Temperance In St. Augustine's The Confessions

Throughout life, there are many battles we have to fight and obstacles we must get around. It is necessary in getting through these hardships to be able to stick with them. While determination is crucial, it must be used in moderation, you must know when to stop. This is where temperance comes into play. The textbook definition of temperance is moderation or self restraint in action. In other words, temperance means taking action but within your limits, knowing when you have what you need. Throughout history, we notice that temperance is essential in dealing with issues of women's rights.

In St. Augustine’s, The Confessions, Augustine uses his life to show the need of temperance. Using the definition of temperance from above this is a skill that is important to learn, while challenging to maintain. Augustine knew that in order to lead a devout life he must abstain from sexual activity. “His celibacy seemed to me the only hardship which he had to bear (VI.3.1), Ambrose knows that the only struggle holding Augustine back from leading a faithful life was accepting celibacy. Augustine showed that he understood the importance of temperance, but had trouble sustaining it. Toward the end of the book, Augustine

decides that he can live by celibacy, and he realizes that this was what he needed to do. Augustine uses his reasoning to know that he may have not wanted to accept celibacy, but it was what he needed to do to lead a devout life.
In Charlotte Bronte’s, Jane Eyre, the main character Jane Eyre is used to demonstrate how women are just as strong and powerful as any man and deserve the same rights. The novel, Jane Eyre, was written during the 1850s, a time where women had very little respect and were expected to have a certain etiquette (Kees 192). Women did not have the right to vote,did not have the same job or salary opportunities as men, and had little education opportunities. Jane Eyre shows the progression of a young girl named Jane, from a little girl to a married woman. Jane began living in her aunt, Mrs. Reed’s home called Gateshead. Jane was very much mistreated by her aunt being treated almost as an orphan. Jane grew up and went to a school which prepared her for a job as a governess. Jane Eyre was a model for women in the 1850s who aspired to be more than just a housewife.
In Jane Eyre, Jane finds the need for temperance in her life at a young age. Jane learns how to gain power through circumstances in her life that are challenging to her (Godfrey 349). After Jane leaves Gateshead, Jane attends a school called Lowood, an all girls school for orphans. Jane learns to deal with the people who do not treat her right. During her time at Lowood, Jane learns from Helen, Jane’s friend who helps her to understand how to deal with difficult people. Helen says, “If all the world hated you, and believed you wicked, while your own conscience approved you, and absolved you from guilt, you would not be without friends” (Bronte 1.8.11). Jane decides to take control of her life, and finds a job as a governess at Thornfield. Mr. Rochester, is the man who lives at Thornfield, he tests Jane’s temperance, teasing her constantly. When Jane hears word that Mrs. Reed is sick, Jane goes and visits her. Jane knows that even though Mrs. Reed showed her no respect, Jane visiting her may have not been what either of them wanted, but was what they needed to do.
Through the life of Jane Eyre, the reader realizes that her growing temperance is the reason that Jane knows what she needs to do in the hard decisions she makes.

At Thornfield, Jane has to deal with Mr. Rochester. Jane knows that she should not love Rochester, so she tries to prevent it, and tell herself that he doesn’t love her. Jane knows that Rochester loves Blanche Ingram (Bronte 126). After a while, Rochester starts to flirt with Jane, and Jane lets her guard down and the two of them fall in love. At Jane and Rochester's wedding, Jane learns that Rochester has a wife (Bronte 237). This is shocking and hurtful to Jane, because she allowed herself to fall to her desires. Jane knows that she cannot stay at Thornfield, despite what she may want, so she

leaves.
In the 1930s, Women had made many achievements in gaining their rights. The women’s rights movement was making progress because of the determination and temperance of the women. Women had fought for a long time to gain the right to vote, and they achieved it. They also were working to gain equal rights as men including job opportunities, most women had limited options to what they could do while most were only housewives. After the women gained the right to vote, they also obtained greater respect. This new respect acquired new and better education and this resulted in better occupation opportunities. The reason that all of these goals were achieved was because of the temperance and determination of the women who knew what they deserved.
During the Great Depression of the 1930s the women’s rights movement was brought to an abrupt stop. During this time, many people were let go of their jobs, most of which were women (Graham 74). Many married women were let go, because the husbands could be the source of income for their families (Boyd 267). This was a big shocker for women and the movement, because they had just gotten their first taste of freedom. Most women found this a reasonable ideology until unmarried women were being let go as well (Hanson 498). The women had been patient for years fighting for their rights and now that they gained full equality, it was taken away. Even though this time period was difficult for everyone, the women were the ones who not only lost money, but lost their rights as well.
In our country, Women have gained equality that has lasted for nearly 80 years and counting. Women have showed determination throughout history to achieve what they have now. Women are now able to have all of the same jobs as men and get the same salary for those jobs. Women also have the same opportunities as men for education. If women had not had temperance to decide that they did not have everything they wanted, life would not be how it is today. Today, in the United States their are more women in the workplace than men. With many obstacles such as the great depression and opposers to the movement women never stopped trying to achieve their goal and now they have.
Women in the US have the same rights, but not all countries have the same opportunities.
For Example, in Afghanistan there was a plight of women who were denied their fundamental human rights (Hartnett 273). These women were forced to be slaves and work for men, as sex slaves, and servants to the men. Unfortunately there are only three countries in the world with more women in the workplace than men. Some countries do not have the money to pay for women to work or the money to start businesses for them to work at (Okin 272). Women's rights are more of an issue now than they ever were in history. Women all over the world are being used, and denied their humanity, especially in poorer, and smaller countries. Some women do not have the courage to stand up for themselves, but the real problem is the men who will not stand up for something other men are doing that is not right.
Women need temperance to take action and to do what is right. The definition of temperance is knowing the difference between what you need and what you want. Another part of the meaning is that you have to know what is right. If you do not know what is right how are you supposed to know what you need? When we realize that what we want and need are the same thing, we must take action keeping our boundaries in mind.