Essay about Catharine Maria Sedgewicks Hope Leslie

Catharine Maria Sedgewicks Hope Leslie The title character of Catharine Maria Sedgewick’s novel, Hope Leslie, defies the standards to which women of the era were to adhere. Sedgewick’s novel is set in New England during the 17th century after the Puritans had broken away from the Church of England. Hope Leslie lives in a repressive Puritan society in which women behave passively, submit to the males around them, and live by the Bible. They allow the men of their family to make decisions for them and rarely, if ever, convey an opinion that differs from the status quo. However, Hope Leslie does not conform to the expected behavior of women during that time, behavior that only further expressed the supposed superiority of males. Hope†¦show more content†¦The situation that exemplifies Hope’s assertiveness is when Hope asks Winthrop to free Magawisca, to which he replies that she speaks unadvisedly. She continues on, telling Winthrop that he should release Magawisca based on â€Å"her merits, an d rights,† to which he replies, â€Å"you have lost right suddenly that humble tone† (287). Hope is bold in asking the governor for the release of an Indian whose family is responsible for the massacre of a city. Her outspoken and assertive attitude are highly unusual for the typical woman in the Puritan society. Hope is one of the few women of the novel who does not rely on the scripture to inform her of what is right and wrong. She is entirely capable of thinking for herself and does not need to refer to the Bible to find out if she should or should not do something. Esther, when asked what she would have done in Hope’s situation on the island, replies, â€Å"I would rather†¦thou hadst trusted thyself wholly to†¦ Providence†¦Ã¢â‚¬  instead of acting like the Virgin Mary (286). Esther would rather Hope not have taken the necessary steps to get off the island, and to stay there praying to God for safety. Hope, unlike Esther, does not need scripture to authorize her actions. This is evident when Everell asks Esther for help in freeing Magawisca, to which she replies that scripture does not allow that action. Everell mutters to himself, â€Å"Hope Leslie! how thy unfettered soul would have answered such anShow MoreRelated Female Independence in Catharine Maria Se dgewicks Hope Leslie and Kelly Clarksons Song Miss Independent1301 Words   |  6 PagesFemale Independence in Catharine Maria Sedgewicks Hope Leslie and Kelly Clarksons Song Miss Independent Authors have addressed the topic of female independence in various literary styles, including novels, novellas, and poetry. In our society today, independence for women is one of the main topics of many songs. The concept of female independence has changed over the years; people have gone from frowning upon female independence to celebrating it. Both Catharine Maria Sedgewick and pop singer