The Role of Women

During this historical era, women held specific roles in the home. There were few and limited opportunities for a woman to work or influence anything outside the home. In keeping with the attitudes of the time, Elizabeth was not encouraged to study. However, after her mother dies, Elizabeth's father allows her to study with a tutor. Elizabeth proves herself to be intelligent. She loves to engage in intellectual discussions, such as talking about Shakespeare with Richard Cranch. She goes so far as to say that she feels less like a woman because of her intelligence, which is evidence of the social attitudes toward a woman's role during this time. Both Jeb and Thomas approve of her intellectual capabilities.

Elizabeth also breaks out of the accepted roles for women by being a midwife and healer. There are other women of this time period who...