'ich meÿne ich mus die füsse ins Maull schieben vor müedigkeit': Betrachtungen über die Rolle der arbeitenden Frau in den Briefen der Familie Mozart und Caroline Pichlers 'Über die Bildung des weiblichen Geschlechtes'.

Caroline Pichler's 1810 essay, 'Über die Bildung des weiblichen Geschlechtes' [On the Education of the Female Sex], cautiously advocates for limited employment opportunities for women across the social classes. Interestingly, the author seems to assume women had not previously worked. Some forty years prior, the Mozart family, including young Wolfgang Amadeus, embarked on a two-decade journey across England, Italy, France, and Germany, aiming to secure his appointment as a court musician. Despite gaps in the records, the letters exchanged during these trips emphasize the Mozarts' collaborative efforts to improve their livelihood and advance the children's prospects. In contrast to common stereotypes of female passivity, the mother, Anna Maria, is actively involved in business matters, corresponding with Leopold's business partners, and sharing decision-making responsibilities. Comparing the Mozart letters with Pichler's essay highlights the evolving discourse on gender roles and work from the late eighteenth to the early nineteeth centuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]