Summary Of Out Of Her Place By Cheryl Smith

In her article "Out of Her Place: Anne Hutchinson and the Dislocation of Power in New World Politics" Cheryl Smith discusses how women of puritan New England were oppressed and controlled by gender roles. At a time where men were in power and women were controlled in an attempt to keep them from gaining any type of authority. Smith discusses Anne Hutchinson, a women on trial essentially for expressing her voice freely and forcefully. Hutchinson had over stepped her bounds as a women when she expressed religious beliefs different from those of the church leaders. Smith also discusses how some modern women still feel like women are not able to fully speak in public with authority and must make themselves seem small to keep from losing their sexual

Smith discusses how the court felt Anne stepped out of her place by placing herself above the men, which angered the men who believed that women were below them. Another point smith makes is how much Anne’s second trial was effected by her interrupting a man who was speaking at the time. The court was more taken back by the fact that she had spoken out while a man was speaking then by what she had actually said. In the trial Anne asks over and over again for proof of her guilt, male witnesses testified to hearing her teachings and her claiming the gift of prophecy and this seals her fate. Anne tried to explain her actions but the men didn’t want an explanation they wanted her to open up and admit her wrong doings and to fully submit to their rule. Smith states that if Anne had not been a women her wrong doings would not have been treated so harshly and probably would not have seemed like such a threat. Anne said she could speak to god and had warned them that the Bay Colony would be punished if they proceed against her. The men manipulated this threat saying that God himself had to intervene due to her offensive