Historically, husbands and children have looked to the wife for most of their needs. While the role of the wife and mother has expanded to often include a job outside the home, the expectations haven’t always adjusted to include this. In the essay, I Want a Wife, Judy Brady provides a unique perspective of the role of the wife in a marriage. There are multiple reasons why Ms. Brady might have written this essay. She may have wanted to make husbands aware of the high expectations they place on their wives. She may have wanted wives to realize the expectations placed on them and the amount of work expected of them. She also may have wanted couples to consider what is expected of each of them in a marriage.
One reason Ms. Brady might have written I Want a Wife is to make husbands more aware of the level of expectations they have of their wives. This essay was written in 1971, at a time when there were fewer women in the workforce. The societal assumption was for the wife to assume the responsibilities for the care of the home, the children, and even the husband. Although the essay is exaggerated, there is a great deal of truth in the description of the expectations. The husband did not need to be a partner to his wife. He only needed to bring home a paycheck. Today, with more wives having jobs, those expectations must be adjusted. Husbands need to assist wives in the duties of caring for the home and the children.
Another reason Ms. Brady might have written the essay is to help women realize just how high a husband’s expectations in a marriage can be. At the time the essay was written, women still automatically assumed the role of caretaker for the family. This essay lists an overwhelming number of demands that make up that role. If women are aware of the unfair expectations placed on them, they are in a better position to stand up for themselves. And for the working wives of today, they are more aware of the need for help with home duties. They are then in a better position to push for sharing of those duties.
Ms. Brady also might have written the essay in an effort to get unmarried couples to consider what they expect from each other prior to entering into marriage. Adult men in 1971 would have grown up watching their mothers take care of all of their needs, as well as the needs of their fathers. Adult women would have seen the same thing. In their marriages, these same roles would most likely be assumed by husbands and wives. In this essay, Ms. Brady outlined the expectations of a wife as well as the ability of a husband to discard the current wife if another, better wife comes along. The exaggerated, satirical nature of the essay makes a dramatic statement for men and women today. They need to examine their own personal expectations from a spouse before they marry.
The essay I Want a Wife by Judy Brady is a humorous look at the expectations of a wife and mother. The goal of the essay is to get husbands to look more closely at the expectations placed on women as wives. She demonstrates that the work expected of wives versus husbands is not just unequal, but also unfair and largely unnoticed. The essay was written in 1971, at a time when women were beginning to push for change. Today, most wives have regular jobs just like husbands. However, often times most of the care of the home and children fall on the wife. This essay is a reminder to husbands, wives, and unmarried couples that these responsibilities need to be more divided.
