Unequal voices: emotions, agency and family hierarchies in the correspondence of the Hengrave siblings, 1567–71

This article examines an exchange of letters to reveal how age, gender and social status shaped early modern family hierarchies. A tense episode began when Susan Bourchier left the house of her eldest half-brother, Thomas Kitson, despite being unmarried and dependent on him for financial support. Thomas’s resultant anger required careful negotiation between Susan, Thomas and their half-brother Henry. A close analysis of their language reveals the emotional practices used to negotiate family relationships, thus offering a unique insight on strategies available for young women to enact agency while navigating the divided patriarchal power of a blended family network.