Many debates have happened whether or not these women approach feminism for their time period. The answer to that is ambiguous and depends on how the reader takes in their writings. One can say that even though Wollstonecraft is so obviously pining for co-education, and in that way to be equal to men, she is not promoting equality for anything else. By not wanting to be equal in anything else, how can she be approaching feminism? Pizan so obviously from the start of her writing, introduces how women should behave (from the perspective of a princess), so that her actions shall be beneficial to her and her husband.
“Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of husbands. Remember all men would be tyrants if could.” –Abigail Adams In this quote Abigail Adams was stepping up for women to put a stop to their inequality for fairness and equality. She was an advocate for many women who are out there married with no education nor rights. She wanted them to be capable of standing on their own feet without hesitation or discourage towards their husbands. Abigail Adams believed women should be educated and be recognized for their intellectual capabilities, so they could guide and influence the lives of their children and husband instead of being companions.
For example, Antigone seems to be impervious toward Creon’s misogynistic ways; however, her sister, Ismene, is seen to be internalizing the idea that women are insignificant compared to men. We see the impact that this sexist culture has on Ismene when she tells Antigone, “We must remember that by birth we’re women, and, as such, we shouldn’t fight with men. Since those who rule are much more powerful, we must obey in this and in events which bring us even harsher agonies… Since I’m being compelled, I will obey those in control. That’s what I’m forced to do. It makes no sense to try to do too much” (77-85).
I chose the quote above because it showed that women should not use their stereotypical strengths as an argument for equality. It would be like saying those sigma's put on women by non-feminist are all right. Katha Pollitt states that everyone is responsible for " the environment, a more humane workplace, economic justice, social support for children to make the world a better place regardless of who you are. I believe that her beliefs about "difference feminism and women's superiority to men would be a part of making the world a better place, in her eyes. I believe that
Their need for comfort from the people they love and care for the most leads them to do whatever it takes, so they might be accepted. Along with being mentally isolated from the other characters in the play these women are also physically isolated and intellectually isolated from everyone. Part of the reason these women were so severely isolated from other characters is because they lived in the Elizabethan period. During the Elizabethan era women were raised to believe that they were second- rate citizens. To ensure that people continued to believe this concept the church used this verse from the bible as proof “woman in her greatest perfection was made to serve and obey man.” This belief put women in a state of being mentally isolated from men.
Whereas the first two authors both preach for equal women’s rights and for better treatment for women this author, Catharine Beecher, is more discreet about woman’s rights. According to Beecher, women should have equal privileges as men in social and civil concerns, but in order to keep these privileges women stay stagnant and hand over the civil and political decisions to men. She suggests this because women throughout their life are taught
Dee only wanted to lord over them her superior intelligence and education, therefore boosting her own ego. Dee does not hide her shame for the way that her mother and Maggie live by writing “no matter where [they] “choose” to live, she will manage to come see [them]. But she will never bring her friends.” Dee's harsh criticisms are not just pointed at her mother and Maggie as can be seen when the narrator points out “When [Dee] was courting Jimmy T she didn't have much time to pay us, but turned all her faultfinding power on him. He flew to marry a cheap city girl” (Walker 105). Notice the emphasized word flew.
He made her feel as if she was independent in her thinking, when he was merely giving her options that he approved of. The way Janie’s character in relation to Tea Cake was in my opinion weak. It puts women in a position that will allow women to be taken advantage off by sweet-talking us into thinking they are doing the perfect things because they are treating us they way we want to be treated. It gives of the notion that women will do whatever men want as long as we are treated like women. To answer the question, is this a feminist text, I would say that it is.
Jesse Smith Close Reading Anna Barbauld’s poem, “The Rights of Woman,” has a controversial debate, describing how women should take over and rule the world. Baurbauld was a poet, a freethinker but she wasn’t considered a feminist. In the poem, Barbauld acknowledges, “But hope not, courted idol of mankind, on this proud eminence secure to stay”(25). Meaning she’s advising women to stand up and play a higher role than men. But in reality she is scared to voice her true goal of the passage.
Alexandra “If Shakespeare Had a Sister” Virginia Woolf grew up facing many prejudices against educated women. As a result of her desire to be well educated, she took personal offense at the tradition of putting down women educated beyond the social norms. Shakespeare’s sister or any other woman would not have been able to rise to his status and maintain her sanity in the face of the rejection, denial and disapproval that would result from the attempt. The use of example is a tool Woolf uses well to demonstrate her points and exhibit her knowledge of classical texts and critical writing skills. One of Woolf’s supports for her essay was that she discusses the everyday life of a woman so far as she has been to piece it together from the few reports she has been able to recover of that time; complaining that there is not nearly enough information on the period only supports her claims.