Guide of the Good Wife - Spanish text from 1953.

"Be the wife he always dreamed of," is the advice that delivers that "guide" that was written to please men, by an Spanish woman named Pilar Primo de Rivera, sister of the founder of the political party of the extreme right, the "Spanish Falange", and daughter of Miguel Primo de Rivera, a politician and the Spanish dictator '20s.

I had to quote that first, before my dear ATS female members crucify me. I do not necessary agree with those concepts but it represents an historical document anyway, maybe we can compare these ideas to the way women is still treated in some countries, religion aside.

I thank Rebecca M. Bender, PhD, the author of the source for the brilliant translation.

After discussing these points, I provided the class with the illustrated “Guide of the Good Wife / Guía de la buena esposa,” a Spanish text produced in 1953 during the Franco dictatorship. The subtitle reads, “11 reglas para mantener a tu marido feliz,” or “11 rules to keep your husband happy.” What is most fascinating about these illustrations and captions, at least from a modern-day perspective, is the fact that these 11 rules were created by a woman – Pilar Primo de Rivera – for the Sección Femenina. As the Falange’s women’s organization, the Sección Femenina’s goals revolved around instructing women in Francoist patriotic, religious (Catholic), and social values. Women were to remain subordinate to men, concerning themselves only with marriage, children and housework. While I’m not certain that this particular illustrated text came directly from Rivera (who, it’s worth noting, never married!), it certainly demonstrates the Sección Femenina’s propaganda. While the instructions in the guide are not explicitly based on León’s text, many of the same key elements appear – this time in the form of short commands accompanied by pictures of contented wives happily performing their domestic chores (well, orders):

(1) Have dinner ready – Take time to prepare a delicious dinner for his return. This is a way of letting him know you have been thinking of him and that you worry about his needs. The majority of men are hungry when they return home.
(2) Appear beautiful (make yourself beautiful) – Rest for five minutes before his arrival so that he finds you fresh and gleaming. Re-touch your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and look your best for him. Remember that he has had a difficult day and has only dealt with men at work.
(3) Be sweet and interesting – His boring day of work might need to improve. You should do everything possible to improve it – one of your obligations is to distract him.
(4) Tidy your home – It should appear impeccable. Make a final round around the main areas of the home just before your husband arrives home. Pick up school books, toys, etc. And dust the tables.
(5) Make him feel he’s in paradise – During the coldest months of the year you should prepare the fire before he arrives. Your husband will feel like he’s arrived in a paradise of rest and order; this will raise your spirits as well. Overall, ensuring his comfort will give you enormous personal satisfaction. [notice the martini glass she's carrying!]
(6) Prepare the children – Brush their hair, wash their hands, and change their clothes. They are your little treasures and he will want to see them “shining.”
(7) Minimize noise – When he arrives home, turn off the washer, dryer, and vacuum and try to keep the kids quiet. Think about all the noise he has had to deal with during his long day at the office.
(8) Make sure he sees you happy – Give him a great smile and show sincerity in your desire to please him. Your happiness is the best reward for his daily efforts.
(9) Listen to him – You might have a dozen important things to tell him, but when he arrives home it is not the best moment to say them. Let him speak first; remember that his issues are more important than yours.
(10) Put yourself in his shoes – Don’t complain if he arrives late, if he goes out to have fun without you, or even if he doesn’t return home all night. Try to understand his world of obligations. Try to understand his world of stress and responsibilities and his true need to be relaxed at home.
(11) Don’t complain – Don’t overwhelm him with insignificant problems. Whatever your problem, it is a small detail compared to what he must deal with.
(Extra!) Make him feel at ease – Let him get comfortable in a chair or take refuge in the bedroom. Have a hot drink ready for him. Fluff his pillow and offer to take off his shoes.

rebeccambender.wordpress.com...
mariadubon.blogspot.com...


www.emol.com...

What a horrible life of wife...
I failed in all sections.. but even so my hubby seems to love me regardless of being a "unperfect" wife.
in other words
Those advices are for home nazi wifes and my husband is not a home nazi .

originally posted by: dollukka
What a horrible life of wife...
I failed in all sections.. but even so my hubby seems to love me regardless of being a "unperfect" wife.
in other words
Those advices are for home nazi wifes and my husband is not a home nazi .

Hi Dollukka, I wonder what If those rules were applied to men and women equally, not only for women.

Mindless slaves is what they were expected to be.

a reply to: Trueman

All I can reply to you is the following:




......and I'm laughing and laughing and laughing too......lol

S&F for your bravery!!

I see nothing wrong this.

Now...Go make me a sammich!

Peace



JK of course

a reply to: Trueman

In those days when those advices were written.. propably a chaos as many women were housewifes but if both sexes would have had same tramboline where to jump ( jobs etc ) in those days, i believe those advices would have sank to the ridiculousness and impossability to actually follow them.
We do what we can and a good deeds to each other in relationship/marriage is a pedestal where love grows.

Thank you technology !
Thank you giving washing machine, dishwasher, vacuum cleaner, roomba, microwave, steam cleaner, oven, coffee machine etc so we both me and hubby can use them... ooh and specially barbeque grill for the hubby

Who would want a wife like this??? My ex and I are still good friends. She's the opposite of the "Good Wife".
If she made dinner and you didn't like it, she'd be like "Screw you...go order a pizza."

Guys really had some women brainwashed back then. Except for some Finns. It seems that in many Finnish people, the women were considered the wise ones and ran things. Now nobody seems to be wise enough to run a family That is why we need cats or dogs.

a reply to: rickymouse

You are absolutely right about wise ones. maybe that why i am so unperfect to these standards haha. We are not used to these
But have to add its not only us Finns but also same is in other Scandinavian countries too.

Reminds me of the US. Google those old vintage commercials.

originally posted by: rickymouse
Guys really had some women brainwashed back then. Except for some Finns. It seems that in many Finnish people, the women were considered the wise ones and ran things. Now nobody seems to be wise enough to run a family

That is why we need cats or dogs.

Not only Finns. The Tupe People in the Andes is a matriarchal society that survived to these days. You got to read this :

www.abovetopsecret.com...

originally posted by: ColeYounger
Who would want a wife like this??? My ex and I are still good friends. She's the opposite of the "Good Wife".
If she made dinner and you didn't like it, she'd be like "Screw you...go order a pizza."

Now we know why you divorced her.

...Kidding.

a reply to: Trueman


Aww, she doesn't look at all "spanish". She looks like Betty Crocker. Thats American advertising calling with its mixed up ideas about women in the home. I grew up during Leave it to Beaver and Father Knows Best. Never forget the laughable images of women in heels and a dress, cooking and cleaning, cooking and cleaning.

No wonder the world is so screwed up. You know who's responsible? Madison Avenue (MadMen).