Music as Societal Divider

Term Paper # 99830

History > European - 17th Century
Music Studies > History

This paper provides a brief analysis of the song "A Warning for Married Women".

1,246 words () | 5 sources | MLA | 2007 United States

Paper Summary:

The paper portrays how the song, "A Warning for Married Women" represents the growing divide in the English class system that was developing in England in the seventeenth century.. The paper describes how the song is purposely morally ambiguous, lauding women and giving them choice and power, but also reinforcing the Christian ideals of the nobility. The paper explains that the song highlights the class tensions that were developing in England in that era.

From the Paper:

"Music in seventeenth century England carried a very important role in molding society: while acquisition of musical knowledge and instrumentation was essential in forming the identity of nobility, the communal folk songs and sing-alongs were left to the peasants . As such, folk songs were a way to unite commoners while reinforcing societal values; music was becoming both a communal experience and a symbol of status. The song, "A warning for married women," written anonymously in 1685 and printed as a broadside is a good example of the tensions created by the expansion of folk music. Yet, the song is purposely morally ambiguous, at once lauding women and giving them choice and power, but on the other reinforcing the Christian ideals of the nobility, depending upon the perception of audience. The piece represents the growing tensions of the English burgeoning class system."

Sample of Sources Used:

Anonymous. "A Warning for married Women" London] : Printed for F. Coles and W. Gilbertson, [1685?]. University of Glasgow Library. Accessed Oct 15, 2006.
Fumerton, Patricia. "Not Home: Alehouses, Ballads, and the Vagrant Husband in Early Modern England". Journal of Medieval and Early Modern Studies - Volume 32, Number 3, Fall 2002, pp. 493-518
Huntington Education. "Broadside". Oct 15 2006. http://www.huntington.org/Education/lessons/LH-TL-vocab.htm.
Homer. Homer : Odyssey, books I-XII;Oxford : Clarendon Press, 1899
Oxford English Dictionary. "broadside". Oxford, England. 2006. http://dictionary.oed.com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/cgi/entry/50027812?query_type=word&queryword=broadside&first=1&max_to_show=10&sort_type=alpha&result_place=1&search_id=AGLa-lMAUnv-7720&hilite=50027812