Women's Worlds in Seventeenth Century England

by Patricia Crawford (Editor), Laura Gowing (Editor)

Womens Worlds in England presents a unique collection of source materials on womens lives in sixteenth and seventeenth century England. The book introduces a wonderfully diverse group of women and a series of voices that have rarely been heard in history, from Deborah Brackley, a poor Devon servant, to Katharine Whitstone, Oliver Cromwells sister, and Queen Anne. Drawing on unpublished, archival materials, Womens Worlds explores the everyday lives of ordinary early modern women, including
* experiences of work, sex, marriage and motherhood
* beliefs and spirituality
* political activities
* relationships
* mental worlds
In a time when few women could write, this book reveals the multitude of ways in which their voices and experiences leave traces in the written record, and deepens and challenges our understanding of womens lives in the past.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

336 pages, Paperback

First published April 11, 1999

Reviews

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

What sets this book apart is the inclusion of documents, revealing the language and mindset of the period, and allowing us to glimpse the small details of everyday life.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Primary sources

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many excerpts from speech and letters of the day -- great flavor of just how women navigated their lives in this era.