac e i n socializin g wit h famil y member s an d friends, i n alcohol, or through involvemen t i n extramarital affairs . Som e vented thei r ange r an d frustration s b y abusin g famil y member s o r deserting thei r spouse s an d families . Fo r thos e inten t upo n breakin g free fro m thei r spouses , however , desertio n probabl y remaine d th e easiest an d mos t frequen t method . This stud y wil l no t tr y t o discover ho w man y peopl e wer e unhap pily married ; rathe r it s ai m i s t o determin e wha t kin d o f problem s those in troubled marriage s had , an d t o analyze how men an d wome n coped wit h marita l discor d durin g a time o f grea t socia l an d politica l transformation. Throughou t thi s tim e perio d i n Pennsylvania , ther e was a sometimes bitte r an d ongoin g clas h betwee n tw o opposing set s of marita l ideals : the olde r on e emphasized patriarcha l authority , wifel y obedience, rigidl y define d gende r roles , an d i t permitte d a doubl e standard o f sexuality . Th e othe r se t stresse d love , companionship , a single standard o f sexuality, an d complementar y gende r roles . I begin with th e followin g questions : Wer e marrie d couple s affecte d b y thes e conflicting ideals? T o wha t exten t di d th e idealizatio n o f marriag e i n this perio d lea d t o unreasonabl e expectation s i n marriage ? Wha t sub sequent problem s arose ? Ho w di d husband s an d wive s cop e whe n tensions developed ? Di d th e grounds fo r divorc e change over this pe riod ? I have limited th e geographical scop e of this study to Pennsylvania , particularly th e southeaster n region , encompassin g Philadelphi a an d Chester County . Althoug h th e topi c o f marita l discor d ha s no t bee n explored i n grea...

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