what were the roles of daughters in the 16th century? any links for citation?

Question

role of a daughter in shakespearian times...the old era.....along those lines.

Answer 1

You've got a pretty good answer from Barbara L.

Generally, daughters were brought up to be obedient and to make good wives. They had no rights, and it was common for parents and husbands to beat them if they did wrong. (Sons also, by the father.) They had to have respect for their parents, often curtseying when addressed, and were not expected to answer back.

They were also pawns in their parents' plans for consolidating their property and expanding it; often they were betrothed at a very early age to the son of another family with wealth and land. They were expected to submit to this ruling without question - and they knew it. There was such a thing as a pre-contract, where a betrothal/promise was as good as a marriage.

Some women, though, from the wealthy classes, were educated, such as the daughters of Henry VIII. Lady Jane Grey was very intelligent and literate, as were Princess Mary (Mary I) and Princess Elizabeth.

It would be expected that girls would be able to rule the household, and have skills like basic healing with herbs, making bottled foods (which would sustain the family through winter), jams and preserves. They would learn needlework, music and dancing, and perhaps some languages and philosophy if they were lucky. The poorer classes would learn from their mothers for the hard work in home and field that would continue when they were married.

Sir Thomas More had, it seems, a very happy family life where his daughters were educated and loved; I read that he beat them with a feather (can't find the source now), which goes to show that beating was fairly common. I do know that Lady Jane Grey was subjected to cruel treatment from her mother, Frances.

I've found one source for you that might help:
http://tudors.crispen.org/tudor_women/index.html

Answer 2

You have some excellent answer above. I would emphasize that a daughter in European culture was expected to marry a man chosen by her father (sometimes with input from the mother) who would enhance the family fortune. Generally, it was also her responsibility to care for her parents in their old age, a tradition that survived into the 20th century, and sometimes even to today, depending on the culture. In many areas of China, daughters were not given names. They were simply known as "the fourth daughter of Han" for instance. This practice continued into the 20th century. In fact, in the case of Chairman Mao, who ruled China until 1976, his first wife had no name.

Answer 3

The role of daughters in the 16th century was obedience. All children, whether male or female and rich or poor were supposed to obey their parents and treat them with great respect. Discipline was harsh. (Although children were precious).They worked in the home with their mothers from an early age, and as they grew, they were put to more exacting tasks. Girls from poor families were expected to start working and contributing to the family income from the time they were about 7 years old.Some women, especially in 16th century England, worked spinning cloth. Women were also tailoresses, milliners, dyers, shoemakers and embroiderers. There were also washerwomen.
Some women worked in food preparation such as brewers, bakers or confectioners. Women also sold foodstuffs in the streets. A very common job for women was domestic servant. Other women were midwives and apothecaries

Answer 4

What culture? What country? What level of society?

Life was very different for a lass in Scotland at that time from the expectations of a girl in China?

Life was very different for a poor girl from the slums of some middle eastern town than it would be for the daughter of the ruling sultan.

Gotta get specific dear... ask again so you can get quality help. I would be happy to point you in a specific direction but the canvas is too broad for now. Answer and I will happily get back to you.

ACH I am SOO sorry but you sure picked a doozy of a topic. Even me, a fairly good Internet searcher found almost nothing. Most of the leads I did find were for members only.

There are a few interesting quotes regarding the life of women on this page.

http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0022-2801(199712)69%3A4%3C824%3AGSASIE%3E2.0.CO%3B2-8

It seems to me that girls were educated at home if they were lucky, usually along with a brother. Except in the upper classes it was considered unnecessary for girls to be able to read or do sums. In those times literacy was not all that common because the Church was attempting to retain its power by preventing the masses from reading and writing.

Girls were brought up submissive to males but frequently proved to be very feisty lasses. Their main job in the home was to help their mother in various ways, depending on the number of siblings and her placement within the brood. In poorer homes they often stayed home with the children while Mom also worked.

Mother might work in any number of things from baker to laundry woman to street walking, depending on the social and financial level of the family.

Their main role was to develop into a young woman capable of running a home and raising a family, for a husband, often chosen by her Father. It was not unusual for girls to be married in their mid teens. Most of England was very rural at this time. A lot of a girl's duties often included livestock and garden work.

Anything a woman brought into the marriage became property of her husband. Yet, at this time, England was ruled by a woman! This is a woman who left behind most of her feminine wiles to leave Britain's mark on the world. Elizabeth did not marry because she did not want to give up her ruling power to a partner.

I am sorry I could not be much more help.