> There were women in the audience at public theatres. While the theatre > was an excellent business opportunity for 'working girls' it wasn't > devoid of respectable women of all classes.
Not entirely sure it is fair to make a strong distinction between 'respectable' and 'working', some women were there to pick pocket, show-a-leg, or shill for some house in sou'ark; others to see the show with friends or family. Life for a single girl lacking family support was hard then (as it is now). Some amount of adult-relations was to be expected then (as now); so long as it was done circumspectly it was accepted by most (some in the pulpit would have made their moans of course). The Roman patriarchal model largely survived in English and Continental society. Single and widowed women of wealth were expected to marry so a Man could take over its management. They were not welcome at the management level in 'Respectable' business. Widows or surviving daughters who had been active in the family business before inheriting it had an opportunity to gain the respect of whatever guild was involved and often took over, frequently marrying a journeyman or master already employed in the firm to silence opposition within the guild, and perhaps to ensure further involvement from a skilled employee. > I have come out of appreciative lurk-dom as theatre history is my area And welcome you are. -- Dana Emery To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
