The woman's body in the colonial period: some reflections on the subject

Abstract

This paper is based on the analysis of rare works related to the colonial period which are found at the National Library of Rio de Janeiro, and on contemporary literature that reports women's daily life, health and life conditions. The information obtained allows us to describe different knowledge, beliefs and practices related to the woman's body at that time. The study shows that women, due to their reproductive condition, experienced menstruation, procreation, delivery and breast-feeding. Therefore, we may say that Brazil, during the colonial period, inherited from the Portuguese tradition, as well as from the Catholic Church, State and Medicine, a moralizing speech about the woman's body. Under such watchful eyes of so many protectors - State, Church, men and society - the only task left to the woman's body was to neatly fill in the colony's demographic gaps.