In the early 1600s, the ducking stool was used in England as a punishment for women accused of scolding or gossiping. This device involved strapping the accused to a chair and submerging them in water, reflecting societal attitudes towards women's behavior and public morality. The use of the ducking stool underscores the historical context of gender roles and the enforcement of social norms in early modern England.

The ducking stool for scolds in England, established around 1600, was satirized in English ballads and drama, influencing gender and public shaming motifs in poetry. Poets like John Milton and Andrew Marvell addressed societal norms and the consequences of public judgment.