Single, Independent, Women in the 16th century

That Shakespeare Life

You may be surprised to learn that marriage in the 16th century was not required, nor a foregone conclusion, for all women of this time period. In addition to spinsters, who were older women that had never been married, there were widows that lost their husband, women who were divorced or separated from their husbands, and still some women who our guest this week calls “never married” women. A “never-married” woman chose never to get married at all, and provided for themselves financially. While Shakespeare doesn’t use the phrase “never married” he does talk about spinsters, widows, prostitutes, and even divorce, reflecting the society of his time period. While all versions of single women in Shakespeare’s lifetime operated outside of what we generally expect for the 16th century, the reality is that being single, and even women who were independently made, occupied a much larger section of society than you may have assumed. Here today to tell us about all the single ladies of the 16th century, and what life was like for a women who never married, is our guest, Amy Froide.

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