"Life is not easy for any of us. But just the same we must have perseverance and, above all, confidence in ourselves. One must believe oneself gifted for something and that something must be attained at whatever cost." |
“Others insisted on painting Curie as a true example of the modern woman, able to have a family and work while still maintaining her ‘femininity’.” (Lassieur 65) |
The way Madame Curie lived her life is similar to many of today's working women. She balanced being a single mother (after Pierre died) with two children and a successful career, something that is difficult to pull off even now. It was considerably harder and not at all common back then. She was part of what started to set the path for women today to be like this. She was one of the the first of what there would be many of less than a hundred years after her death.
-“With the birth of our child, the difficulties of carrying on our work were augmented: for I had to give more time to the household.”
-M. Curie (Marie Curie 85)
It was difficult to continue her research after her first child was born because she had to take care of her. She had to take more time off again after her second child was born. This happens today when women go on maternity leave. They have to leave their jobs to take care of their children and are not always paid during this time. This was not a problem in Curie’s time because fewer women worked. This is more prevalent in modern day because a much larger amount of the female population works.
Sources for this tab:
-Marie Curie 85 (Pierre Curie)
-Lotz 32
-Lassieur 65
-Marie Curie 85 (Pierre Curie)
-Lotz 32
-Lassieur 65