The Influence of Possessions on Self-Expression

In order to understand how Master Frankford and Anne relate to the concept of "stuff" and possessions, we must first question to what extent Anne is or is not one of the possessions of the household and we must understand how Anne's ability or inability to think for herself plays into the situation.  Anne's character is a difficult one to understand because we don't know for sure how much she really controls her decisions.  She has been raised in a society where women are property, first and foremost.  The question is; can property have a mind of its own?  The obvious answer, since Anne is ultimately a human being, is yes - of course she has a mind of her own.  But when we look into her character a bit deeper and consider the culture and household in which she lives, we must wonder whether or not she is truly consumable and manipulatable, like any other piece of property.  If she is just part of the "stuff" in the household, what could giver her the ability to control her actions and what does that say about the ways in which she can express a pursuit of goodness?

Anne may have had a loving and generous husband, bust she is still property.  Her marriage was arranged, so she was simply passed from one family to another, not unlike a slave.  If she has been considered property her whole life, could she have learned to make her own decisions?  This is debatable.  When Anne is wooed by Wendoll, she says, "What shall I say?  My soul is wand'ring and hath lost her way." (372)  This statement makes Anne look consumable.  A modern (and perhaps feminist) rewriting of this line might read, "While Wendoll is in charge, I'm just his property, so how can I refuse his advances?"

If it can be agreed upon that Anne indeed has no control over herself and is merely property, which can be controlled and manipulated, then we can better understand how Master Frankford and Anne express their pursuit of goodness differently.  Frankford is free to express his goodness through the act of giving away his possessions.  Anne, on the other hand, is little more than the property that surrounds her and cannot give anything away.  Therefore, her only option to express goodness is to refuse that which is material.  The difference between the ways in which the two express their goodness hinges completely on their respective places in the household.  Master Frankford is the owner and controller of everything (and everyone) in the household, which gives him the ability to direct his goodness outward, through the sharing of his possessions.  Anne is one of those possessions and has nothing to give, so her goodness is directed inward through the act of denying herself any part of her husband's "stuff."