Marriage, Family and Role of Women

1. Marriage, Family and Role of Women Notes from Change, Conflict and Crisis – Graves and Frood

2. Faith and Family • While religion was the source of a lot of disagreement in EME, the bible did cement some beliefs – mostly about family and the traditional roles of men and women. • Events from Garden of Eden established views of women’s place • First sin – Eve = women are inferior. • RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES • 1632 The Law’s Resolutions of Women’s Rights. Published anonymously to give a guide for women’s social and legal responsibilities – reinforced blame for Eve. • “Women have no voice in parliament. They make no laws, they consent to none, they abrogate none.” • Women had ONE role – to be married and subject to their husband.

3. Education for Marriage & Motherhood • Thomas Becon – Protestant Minister said in 1559 education for women was a good thing – it would reinforce their traditional roles as wives and mothers. • Girls should be educated to… enable her to look after her husband and to promote the welfare of her husband and family. • Even though women had ruled over nations (Elizabeth was Queen at time of quote) most people thought appropriate role was wife and Mum • Teachers were adamant about women’s place in society, BUT they had to admit their contribution to family life was vital.

4. Courtship to Marriage • Marriage was biggest life decision for most people • Choice of partner determined success in life – if you made a bad choice …? • Marriage didn’t happen till late in 20’s • Apprenticeships didn’t finish until 24 – so they couldn’t contemplate marriage till after that. • Girls could be placed in arranged marriage by guardian, at age 7. • Usually accompanied by a dowry. • Girls could marry of their own accord at age 14 – at 12 with parent’s consent. • In practice most people sought parental consent for marriage regardless of their age • Love was important, but sometimes in wealthier classes, it was not the MOST important thing.

5. Promises / Pitfalls of courtship • Courtship often very formal process. • Even when ideal partner was found – friends and family could interfere. • Ideal courtship = formal process = tokens of love (flowers, clothing, gloves etc), acceptance of affection = parental consent = formal ceremony. • Broken Promises : Causes and Consequences • If a man or woman broke their promise to marry for any reason – they faced family and community disapproval • But it did happen – some women were tricked into a marriage contract – the men took the dowry and then took off !! • Church courts worked hard to enforce obligations of ‘liable husbands’ and ‘liable fathers’

6. Married Life • Once married men and women had very distinct roles • HUSBAND = Provider • WIFE – Maintained house, looked after kids • These were the roles for an ‘ideal’ marriage, but in the ‘real’ world, roles often overlapped, mostly from the female side. • Women would supplement income of the family through various activities; brewing, baking and pin making. • The expectation that women should get married and have babies was reinforced by the church and the law – it was what should happen. • If a marriage did not produce children, then it could legally be annulled • CASE: Thomas Sabell 1560, no kids – divorced, him and his ex got re-married; new marriages produced kids – church annulled their 2nd marriages and ordered them to get back together

7. Married Life cont.. • Historians were led by cases such as this, to believe that marriage was often loveless and oppressive. • Relationships seemed to be set up under Biblical commands and legal requirements • And these requirements stressed male authority and female subservience. • BUT… • Bad news always lasts longer than good news – church courts reflect the cases of desperate people trying to end unhappy times • Happy and loving relationships often stayed within the private confines of home – William Gouge’s book Domesticall Duties in 1612, stressed the importance of mutual affection within a marriage • He said sex was very important as it strengthened the bonds of affection. • And physically beating your wife, while not illegal under law, had no Biblical warrant and was unacceptable in a relationship where wives were partners in a household.

8. Childbirth, War and Woe • Most dangerous time in a woman’s life • This is where they were forced to reflect the curse of Eve • The pain of childbirth seemed to many women to be fulfilling this prophecy • Approx 25 /1000 mothers died during childbirth (not to mention the number of kids that didn’t survive – which was considerably higher) • Miscarriage was common and could lead to other illnesses. • During the 1640’s Civil War intensified the daily trials of life. • Forced many women to assume new responsibilities, but mainly just made their existing lives that much harder and scarier • They faced food shortage, predatory soldiers looking for food, shelter and often, sex

9. Women challenge their place • Lady Harley of Brompton Bryan classic case of women taking over man’s role. • Her husband away fighting for parliamentarians – Royalist forces besieged her home so she organised the defence of her home as her husband would have – actually fighting off the troops • She died in the process from such exertions • Did she fit the mould of the traditional woman? NO !! • Anne Cock – (or Cook) a Quaker aged 60. • Interrupted a church service in Cambridge – a most unwomanly thing to do • She was hauled out of the chapel, thrown across the street and had water and urine thrown all over her on her way home.

10. Independence and Authority • Women’s roles can seem oppressively restricted when compared to today. • Society was authoritarian and male-dominated • Literal interpretation of Adam and Eve story seemed to give men almost unlimited authority. Dorothy Leigh wrote book for men in 1616 trying to remove sin of Eve from society – she claimed that Jesus’ birth by Mary absolved ALL women. • However, many cases existed where the woman was an equal partner, at least in the home, if not in public. • Medical problems existed that did not have proper solutions – primitive assistance at best, often caused more problems than it fixed. • Some women were lucky and found loving husbands and lived happy lives; others used feminine wiles to seduce men into a relatively even situation, but for the most part, women faced a life as a subordinate.