Ritual and Conflict: The Social Relations of Childbirth in Early Modern England

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Childbirth in early-modern England is explored within a complex web of social institutions, emphasizing its significance in women's lives. The book examines the implications of illegitimacy and marriage, highlighting how women collectively navigated the 'ceremony of childbirth' as a means of control. Focusing primarily on the seventeenth century while encompassing the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries, it provides fresh insights into themes of patriarchal family structures, the impact of illegitimacy, and the dynamics of gender relations during this era.