Britain emerged from the war crippled by debts and without its major trading partners and international markets. The 1920s was a period haunted by unemployment and there continued to be an intractable million unemployed throughout the era. On the other hand, there were a number of factors which posed a challenge to individual masculinity. This new man of the home was still regarded as masculine despite spending increased time in what was traditionally seen as a feminine space, as now “the home could be a location for the formation and confirmation of manliness.”
The 1920s man would also take a greater role with the housework and with the children. Male leisure moved from the public sphere to the private, with the growth of home-based activities such as gardening, DIY and other hobbies. Post-war reconstruction sought to create ‘homes fit for heroes’ and, it spite of its limitations, the creation of improved housing led to a more home centered lifestyle. There are strong links between the image of the domesticated man in the press and the move into the home after the war.
However, whilst there is evidence of change there was no crisis as this new image was accepted by the majority.
The site of masculinity thus moved from the battlefield to the home. The new domestic man was capable of empathy, more gentle and sought companionship with his wife. It has been shown that images within the media and popular press presented multiple images of masculinity, by demonstrating a continuity of core ideals, such as athleticism, physicality and courage, whilst also adapting for the new image of the domesticated male. The aim of this dissertation was to ascertain whether Britain masculinity went through a period of continuity or crisis in the 1920s.
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