Final answer:
Noblewomen on a manor were responsible for managing the household, caring for the children, and purchasing consumer goods. They had limited privacy and their actions were observed by others in the household. They also participated in cooperative labor on the manor.
Step-by-step explanation:
The role of noblewomen on a manor was primarily centered around managing the household and supporting their husbands and children. They were responsible for caring for the children, maintaining a clean and orderly house, and purchasing consumer goods to showcase their family's wealth and status. Additionally, noblewomen played a key role in cultivating good manners among their children and husbands.
While noblewomen had important responsibilities, they were often isolated from the outside world and only interacted with guests from behind a screen. They lived in households where every action was observed, every word heard, and every letter read by other members of the household. Lack of privacy added to a sense of claustrophobia in their lives.
In terms of work, noblewomen would often tend to smaller livestock and manage vegetable gardens near their homes. They also played a part in the cooperative labor system on the manor, where they shared draft animals and farm implements for the planting and harvesting of crops. The surplus produced would usually go to the lord or the church as a mandatory tax, known as the tithe.