'Thou art a verie baggadge' : gender and crime in seventeenth-century Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire
The last thirty years have witnessed an increase in research by historians into the lives and experiences of women, including those of early modern women. However, this has still to a large degree excluded any interest in the lives of women from the lower orders. These earlier studies have largely considered the role and experiences of women in isolation and few have examined the role that gender played in shaping experience. This thesis examines questions of gender and its relation to a range of crimes through the records of the church courts in Nottinghamshire, between 1603-1642, the quarter session courts in both Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire between 1603-1660, and a range of contemporary pamphlets. Female participation in criminal activity has largely been ignored by historians or at best been viewed in relation to male activity and in this way has been judged as insignificant. This perspective fails to consider gender differences and societal expectations of male and female conduct. Through an analysis of what constituted male and female criminality it will be possible to identify on what grounds society constructed male and female identity. From contemporary sources such as sermons, homilies and
Lees, Linda Jane
Gender differences; Sexual/violent crime
'Thou art a verie baggadge' : gender and crime in seventeenth-century Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire. The last thirty years have witnessed an increase in research by historians into the lives and experiences of women, including those of early modern women. However, this has still to a large degree excluded any interest in the lives of women from the lower orders. These earlier studies have largely considered the role and experiences of women in isolation and few have examined the role that gender played in shaping experience. This thesis examines questions of gender and its relation to a range of crimes through the records of the church courts in Nottinghamshire, between 1603-1642, the quarter session courts in both Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire between 1603-1660, and a range of contemporary pamphlets. Female participation in criminal activity has largely been ignored by historians or at best been viewed in relation to male activity and in this way has been judged as insignificant. This perspective fails to consider gender differences and societal expectations of male and female conduct. Through an analysis of what constituted male and female criminality it will be possible to identify on what grounds society constructed male and female identity. From contemporary sources such as sermons, homilies and
art gender crime seventeenth_century nottinghamshire staffordshire witness increase historian live_experience woman include early_modern woman however_still large degree exclude interest life_woman low_order early study largely consider_role experience woman isolation examine_role gender play_shape experience examines question gender_relation range crime record church_court nottinghamshire quarter session court nottinghamshire staffordshire range contemporary pamphlet female participation criminal activity largely_ignored historian best view relation male activity way judge insignificant perspective fails consider gender_difference societal expectation male_female conduct analysis constitute male_female criminality possible_identify ground society construct male_female identity contemporary_source sermon homily