Froide, Amy. Never Married. New York: Oxford Press, 2005. Print.

This book outlines the representation of single women, virginity and widowhood from 1550-1800’s. In the book it outlines how over though Elizabeth was greatly revered and even praised for her virginity. Staying unmarried was not something Elizabeth encouraged. Even more the Elizabeth’s, protestant, church created very negative view points of singleness.

The church even went so far to say that “single persons were viewed as likely candidates for damnation” (157). The church made it almost impossible to be single in this time period. The bias became so aggressive that a common proverb at the time was “old maids lead apes in hell” (158). The book also outlines how the theater, especially Shakespeare’s plays gave a negative view of singleness. There was even believed to be a disease that came from women remaining unmarried for to long.