These two sources present the two possible and very different lives of women in New France.
One article, ’’ ‘Nagging Wife’ Revisited: Women and the Fur Trade in New France’’, examines the role and tasks of women in business in New France. The author lists several names and briefly tells the women’s stories. The author makes an important point, which summarizes why the women did what they did: ‘’Family interests in fur ventures survived the death of a husband.’’ ¹. Female businesswomen became strong, so it was no surprise that ‘’there were several transatlantic traders’’ ² by the 18th century. And they did so all while taking care of the households – this is why the author refuses to call them dependents ³.
Adrienne Leduc presents a letter to a girl called Jeanne, who was a so-called ‘’fille du roi’’. She lists what she has found out about her, about how she came to Canada to escape the faith of an orphan, and her life in Canada. Adrienne feels a lot of empathy for her, as she came as a war wife to Canada in the 1940’s: ‘’I can identify with you, Jeanne, because I was one of these young women.’’ ⁴ She tells her about her doubts and fears when she decided to follow her husband to Canada.
¹ Noel, Jan. ‘’ ‘Nagging Wife’ Revisited: Women and the Fur Trade in New France’’ French Colonial History 7 (2006): 47-48
² Noel, ‘’ ‘Nagging Wife’ Revisited’’ 49
³ Noel, ‘’ ‘Nagging Wife’ Revisited’’ 45-60
⁴ Leduc, Adrienne. ‘’A Fille du Roi’s Passage’’ Beaver 81, no. 1 (2001): 20