Abstract:

The French industrialization brought about transmutations of the social role for French middle- class women in the nineteenth century. In the beginning of industrialization the newly - enthroned bourgeoisie reinforced men's authoritative status in the household. Though enjoying the complimentary term of "the angel in the family", women were in fact nothing more than a possession of their husbands. They had no political rights, nor did they have any economic status. With the gradual development of industrialization French middle - class women's consciousness of their rights was aroused, and women began to struggle for their own liberation in the second half of the nineteenth century. Retarded by French culture and tradition, middle - class women's struggles only brought them a rather modest share of rights in society before the First World War.

Key words: middle- class women, social role, angel in the family, women's right, transmutation