What we would call love was not actively sought when marriage was contemplated, and was even thought to somehow damage the offspring of such a match. Whilst there was consideration for the suitability of the prospective spouses for each other, this manner of arranged marriage did result in some unhappy marriages but it also resulted in some happy ones too. No passion could be long lived, and such as were most in love forgot that ever they had been so within a twelvemonth after they were married.įraser examines women in the context of marriage in the seventeenth century, where marriage, at least in the upper classes, was often a financial transaction settled between parents.
In any case, women often viewed themselves (that is, their own sex) as weak, so much so that they often apologised when a show of strength was required in order to endure whatever circumstances confronted them. Women were certainly weaker than men physically, but there was more uncertainty as to whether women were weaker spiritually or intellectually.
However, it was unclear exactly how far to extend that precept. This term was preached from the pulpit, professed in poetic verse, and generally acknowledged by everyone. It is a fascinating account of real women and what they did during this period.ĭuring the seventeenth century, it was often proclaimed that women were the weaker sex. I have recently finished reading The Weaker Vessel, by Antonia Fraser, about women and their role in seventeenth century England. The Weaker Vessel: Women’s Lot in Seventeenth Century England, by Antonia Fraser (2002)
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