The Middle Ages British Rural Women Life Analysis

This article aims to explore the role of rural women in marriage, family, economic, religious by combining the background of medieval society and the living conditions of rural women in the England. I will analyze their different status under the same social environment by rural aristocratic women and the plain ordinary women comparing.From the life of woman, I found:daughter was half independent state, the wife’s dependent position, and then the widow enjoyed full freedom. Four or five years old girl started to do family housework. Before marriage, the girl gone out to do some work for contributing to home or preparing for meals. This period, they could know the future husband. In the choice of a marriage partner, the country ordinary woman had more freedom than aristocratic women. The noble daughter mainly had no choice and listened to their parents by the political interests of the driving.Home was women’s main activity areas. Every morning they woke up, then, began a busy day. They would prepare dinner and clean for the family, wash clothes, go to the field, take care of the garden which is back of the house, feed poultry. Sometimes, they even go a long way to pump water or to the manor to grind rice. Some women must textile cloth and educate their children, which were not so easily. After wedding, the dowry was dominated by husband. They own no property rights, let alone the public power. Husband was wife’s "voice". Wife gone to court must also be accompanied by the husband and wife was attached to her husband.The widow lost her husband not only had the property rights of widow production, as well as custody. She wanted to replace the late husband to fulfill the manor of obligations, but also she appeared in court as collateral for the children alone. Widow owned property rights and show in public places. Comparing to the first two stages of women, widow had more freedom. But, public office were men, widows did not enjoy such rights. Compared to men, the women’s status were lower.In the middle ages, women play an important role in the family, but no any public rights. Their life is hard and drab. They pay a lot to the family but get a little attention from their husband. In a word, their status is low.