A Midwife's Tale Analysis

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Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. A Midwife’s Tale: The Life of MArtha Ballard, Based on Her Diary 1785-1812. New York: Vintage Books, 1990. Pp 444. Paper $16.95.
A Professor at Harvard specializing in Early American and Women's history, Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, argues for the importance of Martha Ballard’s diary as a historical primary source and the impact it has to the historical community in A Midwife’s Tale. For years the diary was barely acknowledged and disregarded as mundane, but according to Ulrich that is where the power stems from. Using other available sources as comparison it provides remarkable insight to the 27 year period she kept the diary. There is a chronological thematic structure to the book, chapters focusing on various aspects of Ballard's life and the historical significance are presented as a timeline. The diary itself is kept from 1785-1812, placing: social behavior, politics, aging, pre-industrialization, economic turmoil, and early health care into context specifically for women of the time in New England, in addition to general history. There is an explanation …show more content…
Next she addresses social interaction, especially when dealing with death the importance of neighbor support. Then she uses a rape case as an example for morality analysis, gender interaction, and religious importance. Continuing with social customs, Martha depicts several marriage customs. Reverting back to her medical practice, with a focus on delivering methods of children not from the traditional medical perspective but from a social explanation of a meticulous midwife. Social life is a continuous topic of discussion especially the turmoil of daily life, interaction between generations, and town politics. Finally she discusses that in the entries the passing of time is visible, with study transitions and transformations can be noted in individuals and places
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