Puritan Women
Women’s roles within the Puritan
communities were comprised of two features.
The first being that women were considered to be “the weaker vessel in
both body and mind” and “her husband ought not to expect too much from her.” The second feature was the way that women manipulated their born roles in
order to fulfill their own aspirations and goals. The community leaders were male, and they
readily accepted the supposed inferiority of women. It is this belief that made men react harshly
or ashamedly to women who openly objected to this gender role. Though, many women were safe from public
exposure due to the fact that they usually exercised an indirect authority
within the community. However, the women
that were not easily swayed to remain silent, for instance Anne Hutchinson, the
consequences could be life-altering.
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