The nineteenth century had the most radical and revolutionary ideas in history. The status of women during this time is one of those ideas. This period of time was called the Victorian Era and had an influence on British society. Elizabeth Gaskell's novel, “Mary Barton,” was designed to portray the cultural customs and ideas of Great Britain. One of Gaskell's motives was to bring awareness to the life and trials of a Victorian woman. One scholar writes that “for women the situation is complicated by the fact that not only their labor, but their bodies have monetary value” (Stoneman 548). A Victorian woman must focus on the marriage market, find work, and not become a prostitute. This essay will reveal what women in nineteenth-century Britain go through, their personal struggles in trying to find a job and a husband while maintaining the values ​​that society upholds for them, using characters from Elizabeth Gaskell's "Mary Barton" and the how they tolerate these ideas. Describing a Victorian woman is based on the religious values ​​of the society. An article on Christian activity patterns stated: “The word is meant to represent the full flowering of ideology, of sexual virtue, of the consolidation of the middle class with its revised gender expectations, of women considered more moral and more religious than men ” (Johnson 248). Being Victorian was a system of ideas formed based on social norms. Women were held to higher standards than men. Women were forced to portray a false sense of “domestic” and “feminine” characteristics. It is believed that women stay at home away from public sight, so that they form the support system for their husband. Men were allowed to get away with actions that would be considered religio... middle of paper... ft instead of work. If all else failed and society thought you were no good, then you were forced into a life of prostitution. This novel reveals that being a nineteenth-century woman could be a very difficult and humiliating lifestyle. Women were thought of as commodities or children. On many occasions they have been told what to do, how to think and what to say. Vanity was instilled in women at an early age. Some women have learned to use the power of their beauty and bodies to try to advance their status in society. In some cases this worked well, but in many cases these women sold their souls to the devil for what seemed to be heaven on earth. Many things have changed in today's society regarding women in their pursuit of marriage and career. However, women today still face some of the same obstacles as women in the Victorian era.