During the nineteenth century, European women experienced dramatic and enduring changes in their familial, working and political lives. Breaking away from traditional categories, the authors of this book provide a sense of the variety and complexity of women's lives across national and regional boundaries, juxtaposing the experiences of women with their perceptions of their lives. Three themes unite this study: the tension between tradition and modernity, the changing relationship between the community and individual, and the shifting boundaries between public and private.