Mary Silliman's War: a reflection on conflict and narrative

Mary Silliman's War

Women in the 18th Century:

Mary Silliman's War

Women's roles have changed throughout history both very slowly and very rapidly. The reason for the former is due to the fact that women had, for a very long time, stayed in the same role of household fixture; yet, as is stated in the latter part of the previous sentence, once change began happening it spread both very rapidly and very inclusively. As a result, in Western societies today woman have all the rights and privileges that men have. However, this was not the case in the 18th century, and especially in pre-Civil War America. In the film Mary Silliman's war, the viewer is shown a glimpse of what life was like in this period, and how a woman fought both to reconcile with prescribed gender roles, and to break them while accommodating behavior considered appropriate. In order to explore this concept further, the following paragraphs will give a more in-depth overview of the film.

The film Mary Silliman's War is set in 18th century Fairfield, Connecticut, and has as a goal to offer a portrait of that community from various respects (i.e. political and social). The point-of-view is not of a male, as would have been at the time, but of a female, namely Mary. The story thus tackles many themes, including: relationships between men and women, relationships with the community, gender roles with their expectations or realities, various aspects of culture, including religion and morality, and the various aspects of the familial institution.

This film is also set during a period that was both pivotal and incredibly dramatic for our young country, namely during the Revolutionary War. The focus, thus, also points to the fact that individuals who were not the head of the family (i.e. women), had to make certain decisions in the absence of their husbands and this was true especially in Mary's case due to the fact that Selleck is kidnapped. When Selleck is not there, Mary must, thus undertake certain experiences that would not necessarily be expected of a woman.

This latter mention, however, does not mean that Mary often strays from the norm; in fact, an example of how she adheres to prescribed gender roles throughout the film is found in her daily activities around the home or when, in Selleck's absence, she relies on the priest's guidance, and even when she justifies her actions of strategy as simply her desire to have a father for her children, and a husband for herself.

The example of how she strays a bit from these norms is found in the home setting as well; for example, when she questions Selleck about his reaction to two young men's execution, a thing that was not an object to be discussed and especially questioned by women. Due to the fact that women were not supposed to have thought or voice, Selleck thus states "I will not tolerate this rebellion in my own home." Yet once Selleck is kidnapped in the aftermath of these first hangings, Mary's perspectives, with respect to the political, social, and even religious evolve to a point where she is no longer, by today's standards considered subservient to men's knowledge and ideals, and this is a fact that, certainly that society of 18th century Fairfield could never accommodate. Mary strays from the norm in refusing to believe blindly in religion, but also in pleading for her husband's case. As one historian states, when Mary brings the petition for her husband's release to the governor of Connecticut, "she defers to the council in her defense of the petition, acknowledging that it is not the province of my sex to consider such matters. In a patronizing manner, one member suggests that the petition is completely clear on all the points that she tries to raise. At the end of the interview, she tentatively but resolutely asks the council to allow a poor woman one observation: that the policy of enforcing loyalty with a hangman's noose ... will begin a round of bloodletting. In spite of her deferential demeanor, and the councilmembers' assumption that she could have nothing of substance to contribute to their deliberation, her observation so disconcerts the governor that he decides to take the matter to the people of Connecticut," thereby allowing Mary to effect social change on her own, which was certainly not the norm for women in those days. (McMahon, 2011).