Maids are may when they are maids, but the sky changes when they're wives.

That line's written by a man and spoken by a woman.

How true was it? Keep listening.

From the Folcher Shakespeare Library, this is Shakespeare Unlimited. I'm Michael Whitmore, the Folcher Shakespeare Library, this is Shakespeare Unlimited.

I'm Michael Whitmore, the Folcher's director.

Though Shakespeare wrote plenty of memorable women, it's almost always men who are in the title roles.

Now, it's easy to assume that that has everything to do with when Shakespeare was writing,

but the truth is,

we're still learning about the lives of most women in those years and the ones that immediately

preceded them. That's why we're happy to welcome the publication of a new social history

called The Hidden Lives of Tudor Women by Elizabeth Norton. The book introduces us not only to

the restrictions, but also to

some of the surprising freedoms that touch these women's lives. We meet some remarkable women

who owned businesses, stood up to kings, and lived independently, along with getting a fuller

picture of everyday life for women throughout Tudor society. We call this podcast, Talkest Thou Nothing but of Ladies.

Elizabeth Norton is interviewed by Barbara Bogave.

Well, Shakespeare famously outlines the seven stages of man in the All the World's

Stage monologue, and as you like it.

And the list goes like this.

Infant, schoolboy, lover, soldier, justice, pantaloon,

and finally old age facing imminent death. And you organize your book on Tudor Women, according to

these seven ages of man. And you discuss each one in turn relating to women. So how well did you

...