scra

Sarah Jessica-Parker The deaths and the plague is blamed on widow, Mem Gowdie, and her niece, Anys Gowdie, who are the village's herbalists and midwives.
 * ANYS GOWDIE **

Anys is: unconventional, autonomous, attractive and skilled in healing Anys Gowdie provides a significant counterpoint to Anna, who steps into her shoes as a herbal healer when the other woman dies at the hands of an enraged mob. From the outset, Anys is represented as unconventional. In Aphra's opinion, she **"walks with too much pride in her step for a poor orphan" (p. 39)** but Anna admires her for possessing the **" courage to care so little for what whisper" (p.48**). Anys is the subject of rumour primarily because of her determination to act as a free agent in matters sexual. She scorns marriage, saying that she was **"not made to be any man's chattel" (p. 54),** but makes choice of sexual partners - including George Viccars and possibly many others - as she sees fit. the fact that she orders a scarlet gown, in a village until recently accoustomed to only the most sombre colours, suggests that she does not fear being conspictious. Indeed, Anna comments that Anys is **"refactory [wayward or headstrong]" and does not care "for the conventions of this small and watchful town" (p. 40).** Such behaviour does not go unpunished indefinatelty. In thinking well of Anys of her **"calm kindness" (p. 48),** and other good qualities, Anna is in something of a minority. Yet even Anna finds Anys hard to catagorise. She muses: Some part of the ambiguity (something which is ambiguous holds more than one possible meaning) of Anys can be glimpsed in the fact that Anna at one point mistakes the **"white-gowned and brilliant" (p. 147)** Elinor for her. Paradoxically, the rector's wife (who has a hidden sexual past) and Anys (whose sexual activities appear all too evident) resemble each other. When faced with a vengeful mob, Anys confesses that she is the **"Devil's creature" (p. 92-93)** and that she has lain with him. It is difficult to determine just what we are to understand from this. it may be that she has been maddened by grief at the near-death of Mem gowdie or that she has been rendered hysterical through fear of her own approaching end. Or, quite possibly, knowing she is soon to die, Anys may have decided to have her revenge. By claiming that she has slept with the devil and that many of the village women have done likewise (experiencing superior satisfaction than they have known with their husbands), Anys leaves behind her a climate of doubt and suspicion. Thus, although unable to save her own life, she inflicts just a little harm on those who have undervalued her services to the community and houndered her to her death
 * the puritans who had ministered to us here had held that all actions and thoughts could be only one of two natures: godly and right, of Satanic and evil. But Anys Gowdie confounded such thinking. There was no doubt that she did good... and yet her fornication [improper sexual conduct] and her blasphemy branded her a sinner in the reckoning of our religion. (p. 55)**

Source: neap: year of wonders – smart study English text guide by Kay Perry Anys Gowdie: Amy Barbour, Rebekah Seedsman and Ellen Guiney