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Behind their men, ahead of their time
Did you catch any of the John Adams miniseries that aired on HBO this summer?
There was a lot to like. Great acting, great music, great production values (SPOILER ALERT: We win our independence from England).
But I felt that the central role of Mr. Adams was terribly miscast. Don’t get me wrong – I love Paul Giamatti. But he seemed all wrong for the role. He seems too much a man of modern times. I kept waiting for him to grab a bottle of wine off one of the meticulously period-accurate dining tables, and start screaming about Merlot.
In the end, he seemed a bit of a distraction from the most fascinating figure depicted: the redoubtable Abigail Adams. She was a smart, witty and practical woman. She wrote remarkable letters and gave sage advice. She kept her husband on task and on message, and seemingly helped him retain his sanity through some pretty turbulent times.
Abigail and other influential women of the Revolutionary Period are the subject of a new book, “Ladies of Liberty,” by Cokie Roberts. Ms. Roberts is a longtime political commentator for ABC News, a senior news analyst for National Public Radio, and the author of several fine books.
On September 30, I was lucky enough to hear Ms. Roberts speak at a special luncheon event held at the Middleburg Community Center.
It was a wonderful affair, complete with a very nice meal, tea and dainty desserts, and period interpreters appearing in characters as Abigail Adams and Dolley Madison. Ms. Adams herself sat at our table!
After lunch, Ms. Roberts – or “The Coke-ster,” as I like to call her – regaled us with tales of how the women in her book viewed their world and their role in it.
The ladies highlighted in the book wore many hats. Some were First Ladies, some educators and explorers: Adams, Madison, Martha Jefferson, Elizabeth Monroe, Louisa Catherine Adams, Eliza Hamilton, Theodosia Burr, Rosalie Calvert, Sacajawea, and more.
The accomplishments of these women were impressive – made all the more so by the fact that they had precious few rights in their own time. They, more or less, belonged to their husbands. Thank heavens those men were wise enough to see the very real wisdom their wives possessed.
At the same time, these women had incredible responsibilities thrust upon them – running households and managing families while their husbands were away and occupied with the business of the new country. They dealt with the sickness and death of children and other family members. They abided. They survived. They thrived.
As ever, history tends to echo in the present. As I was listening to Cokie, I couldn’t help but wonder what these women of the past would think of our current crop of women already in or striving for positions of power.
It seems to me that these Ladies of Liberty show us some important truths. Character matters. The pursuit of and respect for knowledge matters. The ability to express yourself matters. Courage matters. Strength matters.
What would the influential women of the past make of this election season’s influential women – of Sarah Palin, or Hilary Clinton? How about Michelle Obama, or Cindy McCain?
I encourage you to pick up Ms. Roberts book and draw your own conclusions.
As for what I make of them – that blog’s coming up.
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