Women's Progression The women portrayed in The Crucible do not present women in a positive way, nor do they support feminist theories. It reinforces 1950s stereotypes. Women of both eras had difficulty asserting their rights and proving their worth in this world. But as time went on, they discovered that there is more to life than changing diapers, keeping the house clean and the man satisfied. The Crucible shows that women had no say in how their lives and marriages went. Their husbands spoke for them. The only thing women had to worry about was reproduction, prayer, and understanding their place in the family. Agriculture was usually managed by the farmer and his wife. The woman usually fed the chickens, collected the eggs or did the milking. Being a midwife was also very important to the community. It was usually run by two women, who helped during the birth. Spinning wool and linen into thread was a very important task due to the limitation of fabrics in this period. Children usually helped their mothers take care of the farm or became servants in homes at an early age. Maid work was performed by young girls until she and her future husband had saved enough money to start a business and/or get married. Children were expected to act according to a strict code, as did the adults around them. Salem Witch Trials-the World Behind Hysteria quotes: “Any display of emotion, such as excitement, fear, or anger, was discouraged, and disobedience was severely punished. Children rarely played, as toys and games were in short supply. Puritans viewed these activities as sinful distractions. But unlike girls, boys had few outlets for their imaginations. They often worked as apprentices outside the home, practicing ... middle of paper ... and began driving to school and shopping, so the women had to stay at home and take care of the work. household chores. Men didn't like the change or the freedom that women were gaining. In the 1950s women made progress in finding their freedom, for example: how to work outside the home, get new job opportunities and find their place in society. Coming from a life in 1692, where women could not express emotions, or leave the house for any reason, other than to help their husband; being able to now help in war is a huge achievement for women in this time period. Women have gone beyond society's standards. Women gave faith to their families during the Great Depression, raised the family without their husband during the war, and now, after all the conflicts and hardships, women have maintained their courage and position in society..