It was terribly important that such women should marry. The failure to marry--spinsterhood--implied a kind of dreadful crippling, for it was universally acknowledged that "a woman's true position was that of administratrix, mainspring, guiding star of the home," and if she was unable to perform this function, she became a sort of pitiful social misfit, an oddity.
The societal expectations of women depicted in Michael Crichton's "The Great Train Robbery" highlight the significant pressure to marry. Being single was viewed with disdain, suggesting that a woman who remained unmarried was lacking in some essential quality. The narrative underscores that a woman's identity and value were largely tied to her role in the home, reinforcing the idea that without marriage, a woman was seen as incomplete or abnormal.
This perspective reflects broader societal norms of the time, where women's worth was measured by their ability to fulfill domestic roles. The notion that women should primarily be the architects of the household reinforces traditional gender roles, leaving little room for individuality or independence. Such views encapsulate the constraints imposed on women, illustrating how societal expectations shaped their lives and identities.