The Country Husband

The period in which the story was written and the social milieu in which it is set bear significantly on its meaning. The story was first published in 1954, a time characterized by post-World War II suburban expansion and the rise of the American middle class. “The Country Husband” reflects and critiques the era’s emphasis on conformity, traditional gender roles, and suburban living as an idealized manifestation of the American Dream.

The aftermath of World War II was a period of significant (if often suppressed) tension in American society. The war had not only pulled the US out of the Great Depression but also established it as a world superpower, and an expanding social safety net ensured that the country’s economic gains did not remain concentrated exclusively at the top; the GI Bill, for example, allowed many WWII veterans to reap the financial benefits of a college education. Nevertheless, the era was less than idyllic for many. Jim Crow laws remained firmly entrenched in the South, and traditional gender norms enjoyed a resurgence in popularity. The US’s developing nuclear arms race with the USSR further contributed to a pervasive, underlying anxiety.

The rapid expansion of the nation’s suburbs reflected these tensions.