Conduct-of-life books, domestic arts manuals, and etiquette
guides are all familiar examples of prescriptive literature. Yet
this genre is difficult to define because it incorporates so
many different facets of women's studies. Works of prescriptive
literature present paradoxes: they are written by conservative
religious leaders and by radical feminists; they can uphold or
reject traditional gender roles; they employ a variety of
methods to influence readers; and they promote versions of
"ideal womanhood" that are often diametrically opposed. Taken as
a whole, the genre of prescriptive literature highlights the
social and cultural forces that shape women's everyday lives.
Works like The Housekeeper's Oracle (1829) and The Bride's
Primer (c1948) vividly illustrate the physical demands of
maintaining a home. Sermons to Young Women (1770) illuminates
the strictures placed on marriageable young women in the
eighteenth century. The Mother's Guide in Physical Education
(1846) and Your Baby: How to Keep It Well (192