The single woman most often remains a servant in the father's, brother's, or sister's household; she only becomes mistress of a home by accepting a husband'sdomination; depending on the region, customs and traditions impose various roles on her: the Norman peasant woman presides over the meal, while the Corsican woman does not sit at the same table as the men; but in any case, as she plays one of the most important roles in thedomestic economy, she shares the man's responsibilities, his interests, and his property; she is respected, and it is often she who really governs: her situation is reminiscent of the place she held in ancient agricultural communities.