How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
"Nay, [Jamie] needs a woman, not a girl. And Laoghaire will be a girl when she's fifty." (8.124)
Alec might be a traditional Scotsman, but he recognizes that not all women are wilting flowers who need to be taken care of. He sees Claire as a woman, and that means she has agency, power, and the ability to take care of herself and others. This is what Jamie needs.
Quote #5
"There's not a man in the place who's not half in his cups already, and they'll be far gone in an hour. 'Tis no place for lasses tonight." (10.100)
Just being a woman puts you in danger in this time period. Men can't seem to control their sexual urges at all, especially when drunk. We get the feeling that if anyone did attack Claire on this night, he might not be punished at all.
Quote #6
"I still say the only good weapon for a woman is poison." (19.145)
Dougal isn't exactly progressive for a man of his time, and all the men are resistant about teaching Claire to use a gun. However, there's some irony in this statement given that Dougal's mistress, Geillis Duncan, does use poison later on to kill her own husband. Dougal must be so proud.