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Gender role in literature
Gender equality in literature
Gender equality in literature
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Louisa May Alcott was considered a 19th century literary icon (Louisa May... United). She was a writer that produced over 300 literary works (Smith). She was born on November 29, 1832, in Germantown, Pennsylvania and died of a stroke March 6, 1888 (Biography.com; Cleary). She lived almost her entire life in Boston, Massachusetts with her mother, father, and three sisters, Anna Bronson Alcott, Elizabeth Sewall Alcott, and Abigail May Alcott (National Women’s History). Alcott is a famous writer and feminist icon for many young women around the world. All ages and genders around the world read Little Women, a book about young women growing up and their lives. Alcott used writing to leave a lasting impact on America that changed many people’s lives and inspired them.
Alcott was educated by her father, Amos Bronson Alcott, therefore heavily influenced by his beliefs and ideas that he taught her
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She once found a hidden slave in her oven, and instead of turning him into the authorities, she taught him to read and write (Nancy Porter Productions). The Underground Railroad helped show Louisa that everyone should be equal, which is why she was also a suffragette. She wrote and talked about women’s suffrage and why women are just as important as men (Raga). She believed in this so much that she was the first woman to be registered to vote in Concord, Massachusetts (Hannah). In her book An Old-Fashioned Girl, Alcott wrote “Women have been called queens a long time, but the kingdom given them [is not] worth ruling” (Alcott). Louisa May Alcott thought that even though women have been told they are beautiful and deserve everything, what they are given is not worth their time. These ideas made Alcott a good role model for people everywhere, helping them believe that they are worth it and everyone is equal. She wrote about these themes in her books, making a lasting impact on the
Thornton, Tracey. “Between Rhetoric of Abolition and Feminism: Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin”. 1998. 8 Jan 2002. <http://www.womenwriters.net/domesticgoddess/thornton.htm>.
Harriet Jacobs and Fanny Fern both display different kinds of writing styles that shed light on women who could stand up on their own. The stories of those two women vastly contrast each other, however, the women display hardships and overcome their difficulties in a similar manner. Jacobs who goes by a different persona-- a woman’s name Linda, who is a young slave. Fern did a similar thing to Jacobs by going by a different persona, a young woman named Ruth Hall. What the two women display with their books released to the public is to give another look at what women go through. The readers of the book would explore the hardship of what the two women have experienced, thus bringing more awareness and light to women’s rights and the anti-slavery
The 19th century was a time of great social change in the United States as reflected by the abolitionist movement and the women’s suffrage movement. Two very influential women leaders were Angelina Grimke and Sojourner Truth. Grimke was born a Southern, upper class white woman. She moved to the North as a young woman, grew involved in abolitionism and women’s rights, and became known for her writing, particularly “Letters to Catherine Beecher”. Sojourner Truth was born into slavery as Isabella Baumfree; she escaped to freedom, changed her name, and became an active speaker on behalf of both the abolition and women’s rights movements. Truth’s most famous speech is “Ain’t I a Woman?”. While both Grimke and Truth use a personal, conversational tone to communicate their ideas, Grimke relies primarily on logical arguments and Truth makes a more emotional appeal through the use of literary strategies and speech.
Elbert, Sarah. A Hunger for Home: Louisa May Alcott and Little Women. Philadelphia: Temple UP, 1984.
In that time, many women began to want their own rights, especially the right to vote. This came from a sense of independence after the men went to fight in World War II and the women stayed home and took their jobs. Once the men came back, the women realized they could do so much more and wanted rights, resulting in the Women’s Movement (“American”). Atwood agreed with the Women’s Movement on the idea that women deserved more rights. She went on to say that the Women’s Movement changed “how people read and therefore what you can get away with in art” (“Spotty-handed”). In earlier times, society thought it was socially right to think of women as a man’s property, or keep them suppressed through laws. Eventually as the Women’s Movement formed, women had more rights and that's reflected in books. Although Women’s rights were not completely accepted it was now a widespread topic and women’s roles in books changed from those under the control of men to those in power. Atwood expressed this in her poem,
Edna St. Vincent Millay grew up in a small town in Maine. She was always encouraged by her mother to pursue her writing and musical talents. She finished college and moved to New York City where she lived a fast-paced life pursuing acting and play writing. Her liveliness, independence, and sexuality inspired her writing styles and gave her poetry a freshness that no others had. She is famous for writing sonnets like “What lips my lips have kissed, and where, and why.”
Mary Wollstonecraft was as revolutionary in her writings as Thomas Paine. They were both very effective writers and conveyed the messages of their ideas quite well even though both only had only the most basic education. Wollstonecraft was a woman writing about women's rights at a time when these rights were simply non-existent and this made her different from Paine because she was breaking new ground, thus making her unique. Throughout her lifetime, Wollstonecraft wrote about the misconception that women did not need an education, but were only meant to be submissive to man. Women were treated like a decoration that had no real function except to amuse and beguile. Wollstonecraft was the true leader in women's rights, advocating a partnership in relationships and marriage rather than a dictatorship. She was firm in her conviction that education would give women the ability to take a more active role in life itself.
Who was Louisa May Alcott? Alcott was a nineteenth century author who wrote numerous famous books, such as the book series Little Women. However, Alcott did not start out famous. As a child, Alcott’s family lived in poverty. Though her family lived in poverty, Alcott had an extremely vivid imagination, especially for a girl during the time period that she lived in. Even when she was young, Alcott’s biggest dream was to become a famous author. She wrote one of her first poems at the age of eight when she saw a robin. With the money she made from her works, Alcott hoped to someday be able to pull her family out of poverty. Alcott was an extremely determined woman who used her determination to help her family rise out of poverty, and also accomplished many of her other goals in life.
Women’s right was a troubling issue in the United State triggered by the American Revolution and Civil War, because when the men were fighting in war the women would take up their jobs, and would have to support the family which led to the cult of domesticity. Women had little rights and were ban from involvement in politics, voting, and paid unequal to men. One of the major advocates for equality of women was Susan B. Anthony. She strived for the acknowledgment for women in the work forces, politics, and voting. In Failure Is Impossible: Susan B. Anthony in Her Own Words talks about Susan B. Anthony incredible, but struggling journey for women rights.
The Abolitionist Movement transformed the role of women in American History. Prior to the abolitionist movement, women were viewed as invisible icons in society. A typical woman would only be responsible for motherhood duties, cleaning, and preparing food. While many women agreed with this, others did not. The desire to be heard and treated equally was something numerous women shared. Astonishing women like, Sojourner Truth, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Grimke sisters became prominent leaders in the abolitionist movement and made a pathway in history by initiating speeches, participating in female politics and supporting their personal opinions of women’s rights through religious doctrines.
...also were not represented, and made women understand that this inferiority dilemma that was going on every day had to stop, and that they had to revolt and fight for their own rights. Her influence combined with other women fighting and the spirit of rebellion already set in men spiked women's interests in their rights and made them want to struggle for their privileges.
Watson, N. (2009) ‘Louisa May Alcott, Little Women (1868-9) Introduction’, in Montgomery H and Watson N (eds), Children’s Literature Classic Texts and Contemporary Trends, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan in association with Open University, pp.13-17
The Quakers in particular realized that this was very contradictory to the public morality of America. Slavery was constantly destroying the social and cultural defenses that Africans relied upon. As for women, they were denied the right to vote and to hold political offices. New Jersey lawmakers specifically had the mindset that women suffrage should be rejected for the “safety, quiet, and good order and dignity of the state.” However, these two groups began fight against their oppression. Through writing and petitioning, African Americans weaken the arguments in favor of slavery reminding whites that African Americans, too had the natural right to liberty. Furthermore, African Americans like Benjamin Banneker, Phillis Wheatley, and Richard Allen became more accomplished, leading whites to reconsider the role that African Americans could have in society. Slavery was eventually abolished by 1800 in the northern states due to these things. Although the racist mindset was still there, the abolishment of slavery in the north was a step in the right direction. Moreover, republicanism also encouraged women like Abigail Adams to take a stand. In response to the wave of republicanism that was sweeping America, made new demands on their husbands and government. African Americans made emphasis on natural rights. Women focused political ideology. They argued that if this new republic were to last, women must be able to “nurture the right values in their children and as wives to instruct their husbands in proper behavior.” Women began make advancement. In 1780, a large volunteer women’s organization was founded by Ester Deberdt. In 1790, the New Jersey legislature allowed property owning women to vote. Jefferson, however, said that America was still not prepared for a woman to hold office. Yet, the important aspect that was changing in America was the view that the essence of
According to the Struggle for Democracy by Edward Greenberg and Benjamin Page (2012, p. 232), in February of 1838 Angela Grimke presented a petition against slavery and became the first woman to speak before an American legislative body. Women were not given any leisure to speak publicly. They did not have the rights that men had in the political process. Women as a whole, African Americans and whites, were expected to reproduce and not engage in the political process. African American women did the same work as the men, picked cotton, worked long hours in the field, but were raped as a punishment in attempt to control there bodies as well as reproduce babies who were seen as property. White working class women were allowed to work and earn money for their family, but they were not allowed to be the primary wage earner in the household. Women of middle to upper class we...
Throughout literature’s history, female authors have been widely recognized for their groundbreaking and eye-opening accounts of what it means to be a woman in society. In most cases of early literature, women are portrayed as weak and unintelligent characters who rely solely on their male counterparts. Also during this time period, it would be shocking to have women characters in some stories, especially since their purpose is only secondary to that of the male protagonist. But, in the late 17th to early 18th century, a crop of courageous women began publishing their works, beginning the literary feminist movement. Together, Aphra Behn, Charlotte Smith, Fanny Burney, and Mary Wollstonecraft challenge the status quo of what it means to be a woman during the time of the Restoration Era and give authors and essayists of the modern day, such as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a platform to become powerful, influential writers of the future.