HIST 330
A Woman’s Place
Anne Hutchinson lived during the colonial period of American history and during this period Puritan women lived under feme covert. Although women lived under feme covert, Puritans believed that there should be great love and respect in marriages with no domestic abuse. Ideal Puritan women were known as goodwives who were the backbone to their home and marriage, however Puritans did not convey equality among genders. According to historian Ellen Carol DuBois, “In the 1630s, leaders faced a major controversy regarding both religious orthodoxy and gender assumptions”(TWE, 73). This controversy left women like Anne Hutchinson in the middle of gender oppression and silenced opinions since women were not allowed to challenge male authority or offer their own biblical interpretations. Anne Hutchinson was a midwife and the daughter of a preacher, she was was described as “a woman of haughty and fierce carriage, of a nimble wit and active spirit, and a very voluble tongue, more bold than a man…”(Reader, 5). She was a woman who challenged the idea that women were not allowed to voice their opinions about religion. Allegations of heresy were conducted against her after she was convicted of holding formal religious meetings in her home that also contested the status of women. While on trial she asked the court if there was a rule against her teaching since before she arrived there were such meetings previously held. She also gave an example of scripture giving them a reason why she has authority to teach stating, “Aquila and Priscilla, tooke upon them to instruct Apollo, yet he was a man of good parts…”(Reader, 6). The court responded by stating “I permit not a woman to teach…yet you shew us not a rule” (Reader, 6). She was found guilty of heresy for being a woman who challenged male authority and was finally banished from the colony.
The trial of Anne Hutchinson showed the repression woman had against them. The roles of women in the colonial period were to simply be a Goodwife and not question male authority. Anne Hutchinson did not define the proper roles of women during this period because she had agency that she put in play. She over stepped her place, challenging a woman’s place at the time. She is a significant part of history because not many women showed agency during this period. She had the belief that “people were saved by a direct infusion of gods spirit…preaching that salvation did not come from earthly obedience to puritan laws”(TWE, 73) and although her efforts failed she is a prime example of a woman who defied and challenged male authority.