Chaste, Silent and Obedient: English Books for Women 1475-1640

What were the roles and duties of women in Renaissance England? The author identifies and examines the books that appear to have been published, at least in part, for an English-speaking female audience in the period from 1475 to 1640. Detailed bibliographical lists include not only books specifically directed to women as a group, but also histories and biographies of famous women, as well as books whose subjects were specifically within a woman's province. This book offers a fascinating glimpse into women's lives during the nearly two centuries that the book covers.