Romeo and Juliet
Research Project
The Place/ Role of Women
By: Alexandrea Best
Pd. 7
4/13/2011
Ordinary Women’s Jobs
Ordinary women- served as
nurses, servants, spun cloth, shoe
makers, tailors, midwives,
dairymaids (best paid), etc.
Ordinary Housewives- took care
of children and household, cooked
cleaned, helped in fields, spun
linen, etc.
Noble Jobs


Noble wives- supervised servants, ran the
estate in their husband’s absence
Activities- liked to hunting animals. (deer,
hares, dogs, and falcons)
Education



Ordinary women- had little opportunity. Basic
life skills taught by their mom. It was looked
down upon to have an education.
Noble women- taught educational skills by
tutors.
In general- men though that education ruined a
women’s innocence and morality.
Comparing men and women


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All Women- taught that they were inferior
to men. Didn’t have laws like the ones of
today.
Taught in church that they lived to obey
men. Thought that if the man of god said
it, it must be true.
Ex) Queen Elizabeth didn’t do much to
establish women in society.
Punishment



Women- punished for standing up against the
law. Forced from their communities.
Often, when they had no husband, they were
executed on the charges of being a witch.
Witch trials occurred very often. Many were
Punishment continued…

Ex) Anne Askew was thrown in jail, then burned for
refusing to incriminate another woman.

Anne Hutchinson questioned Puritan church. Held
illegal group meeting. Banished to Rhode Island.
Questioned Punton Church. Started first women’s
group of America. She stood up for her beliefs.
Women Today VS. Women of the
16th Century
Today- women are included in everyday activities,
have more freedoms in marriage.
Ex) Finances
 1600s- stayed in house, cooked and cleaned while
husband took care of financial difficulties.
 1600s- had no power in government or church.
 Today- women can vote, educational opportunities,
have desired religion, divorce, work with equal
payment, etc.

Works Cited
Mendelson, Sara. Women in Early Modern England. New York:
Oxford University Press Inc, 1998. Print.
Ashley, Maurice. Life in Stuart England. London: B.T. Batsford
LTD, 1964. Print.
Trueman, Chris. “Women in Tutor England.” History Learning
Site. Web. 5 Apr. 2011.
www.historylearningsite.co.uk/women_in_tudor_england.htm
“Women in the 16th, 17th, and 18th Centuries- Introduction.”
eNotes. Academic Publishers. Web. 4 Apr. 2011.
www.enotes.com/feminism-literature-cc/women-16th-17th-18thcenturies
Lambert, Tim. “Tudor Women.” Local Histories. 2003. Web. 1
Apr. 2011. www.localhistories.org/women.html
Jolean3. “A Different Approach Today.” Word press. 22 Sept.
2008. Web. 4 Apr. 2011.
jolean3.wordpress.com/2008/09/22.a-different-approach-todaywomen-of-the-1600s-and-women-of-today/