The Women Troubadours

Meg Bogin states in her book, The Women Troubadours, that “throughout the Middle Ages women were the pawns of men.” She supports this claim by going on to explain the role women had (or lack thereof) during this period. They did not have any say in their lives. Love did not play any part in marriage. Women were generally married young for political reasons ranging from alliances to land possession. They were also regarded as breeders. It was important for a wife to give birth to sons rather than daughters. If a wife failed in this task, she was useless and would be “repudiated and sent home to her parents or placed in a convent.” Thus, women were not viewed as people, but rather as objects to be utilized in the most advantageous way. This regard for women has changed drastically over the years. Arranged marriages are still prevalent in some countries, but for the most part women are allowed to choose who they will marry and for what reasons. These reasons are usually love. In addition to this, there are still some cases where a woman will marry into money to help support her family or to gain a title and all that goes with it. In the United States, we have been blessed. Women are allowed certain rights and viewed more equally with men than they were in the past. They are allowed to purchase and own any expanse of land they wish.