Rhode Island College Entrance Essay
Nov 12, 2004

If I could meet any historic figure, I'd like to meet Jane Verin, the woman who was beaten by her husband in order to keep her from attending meetings with Roger Williams.

It may seem that my reason is pragmatic in nature. I'm researching her story to write a book. However, the reasons behind writing the book are not so concretely pragmatic. Women's voices are absent or silent in history. I'm of the opinion that this is because women have been relegated to secondary roles in western culture. We cannot know what has been lost with the death of each illiterate woman. I'd like to sing their songs, but the melody and the words are silent.

Some of the questions I would ask her include:

How did you come to Providence? What prompted you to leave Salem? Why did you leave Salisbury to come to Massachusetts Bay Colony?

How did you keep warm in winter? Did you ever learn to read and write? How does your Christianity manifest in your day-to-day life? Did Joshua hit you regularly? Do you blame the other men in Providence for instigating Joshua to beat you?

Roger Williams said you were willing to go with Joshua--is this true? Why? Do you feel that God ordained that he should hit you to make you submit to his will?

What happened that day when he nearly beat you to death? Who helped you? What about your mother? Did she know that you were being beaten? Did she cry out against it?

How do you feel about the town voting to disenfranchise Joshua? Was it too harsh? Was it too lenient?

Do you feel that you have the right to follow your conscience regardless of your husband's beliefs?

What was Joshua like? Was he as young and boisterous as Roger Williams said?

Did you know Ann Hutchinson? Was she your friend? Did you talk about religion? Did you agree with her?

Finally, I'd ask what happened to her after she was "haled in ropes to Salem". Did she die in prison? Why did she disappear from all records after being jailed for not attending worship services?


© E. Howe
All rights reserved. Do not copy this essay for your own collegiate use. To do so is academic dishonesty.