The Weaker Vessel: Women's Lot in Seventeenth-Century England by Antonia Fraser

 

Summary (from the publisher): Just how weak were the women of the Civil War era? What could they expect beyond marriage and childbirth in an age where infant and maternal mortality was frequent and contraception unknown? Did anyone marry for love? Could a woman divorce? What rights had the unmarried? What expectations the widows? An expert on the period, Antonia Fraser brings to life the many and various women she has encountered in her considerable research: governesses, milkmaids, fishwives, nuns, defenders of castles, courtesans, countesses, witches and widows.

Review: In this well-researched history, author Antonia Fraser details the norms and roles of women in seventeenth-century England. For each topic discussed, the author provides numerous real-life examples and tales of women from the time period including roles as various as governesses, midwives, widows, prostitutes, and princesses. 

Fraser covers so many topics in this book including marriage, education, religion, childbirth, wars, medicine, widowhood, motherhood, and various occupations and roles open to women. This was so well researched and heavily documented with real examples. I learned something about a vast range of topics, such as the expectation that women remain loyal to the memory of their dead husband, despite the frequent need to remarry. Or the shocking revelation that a doctor invented forceps and thus the ability to save the lives of countless women and children during this time period but kept in concealed out of greed to make money off of the invention. Women continued to die until it was independently invented again a hundred years later. 

However, this text was so vast in range and included stories about so many different women that it almost felt like an encyclopedia. I'm sure this is an excellent resource for those wanting to look up particular topics, but it felt arduous to read straight through. Without a central theme beyond just women and without a focus on one individual like a biography might feature, it was not particularly enjoyable to read in full. An informative read but not necessarily a fun one. 

Stars: 3.5

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• Marie Antoinette: The Journey by Antonia Fraser