Gender Roles in the American Civil War. The Case of Belle Boyd

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• Women in Southern America during the American Civil War
• Women and Gender after the American Civil War
• The Case of Belle Boyd
• Conclusion

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This bachelor thesis examines the negotiation of gender roles during the American Civil War. The study focuses on the experiences of women in the South and explores how they navigated societal expectations and the challenges of war. The main objective is to analyze Belle Boyd's life and actions through her memoir, "Belle Boyd in Camp and Prison," to understand how she used traditional gender roles to her advantage, ultimately deconstructing them for her own and the South's benefit.

• Gender roles and their impact on women during the American Civil War
• The experience of women as spies in the Confederate Army
• The role of women in the South's war effort
• The relationship between gender, class, and social change during the Civil War
• Belle Boyd's use of gender as a strategic tool

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Introduction: This chapter sets the stage for the thesis by introducing the concept of gender roles during the American Civil War. The focus is on the strict expectations placed upon women and how they coped with these limitations. The chapter also introduces Belle Boyd as a case study, emphasizing her unique position as a female spy for the Confederacy.
• Women in Southern America during the American Civil War: This chapter explores the lives of women in the South during the war. It examines the societal expectations placed upon women, the challenges they faced, and their varying roles in supporting the Confederacy. This section focuses on the broader context of women's lives in the South and how war impacted their everyday experiences.
• Women and Gender after the American Civil War: This chapter provides a brief overview of women's lives in the years following the war. It highlights the challenges they continued to face in a patriarchal society and touches on the rise of the women's suffrage movement. This section contextualizes the historical period and the evolving role of women in the United States.
• The Case of Belle Boyd: This chapter delves into the life of Belle Boyd, focusing on her memoir and analyzing her actions during the war. It examines how she used traditional gender roles to her advantage as a spy, exploring her strategies and the impact of her work on the conflict. This chapter is the core of the thesis, offering a deep dive into Belle Boyd's story.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This bachelor thesis focuses on gender roles, the American Civil War, women's history, female spies, Southern culture, Belle Boyd, and the negotiation of social expectations during a time of conflict. The primary lens for this analysis is Belle Boyd's memoir, "Belle Boyd in Camp and Prison," which offers unique insight into the experiences of a woman who challenged gender norms and contributed to the Confederacy's war effort. This work explores the interplay between personal agency and societal constraints, highlighting the complexities of women's lives during a turbulent historical period.