Suffer Not a Woman to Speak (R)

In Suffer Not a Woman to Speak, the author discusses how women in the colonial time period were treated unfairly. The author specifically focuses on the topics of religion and law, but in actuality, at the time period the author is speaking of, the policies of law are directly influenced by the teachings of the church.

From a religious standpoint, the author speaks of how women, although created in the image of God, same as men, were created to be the servant of their husbands. They were, in essence, slaves to the male gender. A women's role was interpreted as one who stays with the children, and does everything her husband asks of her. Men chose to think of women this way simply because they had been taught since the beginning that women are more vulnerable to sin. This tainted point of view comes from the Bible, in Genesis, with the story of Adam and Eve. To say that women are all easily taken in by the devil based soley on one woman's actions is apalling. Adam ate the apple too, did he not?

The law states that women cannot own or inherit property. They cannot vote or hold any political offices. These are purely reflections of the religious views that women cannot be church leaders or hold any significant position in the churches. When Common Law was altered in the colonies, it allowed women certain rights, such as the "wife's right to be supported by her husband, even if he abandoned her," or the "wife's right to be protected from violence at her husband's hand." Even if the law was said to be changed, the woman could still not sue her husband or take him to court over any transgressions, so the law is moot.

Not until the 1800's did anyone challenge a women's position in society. From then on women have been fighting for their rights ever since. They have gained the right to vote, to own property, to be a governmental leader, and so on. Women have completely overcome the treatment they recieved long ago, and they continue to challenge the prejudices that are standing in their way.