The Hidden Lives of Tudor Women: A Social History by Elizabeth Norton

 

Summary (from the publisher): The Tudor period conjures up images of queens and noblewomen in elaborate court dress; of palace intrigue and dramatic politics. But if you were a woman, it was also a time when death during childbirth was rife; when marriage was usually a legal contract, not a matter for love, and the education you could hope to receive was minimal at best.

Yet the Tudor century was also dominated by powerful and dynamic women in a way that no era had been before. Historian Elizabeth Norton explores the life cycle of the Tudor woman, from childhood to old age, through the diverging examples of women such as Elizabeth Tudor, Henry VIII’s sister; Cecily Burbage, Elizabeth's wet nurse; Mary Howard, widowed but influential at court; Elizabeth Boleyn, mother of a controversial queen; and Elizabeth Barton, a peasant girl who would be lauded as a prophetess. Their stories are interwoven with studies of topics ranging from Tudor toys to contraception to witchcraft, painting a portrait of the lives of queens and serving maids, nuns and harlots, widows and chaperones. Norton brings this vibrant period to colorful life in an evocative and insightful social history.

Review: This was an interesting history that looks at the lives of women during the Tudor period that spanned from 1485 to 1603. Organized like a female version of Shakespeare's Seven Ages of Man, the book looks at each decade of life and provides examples of specific women who lived throughout the Tudor period to illustrate each period of life. Covering women of all social classes and walks of life, this was very well researched and a fascinating look at what life might have been like during the time period. 

The first few chapters of this book were my very favorite. Starting with birth, Norton outlines what life would have been like for a baby girl during the period and uses the example of Princess Elizabeth, a daughter of King Henry VII that died as a young girl. Details such as diet, swaddling clothes, christening expectations, and nursery conditions were covered. Later chapters on childhood included descriptions of chores and everyday toys of the period. I found the description of imprisoned women who intentionally attempted to get pregnant to avoid execution fascinating. I also enjoyed Norton's description of the lives of widows, who were free to pursue their husband's trade and occasionally became powerful businesswomen. 

I did find the final chapters a little more disappointing only because they focus more on well-known figures, namely the wives of Henry VIII. I know these are good examples about which much is known about their lives, but they have also been covered extensively in countless other books. As well, the lives of royalty were far from the norm and did not represent the average female experience of the period. However, overall, this was an excellent history that was extremely well researched. I learned a lot and enjoyed it. 

Stars: 4