The identification of femininity with morality and a belief in the inn

Took 7 mins , including 2 mins 10 seconds to read
-The author does not provide an opinion
- The author merely states facts on how the cult of female domesticity led to women having an influence on non domestic spheres as well
-The only realm that was out of reach for women was partisan politics

1
"enabling them to escape the confines of their traditional domestic spheres and to enter prisons, hospitals, battlefields, and slums."
and "chartering societies, raising money, and paying salaries."
Answer C

2.
"ideology of female benevolence empowered women in the realm of social activism, enabling them to escape the confines of their traditional domestic spheres"
Answer C

3.
the author wants to illustrate that women started to gain power socially but did not enter the realm of politics. Hence option (D) is the right answer.

Hi,
Can someone please explain me the difference between B and C in Q4?

Choice (C) implies that the women DID abandon the idealogy of female benevolence.

On the other hand, choice (B) describes a hypothetical situation: IF the women had wanted to seek true political power, then they would have needed to abandon the idealogy. Choice (B) does not suggest that they ACTUALLY abandoned the ideology.

Can anyone explain question4? I cannot find the support for B.
Thank you!

1. According to the passage, the ideology of female benevolence was consistent with women taking part in each of the following spheres of activity EXCEPT

(B) domestic life
(C) electoral politics

In this above question , we can easily eliminate all but these 2 options.
The passage clearly says ideology of female benevolence allowed women to escape from domestic spheres.
The question is asking us the opposite i.e ideology was consistent with what activity.
I dont find a good enough reason to eliminate this option. Option C is also clearly mentioned in the passage.

Can you please help ? GMATNinjaTwo

Hi Abhishekrao12,

The question mentions: According to the passage, the ideology of female benevolence was consistent with women taking part in each of the following spheres of activity EXCEPT

Now consistent means: not containing any contradictions. We don't really have to find an option that actually agrees with the ideology of female benevolence, we have to find an answer that contradicts it, which is E as the contradiction can be inferred from the lines: "But clinging to this ideology also prevented these women from even attempting to gain true political power because it implied a moral purity that precluded participation in the messy world of partisan politics". Nothing has been mentioned in the passage about ideology of female benevolence not being consistent with domestic life.


Hope this Helps.
Thanks.

GMATNinja VeritasKarishma - Can you pls share your understanding of the passage ?

The idea is that women were considered benevolent and morally superior in 1800s so confined to domestic life (raising family etc). But these principles led them to social activism (reforms in prisons, slums etc). This led to women acquiring quite a lot of authority on financial and other matters in these spheres. But because they clung to the image of benevolence, morality etc, they could not enter the messy (immoral) field of politics (where true power lies).

1. According to the passage, the ideology of female benevolence was consistent with women taking part in each of the following spheres of activity EXCEPT

(A) organized philanthropy
women had to find ingenious legal ways to run and finance organized philanthropy
(B) domestic life

(C) electoral politics
But clinging to this ideology also prevented these women from even attempting to gain true political power because it implied a moral purity that precluded participation in the messy world of partisan politics.

(D) fund-raising for worthy causes
women had to find ingenious legal ways to run and finance organized philanthropy

(E) social work
this ideology of female benevolence empowered women in the realm of social activism


2. Information in the passage suggests that the author would be most likely to agree with which of the following statements concerning the cult of female domesticity?

(A) The cult of female domesticity developed independently of the concept of female benevolence.

(B) The cult of female domesticity was incompatible with women's participation in social activism.

(C) The cult of female domesticity incorporated ideological elements that actually helped some women to escape from their traditional domestic roles.
this ideology of female benevolence empowered women in the realm of social activism, enabling them to escape the confines of their traditional domestic spheres and to enter prisons, hospitals, battlefields, and slums.

(D) The original motivation behind the promotion of the cult of female domesticity was to exclude women from partisan politics.

(E) The growth of organized philanthropy in the nineteenth-century United States is ultimately attributable to the cult of female domesticity.


3. Which of the following best summarizes the main point of the passage?

(A) The identification of femininity with morality promoted the notion of women's moral purity while excluding women from positions of authority in their communities.

(B) The belief in women's innate moral superiority allowed women to exercise political power without participating in partisan politics.

(C) The cult of female domesticity helped some women to gain power and privilege but kept most women confined to the domestic sphere.

(D) The ideology of female benevolence empowered women in the realm of social activism but placed limits on their direct political power.
empowered women in the realm of social activism: escape the confines of their traditional domestic spheres and to enter prisons, hospitals, battlefields, and slums
limits on their direct political power: prevented these women from even attempting to gain true political power because it implied a moral purity that precluded participation in the messy world of partisan politics.

(E) The idealization of female altruism enabled women to engage in philanthropic activities but prevented them from managing money and property.

4. It can be inferred from the passage that the author believes which of the following about women’s relationship to politics in the nineteenth-century United States?

(A) social activism was the best path to political power for women.
No information about what is the best way

(B) had women wished to seek true political power they would have had to abandon the ideology of female benevolence.
But clinging to this ideology also prevented these women from even attempting to gain true political power

(C) women’s desire for true political power was the primary cause of their eventual abandonment of the ideology of female benevolence.
This ideology prevented women from gaining true political power.

(D) only women in positions of authority in their communities exercised political influence indirectly through men.
No information

(E) most men believed that they were protecting women by excluding them from politics.
No information

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