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| Anne Hutchinson statue in Boston |
In books, transatlantic letters, and journals, Mary Dyer’s
1637 “monstrous birth” story was kept alive for decades, not just because it
was an unusual deformation and the people of Boston had nothing else horribly fascinating
to gossip about. The premature stillbirth of an anencephalic fetus with spina
bifida was the first recorded in the American colonies. See Mary
Dyer’s “monster.”
But the monsters of Mary Dyer and her mentor and friend,
Anne Hutchinson, were spoken of as a pair. Mary’s travail took place in October
1637 in Boston, and Anne’s probably in June 1638
in Portsmouth, Rhode Island.
Deformed babies, dead or alive, were called monsters for
several centuries, and seen as evidence of the mother’s heresy, sexual
immorality, or that she had left her proper place in subjection to her husband
and ministers, and the monstrous birth was punishment from God.
Anne, an experienced midwife, began feeling weak, and
consulted the young doctor in their company because she feared for either her
or her baby’s life.
A
hydatidiform mole is an abnormal growth of placental tissue, or it could be
from a non-viable fertilized egg. It develops as a cluster of water-filled
sacs, and it’s not a baby. If the moles invade the
uterine wall, they can lead to deadly thromboses and even cancer. It seems from the
description of Anne’s case, that she was very lucky or very blessed not to have
suffered the latter.
THE REST OF THE ILLUSTRATIONS AND BLOG ARTICLE HAVE BEEN REMOVED BY THE AUTHOR. TO READ MORE, SEE THE BOOK, ANNE MARBURY HUTCHINSON: AMERICAN FOUNDING MOTHER, BY CHRISTY K ROBINSON.
Author of the books:
·
We
Shall Be Changed (2010)
· Mary Dyer Illuminated (2013)
· Mary Dyer: For Such a Time as This (2014)
· The Dyers of London, Boston, & Newport (2014)
· Effigy Hunter (2015)
· Anne Marbury Hutchinson: American Founding Mother (2018)
· Mary Dyer Illuminated (2013)
· Mary Dyer: For Such a Time as This (2014)
· The Dyers of London, Boston, & Newport (2014)
· Effigy Hunter (2015)
· Anne Marbury Hutchinson: American Founding Mother (2018)
**********
More articles in this blog featuring Anne Hutchinson:
Does
America have founding mothers? by Eve LaPlante
The
great New England earthquake of 1638 by Christy K Robinson
Where
is God when we suffer? by Christy K Robinson
The Passover exodus from Massachusetts by Christy K Robinson
The Passover exodus from Massachusetts by Christy K Robinson
Like this article? More great anecdotes about mid-17th century England and New England, supported by research, can be found in the nonfiction paperback and ebook The DYERS of London, Boston, & Newport, by Christy K Robinson. It's the third in a series about Mary Dyer, Anne Hutchinson, Sir Henry Vane, Roger Williams, and John Winthrop. The Dyers is a lively nonfiction account of background color, culture, short stories, personality sketches, food, medicine, interests, recreation, cosmic events, and all the "stuff" that made up the world of William and Mary Dyer in the 1600s. More than 70 chapters, and all-new, exclusive content found nowhere else!
This is another am gazing example of you ability to take historical fact, and lend to it a sense of "being in the moment". You encompass the emotional impact of what it was like to be a strong willed, intelligent woman living in a time of repression and male domination. I always take a deep breathe and take a moment to feel grateful for Anne, Mary, all the women who have stood and suffered for civil rights, when I am done reading your blogs. You are bordering on Maya Angelou level thoughtfulness here!
ReplyDeleteAh, thank you, Robin. Your kind message (with the amazing compliment!) arrived just as I was struggling with a professional matter: one of my clients jumped ship without paying for my services rendered. You're the first to compare me to Ms. Angelou!
DeleteThe novel on Mary and William Dyer (containing lots of appearances by Anne Hutchinson) will be published in a few weeks, so hang in there a little longer!
Amen, Robin! I'd love to say that we've gotten past the days when such a private event as a miscarriage could become the subject of sermons. Unfortunately, we haven't. However, Christy has done an amazing job of putting a 'monstrous' birth in proper light. Huzzah!
ReplyDeleteFascinating post, Christy. Just glad I didn't read it over lunch!
ReplyDeleteActually, looking at the blog stats, it seems that the hits spike when people are at their work computers, not when they're home or on their mobile devices.
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