Laurel Thatcher Ulrich’s A Midwife’s Tale is an exploration into the life of Martha Ballard, a successful sixteenth-century midwife, through her diary entries. Through Martha’s perspective and Ulrich’s commentary, the readers are able to get a sense of how society was like in colonial North America, where her diary entries take place. Colonial women were primarily expected to perform wifely duties and tend to domestic affairs while their husbands worked to financially sustain the household. Historically, women and their accomplishments have been overshadowed by male achievements. Ulrich uses Martha’s diary entries to prove that colonial women are worthy of being celebrated for their accomplishments and overcoming the restrictive gender roles
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In addition to delivering babies, Martha was responsible for attending to the population of Hallowell’s various ailments through harvesting medicinal roots, and assisting with funeral arrangements. Martha was tremendously important and prolific in her community, treating all patients equally, African Americans and Caucasians alike; she and her peers “were in constant motion” (Ulrich 2006). Ulrich demonstrated that Martha had admirable character, treating her profession with the utmost dedication and responsibility. “In the last decade of her life, when the world seemed to be falling apart around her-armed settlers attacking surveyors in the woods, husbands and fathers killing themselves, and, in the case of her neighbor Captain Purrinton, his wife and children as well-Martha found the courage to continue her work. On April 4, I812, she rode "on horsback \. without a pillion" to a delivery. On April 26, I812, just a month before her death, she attended her last birth” (Ulrich 2006). Ulrich, through this statement, demonstrates the capabilities of strong women. Ulrich manages to contrast women’s accomplishments against male perception of their importance. Despite the incredible feats that Martha managed to accomplish during her career, “Hallowell’s physicians considered midwifes part of the broader medical community, [but] a subordinate part, no doubt” (Ulrich 2006). Though her profession was considered subpar to that of a male physician’s, she still performed it diligently and dutifully, needing only herself and her diary for
In addition to delivering babies, Martha was responsible for attending to the population of Hallowell’s various ailments through harvesting medicinal roots, and assisting with funeral arrangements. Martha was tremendously important and prolific in her community, treating all patients equally, African Americans and Caucasians alike; she and her peers “were in constant motion” (Ulrich 2006). Ulrich demonstrated that Martha had admirable character, treating her profession with the utmost dedication and responsibility. “In the last decade of her life, when the world seemed to be falling apart around her-armed settlers attacking surveyors in the woods, husbands and fathers killing themselves, and, in the case of her neighbor Captain Purrinton, his wife and children as well-Martha found the courage to continue her work. On April 4, I812, she rode "on horsback \. without a pillion" to a delivery. On April 26, I812, just a month before her death, she attended her last birth” (Ulrich 2006). Ulrich, through this statement, demonstrates the capabilities of strong women. Ulrich manages to contrast women’s accomplishments against male perception of their importance. Despite the incredible feats that Martha managed to accomplish during her career, “Hallowell’s physicians considered midwifes part of the broader medical community, [but] a subordinate part, no doubt” (Ulrich 2006). Though her profession was considered subpar to that of a male physician’s, she still performed it diligently and dutifully, needing only herself and her diary for