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    Scold’s Bridle. An iron headpiece used to publicly humiliate women accused of “nagging their husband” or “talking too much”


    Scold’s Bridle. An iron headpiece used to publicly humiliate women accused of “nagging their husband” or “talking too much”

    by HousePony906

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    30 Comments

    1. HousePony906 on

      The bridle consisted of a headpiece with a rod forced into the mouth that pressed on the tongue, sometimes with a spike, making it impossible to speak. Some versions even had bells. Often the wearer would be dragged through public places as a spectacle, often chained to a pillory, whipping post, or market cross, to publicly shame them into “repenting” their action.

      As described in this article

      https://www.lancastercastle.com/history-heritage/further-articles/the-scolds-bridle/

      “Many of the bridle’s victims were older women such as widows and paupers who were seen either as a drain on the parish or women not under the control of a man, eg husband or son. This often meant that they were perceived as a threat to the moral or economic well-being of the community. Many of these women were also accused of witchcraft.

      The bridled woman was really an outspoken woman and it took a brave one to incur the punishment for being so. This made the bridle a very effective means of social control. Her fate was to be dragged through the streets in the bridle as it shook about on her head; often with her jaw broken, spitting out teeth, blood and vomit and receiving all forms of abuse.”

    11. has_left_the_gam3 on

      Real men listen. What’s the point of a marriage if this is the result. Jesus Christ.

    12. Mogui- on

      And that’s why we like to speak up about stuff. Really don’t want to go back to that age

    19. I_Consume_Shampoo on

      Wives: Can you PLEASE stop throwing the baby’s soiled diapers in with the rest of the laundry?

      Husband: *designs fucking torture contraption designed to break her teeth and jaw*

    22. Medeza123 on

      I just did a quick search and though this is completely barbaric the actual use of this as a punishment was not widespread.

      One case is too many but from what I found this was used a few dozen times in total across multiple European countries over a span of a few hundred years and populations of millions. Even then it was often confined to very specific regions of the European countries where it was used.

      Misogyny was rampant during this time but it’s important that we not think that every woman who ever chatted back to her husband or widow who had an argument went through this.

      Hate to be that guy and I think it’s right these things are remembered but I think context is important as there can be a tendency to assume a lot about people from the past a lot of whom would have thought this gross as well.

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