Begotten and Beguiled : Puritan Women's Communities and Gender Policing in 17th Century Colonial New England

Abstract

In 17th century colonial New England, gender was intrinsically tied to power. For women in Puritan communities, their marginal power came in their ability to properly wield their piety; feminine traits that defined them as models of their gender, upstanding church members, and charitable neighbors. An intersecting identity of high socioeconomic status, favorable reputation, and community type allowed some women to exert a higher level of authority than their lower-class, more religiously policed counterparts. Women created communities for themselves separate from men and exerted control over each other within, supporting patriarchal standards and regulating female behavior. By analyzing the different experiences of Puritan women of various economic backgrounds, this paper will argue that women exercised authority in their communities by utilizing the traits of femininity and piety enforced by patriarchy to their advantage and weeding out those who did not conform to these expectations.