Specifically in Britain, divorce was for a long time possible only by a private bill. This meant that divorce for lower classes was de facto impossible, and only the most wealthy could afford it. The Matrimonial Causes Act of 1857 made divorce more available and also did much to revoke previous Coverture Laws which made a woman's property pass over to her husband upon marriage.

Edit: to he more specific, a woman lost her own person legal standing upon marriage due to coverture laws. She was no longer considered a legal entity. Changes in marriage/divorce rights also had huge ramifications for a woman's identity in the eyes of the law.