Pat, "Suffer Not a Woman to Speak", R

The author of “Suffer Not a Woman to Speak” is simply restating history. For the sake of the argument let’s call the author Pat, without implying gender. Pat is giving the reader factual information about the pros and cons of the life of colonial women. Therefore, allowing the reader to form their own opinion.

Pat states that religion was the basis of the treatment of women. The colonial people were mostly members of a Protestant sect, and to them the Bible was a description of how to live. Women have been cursed with the legacy of Eve. When Eve sinned, God punished her by putting her under the rule of her husband. Many believed that women were more likely to sin, because Eve was the first to fall from God’s grace. These stereo-types were common place at the time, and led to men treating women differently because of them. At the same time, women were given the same education as men. Puritans knew women need to be saved, and to do that they need to be literate. Schools were available to both sexes, and required under the law.

The legal code was based of the Common Law that was brought over from Britain. Common Law’s criminal code granted many rights denied in Britain. On the other hand, the civil law placed women at a great disadvantage. Women could almost be compared to slaves in the fact that they were only considered property. Married women were unable to have their own money, their dowries belonged to their husband, and they could do little with out his approval. Single women had some legal rights, in order to protect her property, while married women had almost none.

When the Common Law was altered, women were given the right to be supported by their husbands and protected from abuse. Women were still not allowed to sue and in the end, the laws were meaningless. Yet the change in the mind-set proved that women’s rights were becoming more common place. The same applied with equity courts, even though these courts only assisted the rich, the few that were help motivated the rest.

In my opinion, Pat shows that women were both attacked and aided by religion and law. They were portrayed as sinful and helpless, yet still deemed worthy of salvation. The men controlled the women by the laws of the government, yet gave the women some rights to keep them satisfied. Given that Pat’s gender is unknown, allowed me to be unbiased toward the contents of the essay. “Suffer Not a Woman to Speak” shows the disadvantages women face, along with the progress they have made.