Difference between revisions of "Week 3 Questions/Comments-327 11"
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I was surprised that Martha Root found her chief support in a clergyman; I had expected it to be the case that Root's supporters were family, while Hawley's supporters were more prominent members of the church and/or the government. Particularly given that Hawley was identified as a gentleman and Root as a spinster, it seemed that Hawley would receive much more institutional support, while Root would be largely cast out and left to fend for herself. That she was taken under the wing of a church specializing in ministering to the down-on-their-luck was a very lucky turn for Root, since otherwise she would likely have had nothing to base her case on and no one to help her. Speaking of social statuses, I find Michelle's point regarding their titles ("gentleman" as opposed to "spinster") very interesting, and also telling of the society. Although both Hawley and Root played active roles in Root's becoming pregnant, Hawley was able to return to his prior social standing marred only by his excommunication (admittedly a sharp rebuke), while Root took on not only all of the financial, emotional, and physical strains of caring for a child but also the social and cultural strains of judgment and an outcast status.--Nicole S. | I was surprised that Martha Root found her chief support in a clergyman; I had expected it to be the case that Root's supporters were family, while Hawley's supporters were more prominent members of the church and/or the government. Particularly given that Hawley was identified as a gentleman and Root as a spinster, it seemed that Hawley would receive much more institutional support, while Root would be largely cast out and left to fend for herself. That she was taken under the wing of a church specializing in ministering to the down-on-their-luck was a very lucky turn for Root, since otherwise she would likely have had nothing to base her case on and no one to help her. Speaking of social statuses, I find Michelle's point regarding their titles ("gentleman" as opposed to "spinster") very interesting, and also telling of the society. Although both Hawley and Root played active roles in Root's becoming pregnant, Hawley was able to return to his prior social standing marred only by his excommunication (admittedly a sharp rebuke), while Root took on not only all of the financial, emotional, and physical strains of caring for a child but also the social and cultural strains of judgment and an outcast status.--Nicole S. | ||
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| + | What I noticed about this article was that the church was more involved in more powerful and important families than the average person. I don’t think that the church or the courts would have made as big a deal that was made of this unmarried mother’s situation. I also think that the fact that Elisha paid off Martha is a sign that he is guilty of having relations with Martha or just guilty in general. --- Pam Petzold | ||
== Benjamin Wadsworth, 1712 – Well-Ordered Family == | == Benjamin Wadsworth, 1712 – Well-Ordered Family == | ||
