The Kingdom of Matthias and the Murder of Helen Jewett
The Kingdom of Matthias and the Murder of Helen Jewett
The books, “The Kingdom of Matthias” and “The Murder of Helen Jewett” might seem like an odd comparison when looked upon for a common background. The kingdom of Matthias in short, shows us how people in strict religious views move to a place where they can be free from a society without laws. The Murder of Helen Jewett shows us a young woman who is successful in her own right but her life ends in a tragedy that will never be solved. However, when reading both of these books, there is a common interest that both of these books share. Women and Sex. . Both of the books show us that women were not always looked upon as educators, role-models, or just equal amongst men. They were only good for either staying in the house, take care of the children, cook and to do sexual acts for their husbands or other men. Though both books are within the same timeline, it not only just want to show us that women were portrayed as that but how they came up to be like that because not all women were born and raised to grow to be just slaves of men.
The first book, “The Kingdom of Matthias” written by Paul E. Johnson and Sean Wilentz, is set around the early 1800’s, where a young man by the name of “Matthias” finds a town in New York and establishes a communal colony. Matthias, who was born as Robert Matthews, became a leader or a prophet in this town, to lead the other people in a life without government interference, go to church daily, and to enforce a code of righteous temperance everyday. It may sound like the perfect colony but what lies beneath surely surprises us all. Matthias’ kingdom wasn’t all that perfect.
The women in his colony were nothing more then just housewives that spent their whole life cleaning, cooking, taking care of the children and lastly to perform sexual favors because the men were seen as the patriarchal leaders. Preachers of the town lured young female into their own beds just because they had the status of men and leader. Matthias saw equality of men and women as the act of the devil and destroying the truth. Matthias in his own right, had a lot of religious experience from his childhood. He even whipped a lady by the name of Isabella Van Wagenan because she was sick and that it was the act of the devil. However, the one thing that Matthias said that is intolerable is when he said that women who lecture their husband is found to be damned.
The colony’s movement was famous for being the second great awakening, which in meaning, gathering up all people of evangelical believers, was suppose to be a wake up call but it surely did not do its job right. Matthias’ whole idea of matched spirits and his views on women were deliberately unrighteous. Women could not do anything because of the time they were in, because of a failed leader, they turned out to be what they were. The 1800’s were not so bright when it came to women and equality. It was as if they were another kind of species that should not be given the same rights as men. Men conquered them, as they would do in wars, to make them theirs as they would make the lands that they conquer theirs. It was as if the women were forced into prostitution and though many of them did not want to do it, the power of a man who claims to be a prophet of God automatically puts fear in their souls, that if they don’t do it, they will meet God’s Wrath.
The second book, “The Murder of Helen Jewett” written by Patricia Cline Cohen, is set around 1836, where a young female prostitute by the name of Helen Jewett is found murdered in her bed. The suspect: her client and lover, Richard Robinson. Though the trial did take place to convict Robinson of murdering Helen, the court made its final answers by saying that he was not guilty and was released. A sudden tragedy that should of never took place, Young Helen Jewett had a lot to live for, even as a prostitute. Her life wasn’t always just about giving pleasure to men.
Before she had the job as a prostitute, Helen Jewett was a maid/servant in Maine. She was decently educated but still wanted something more in life then just serving. Once she was out