Family, Gender, and Law in Early Modern France

Family, Gender, and Law in Early Modern France by Suzanne Desan examines how individuals navigated power within French households. This historical study explores how ordinary men and women reinvented their family structures in response to state building, religious reform, and shifting economic developments. The text investigates how legal frameworks and community expectations influenced essential practices such as marriage, separation, and guardianship. By focusing on the intersection of law and social science, the book analyzes how gender roles and social classes shaped the lives of early modern citizens.

This volume of historical research delves into specific patterns of courtship, marital conflict, and the financial agency exercised by wives. Contributors examine the complexities of sexuality, social order, and the legitimization of children born out of wedlock. Through the lenses of sociology and gender studies, the work highlights how family members acted as individuals with unique strategies. It provides a detailed look at the legal and social forces governing marriage and family in early modern Europe.