Women's Roles

A lot has been expected of women throughout history and their roles have changed through time. However, there are some roles of women that have not changed very much, the role might have been performed differently and the benefits of their roles have changed but the purpose has remained the same. These roles have been called a deputy husband, republican motherhood, the cult of true womanhood the names might be different but the roles that are expected of the women remain the same. Women are expected to be housewife’s, and mothers. Women are also expected to be pious, pure, submissive and domestic. These roles were given to women and have not changed much but the women were given a new sense of duty each time. The deputy husband was the name …show more content…
The republican mother was charged with raising children who would grow up to be the virtuous and trusted citizens the republic needed. This expectation of women to raise the politicians of tomorrow gave women a new sense of duty while at the same time their roles remained the same. The idea of republican motherhood made women think that they had a political role by infusing the women’s domestic duties with a civic meaning. This gave women a political function without women actually being given civil rights. A true republican woman is a mother with more bells and whistles. Sarah Hale is an example of a republican mother, Hale created the Ladies Magazine and the purpose of the magazine was to help women become “better acquainted with their duties and privileges.” For ten years Hale would help women with their roles and she would also start to create an identity for the middle …show more content…
Hutchinson was educated, married with kids, was a respected goodwife and respected midwife. She hosted prayer meetings to be a friendly neighbor. It was because of these meetings that she was charged with being a religious heretic before the Boston general court in 1637. The charges were based on the fact that she was holding religious meetings with both men and women, which was something that was extremely frowned upon. Hutchinson was convicted and banished from Boston. Hutchinson was found guilty of being unfit for society, during the trial judges and preachers equated her words and influence to a disease that could not be cured. In 1638, she and her family headed to Rhode Island and is credited with founding the state. This is a precursor for the witchcraft phenomenon that was soon to