"Ladies"

Jane Eyre -published in 1847.
Pride and Prejudice -published in 1813.

Why were women of high society expected to be so highly knowledgeable in foreign language, music, and art? It seems odd that they would be required to be so learned/proficient in thos areas. Though, music and art are not exactly academic, foreign languages are (to me, at least). I suppose young gentlemen were learning math -was math taught to girls? In Jane Eyre, they taught history at the orphanage, so I would assume that the wealty's children would also learn it. Maybe I'm wrong, but I am under the impression that all they were truly expected to do is marry. It seems odd that so much should be expected intellectually, when it was not acceptable for them to actually make use of what they had learned. Am I missing something here? Am I just not understanding the culture of the early 19th century?

One thing I must say, I really like the phrase "the order of the day." Maybe we should bring that back.

By the way, in case you were wondering, I am about a third of the way into reading Jane Eyre as of today (I started it today, haha). I found a copy for $2.11, including tax, last night at Books a Million while with Lauren and couldn't help but buy it. Hopefully, I will be finished within a few days and will be able to start Pride and Prejudice and/or Sense and Sensibility. I have not read all summer but for Angela's Ashes and am now excited to be reading again. I hope I am able to finish everything before I leave for Asbury on the 21st.