Marriage as a Trade

"Marriage as a Trade" by Cicely Hamilton is a persuasive examination of women's economic roles in society during the early 20th century. The book compellingly argues that marriage operates as a sort of business for women, where their primary value and means of survival link directly to their roles as wives and mothers, which has been forced upon them by society. She explores the imbalance between men and women, pointing out that women's identities are often defined by marriage, rather than seen as individual people. By doing this, she shows that there is a societal problem where women depend on marriage, calling for big changes to give women more freedom and economic power outside of marriage.