#FF: Why was Jamie so angry Claire worked in Outlander Season 2?

In Outlander Season 2, Episode 3, Claire decided to help at the hospital. Jamie was furious at her decision, but why was that when she’d been a healer in Scotland? It was all to do with class, expectations, and pregnancy.

Claire Fraser couldn’t sit idly by in Paris. In Outlander Season 2, Episode 3, she had the chance to help at the local charitable hospital–and quickly proved her worth to Mother Hildegarde. However, Jamie was furious. For this #FlashbackFriday, it’s a chance to look into Jamie’s attitude? Just why was he so angry?

When in Scotland, Claire had been a healer. Jamie knew this and also knew she came from a time where women could work. What was the big deal about it in Paris?

High-class women didn’t work

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Well, it was linked to the time period. While Claire may have been from the future, she was currently in 18th-century Paris and that brought expectations. Jamie made a point of saying that he expected Claire to be around to talk to her about his day, which was a genuine expectation at the time and we can’t exactly knock him for that.

Plus, Claire was a high-class woman and no high-class woman worked in this time. Jamie expected Claire to follow suit. Why would she want to work when she could talk to others in her position all day? He just didn’t understand that after World War II she felt the need to work and to help people.

Photo credit: Outlander/Starz Image acquired via Starz Media Room /

Remember Claire was also pregnant

Jamie would have also been worried about his pregnant wife. She was working around diseases and illnesses. It’s a good job he didn’t know she’d tasted the urine of a patient! With this in mind, it’s not surprising that he was angry she was working in Outlander Season 2. He didn’t want anything bad to happen to the baby.

Pregnant women, especially high-class pregnant women, didn’t put themselves at risk. While Claire had had some vaccines, Jamie wouldn’t have understood them and there were some she wouldn’t have been protected from. He also wouldn’t have understood that the immunity could temporarily protect the baby.

It wasn’t Jamie’s fault and he wasn’t being mean for the sake of it. He was a man of the time and expected Claire to be too. Plus, dealing with the stress of the Jacobite rebellion coming and knowing he was on the losing side, he needed someone to talk to and expected that to be Claire.

Next: #TBT: Why did Claire react to the bones in Outlander?

What did you think about Jamie being angry with Claire for working? Did you think of it from an 18th-century perspective? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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