18/09/2024
The Scold’s Bridle Revealed: A Comprehensive Study of Gendered Punishment in Early Modern Europe. vannguyen 👀👀 Read More In the comments👇 The Scold’s Bridle, a macabre instrument of punishment from early modern Europe, reveals much about the era’s gender dynamics and societal norms. This device, designed to silence and humiliate, was primarily used on women accused of being “scolds”—those who were perceived as overly talkative or disruptive. An exploration of the Scolds Bridle offers a window into the intersection of punishment and gender during this period. The Scold’s Bridle, also known as the Branks, was a metal mask with a gag that fit into the mouth, often fitted with spikes or a protruding bit. It was fastened around the head with a locking mechanism, ensuring that the wearer could neither speak nor remove the device. The gag made speaking painful, while the overall contraption served as a form of public humiliation, as women were often paraded through towns while wearing it.
