Gender Roles During The Puritan Colony - 990 Words

In 1637, gender roles in the Puritan colony were very limited for women. In the case of Anne Hutchinson, all odds seemed to be against her when she was put on trial. Trying to argue she had done nothing wrong, Hutchinson was found guilty. Despite the ministers claiming her religious beliefs were the main reason for her punishment, there seemed to be an underlying message directed towards Hutchinson. Living in a time and place where women were not in a position of power, had no political leadership, and no religious authority, Anne Hutchinson was banished from the Puritan colony due to challenging and threatening widely accepted gender norms. Women were not in a position to influence others. According to the transcript, the only woman present during the â€Å"examination† was Anne Hutchinson herself (42). The extreme lack of women at the Court of Newton suggests the verdict was entirely conducted from a male’s point of view. This lack of perspective displays the ignorance the men had, and how they could have otherwise been enlightened if there were women voicing their opinions. However, in allowing women to speak their truth, they would be breaking the gender norm that explains why women were not considered to be in an influential position. If Anne Hutchinson had been found not guilty, it would give the impression that some women could be as, if not more, powerful and influential as men. Women also had no political authority. During Anne Hutchinson’s life, all womenShow MoreRelatedEssay on The Threat of Anne Hutchinson915 Words   |  4 Pagesnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In Puritan led Massachusetts Bay Colony during the days of Anne Hutchinson was an intriguing place to have lived. It was designed ideally as a holy mission in the New World called the â€Å"city upon a hill,† a mission to provide a prime example of how protestant lives should have subsisted of. 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