Suffer from fashion

I'm thinking Quaker garb is the reason why I associate Early American Women's Literature with bonnets.

In "The Life of Elizabeth Ashbridge," a narrative within the collection Journeys in New Worlds, Ashbridge is faced with a series of hardships, which towards the end is related to her Quakerism. She is subject to much ridicule for her faith, which I initially found curious seeing that she does not openly flaunt her faith to the public. Though it is not blatantly stated in the text, it seems likely that it is her manner of dress is what prompts the judgments of the public. I find this evident in the line, "I see your wife is a Quaker," (162) when Ashbridge and her husband is approached by a man who knows a way to perhaps "fix her." In this sense, her faith and dress causes her to be a spectacle in the non-Quaker community. The reaction to Quakerism in this narrative, I find to be reminiscent of modern day ignorance, such as the religion of Islam and the Islamic dress code (for instance, the hijab for women) may be associated with terrorism and met with hatred.

The friends' kindness could not proceed from my appearing in the Garb of a Quaker, for I had not yet altered my dress: The Woman of the house, after we had Concluded to Stay, fixed her Eyes upon me & Said, "I believe thou hast met with a deal of Trouble," to which I made but Little Answer. My husband, Observing they were the sort of people he had so much Endeavored to shun, would give us no Opportunity for discourse that night (165).

I assume that in this text, because her husband openly ridicules the Quaker way of life, that he has forced her not to wear Quaker clothing upon their travels. This appears to be a form of oppression, as he is in a sense stripping Ashbridge of her identity by denying her to wear her garb. However, we find that she is able to be recognized and embraced by the Quaker woman even though Ashbridge herself is not dressed in Quaker attire. We see that her identity as a Quaker is still safely intact, even though it does not match her outward appearance.


He would not suffer me to have Clothes to be Decent in, having to go barefoot in his Service in the Snowey Weather & the Meanest drudgery, wherein I Suffered the Utmost Hardship that my Body was able to Bear (152).

Lack of clothing also seems to be a form of torture for Ashbridge, set forth by her husband, Sullivan. The idea of her having to walk miles in bare feet always evoked a striking, painful image, which I have drawn an interpretation of below. (Some of the red is supposed to be raw spots and not blood. I'm not that gory.)I find there must be an association between the influence of her husband and the pain she must feel walking long distances without her shoes. Her husband's presence is torture for her, just as these the removes that she is forced to go on are torturous to her body, due to the lack of appropriate clothing. I try to imagine what it must be like to walk barefoot in treacherous conditions and unpaved roads. Perhaps the modern equivalent is having your significant other force you to wear stiletto heels and drag you all across the city, but probably worse.