The Bonds Of Womanhood Analysis

In the book, The Bonds of Womanhood Nancy F. Cott illustrates the life of women during the 17th century, after the first settlers arrived in New England. Cott stresses the different and important aspects of women’s life during this time. Exploring their rights and duties, and finally the slow rise of womanhood and the gaining of important privilege, which, during this time, were common only for men. In the third chapter “Education”, Cott describes the role of education for women during the seventeenth century and how females were excluded from attending educational establishment since being literate was seen as a disgusting characteristic. It was inconceivable for women to attend public school during the seventeenth century if at all possible girls were allowed to attend dame schools. Cott criticizes this form of discrimination against girls since this misogynistic policy of public schools widened the inequality between males and females. However, girls were allowed to receive lessons from young and unmarried women who were allowed to teach at girls' school but not to engage in literary pursuits but to become pleasing wives and mothers. It rather seems like retrogression considering

But still, although scholars advocate the importance of female education for them the education of women was rather a sacrifice to ensure that sons would be raised right. With this, more young and unmarried women become teachers for girls’ schools which resulted in a higher literacy among females during the seventeenth century. Especially men decried the development of female education arguing that women would start to neglect their duties as a housewives, which was not necessarily true but many women understood that there was more than just the domestic life they led until