Men vs. Women
In a Puritan community, women were seen as inferior compared to men. Women thought to be not as smart as men or capable of anything a man could do. Husbands were taught not to expect much from their wives. This stressing of the weaknesses of women was to keep men from being swayed or tempted by their wives, who were thought to be easily possessed by the devil. Puritans preached that the soul had an immortal masculine half and a mortal feminine half. Women had to accept their subordinate status because of their religion.