Abigail Adams is the protagonist and first-person narrator of the novel, a dynamic and round character whose personal and intellectual evolution mirrors the birth of the American republic. Initially introduced as a parson’s daughter with a “rambunctious and giddy disposition” (8) and a secret “wanderlust” (8), she matures into a formidable matriarch, shrewd businesswoman, and indispensable political partner to her husband. Abigail’s defining traits are her fierce intelligence, resilience, and unwavering sense of duty to both her family and her country. These dual allegiances form the central conflict of her life, as the demands of one often come at a great cost to the other. Her journey, therefore, is an illustration of The Toll of Public Service on Family, as she single-handedly manages childbirth, illness, wartime scarcity, and the raising of four children during her husband’s prolonged absences.

Abigail’s character is fundamentally shaped by her struggle for agency within the confines of an unequal society. Consequently, her experiences shape the themes of Marriage as an Unequal Partnership and The Invisible Labor of Women. Her famous plea to John to “remember the ladies” (79) is the cornerstone of a lifelong advocacy for women’s rights.