LITR 4232: American Renaissance
UHCL, spring 2001
Sample Student Paper

Linda Quarles
Dr. Craig White
LITR 4232
04/17/01

Gender Roles

The role of women writers and women in society has changed drastically over the last two centuries. The womenâs movement and female writers have worked hand in hand to pursue equality for women and to move their issues to the forefront of the nation. Writers such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Sarah Moore Grimké, Angelina Grimké Weld, Harriet Jacobs, and Sojourner Truth help bring to light the sensitive problems that need to be addressed in the womenâs rights movement. Angelina Grimké Weld, in her Appeal to the Christian Women of the South, says, "It is through the tongue, the pen, and the press, that truth is principally propogated" (1948). Weld is well aware of the power and influence that the writer has over her audience. The female writers certainly had a substantial influence because they encouraged a movement that is still being fought for today.

The typical 19^th century woman served many roles, but her roles were limited to domestic ones. The majority were wives, mothers, caregivers, and housekeepers. Women were considered to be property and were limited in their rights as individuals. As a result of their limited roles, many women began to feel cheated, thus a voice began to emerge among women writers bringing to the attention of the public the discontent that women felt. At the forefront of the womenâs movement was Elizabeth Cady Stanton who voices her feelings well in Eighty Years and More: Reminiscences:

The general discontent I felt with womanâs portion as wife, mother,

housekeeper, physician, and spiritual guide, the chaotic conditions

into which everything fell without her constant supervision, and the wearied, anxious look of the majority of women impressed me with a

strong feeling that some active measures should be taken to remedy the

wrongs of society in general, and of women in particular. (2033)

Stanton defends her position in the famous "Declaration of Sentiments". Stanton writes her Declaration as a response to the inequality in the "Declaration of Independence. Her Declaration contains wording such as, "all men and women are created equal" (Stanton 2035). She continues in the Declaration to list the rights that have been denied women by men. Stantonâs purpose is to make both men and women realize the injustices that are being done to women as humans.

In addition to her writing, Stanton brings the womenâs rights issue to light with a Womanâs Rights Convention. Stantonâs convention draws negative attention from male writers across the country, "All the journals from Maine to Texas seemed to strive with each other to see which could make our movement appear the most ridiculous" (Stanton 2034). This proves that as Stanton was working to bring womenâs rights to the forefront, men were working just as hard to tear down the movement. Unfortunately at this point in time, male writers were predominant and could voice their opinions with more acceptance than women.

Men were not the only gender that opposed the womenâs movement. Woman were also opposed to the movement. Angelina Grimké Weld and her sister Sarah Moore Grimké, were "major publicists on behalf of the womenâs rights and anti-slavery" (Lauter 1945). The sisters were opposed by Catherine Beecher, an educator. Beecher "attacked them by arguing that women should restrict themselves to the domestic sphere" (Lauter 1945). Weld responded in writing to Beecher by skillfully using Beecherâs own words in defense of the sistersâ position on the activism of women, thus showing again the use of the written word in defending the womenâs movement (1954).

Sarah Moore Grimkéâs views are so farsighted that it is amazing to the reader to realize the era in which she was writing. She addresses the issues of education, income, and equality in insightful ways. Her complaints about education include the lack of education for women as well as the type of education of that women actually receive. Grimké says in her Letters on the Equality of the Sexes, and the Condition of Woman, "I am constrained to say, both from experience and observation, that their education is miserably deficient" (2024). She blames education for the idea that women should prepare only to get married and not to engage in intellectual pursuits. She uses the following scenario as an example, "In most families, it is considered a matter of far more consequence to call a girl off from making a pie or a pudding, than to interrupt her whilst engaged in her studies" (Grimké 2025). Grimké also points out that women are the chief caregivers and as such "should be prepared by education for the performance of their sacred duties as mothers and as sisters·" (2025).

Grimkéâs views on the equality of the sexes in relation to income are thought provoking from a 21^st century perspective. Grimké points out "the disproportionate value set on the time and labor of men and of women" (2025). Grimké gives this inequality as proof of the general consensus that women are inferior to men. If women were equal to men, their salaries would be the same as the salaries of men for the same jobs. Unfortunately, this issue is one that women today, 164 years after Grimké confronted it, are still fighting.

Another angle in which Grimké is surprisingly insightful is her opinion on the support of a woman within a family. Grimké notes the benefits of women taking responsibility for their own support:

"Many women are now supported, in idleness and extravagence, by the industry of their husbands, fathers, or brothers [·]. I believe that if women felt their responsibility, for the support of themselves, or their families it would add strength and dignity to their characters, and teach them more true sympathy for their husbands [·]." (2027)

One would think that men would embrace Grimkéâs idea because it takes some of their responsibilities and transfers them to women, but they do not because it means removing women from an inferior role and putting her on the same level with them. This is an unfortunate view for women, but is a reminder of Grimkéâs farsightedness. Her incredible future-minded thinking serves as a tool to make women realize their inferior role and the possibilities that await them if only they will take responsibility for themselves.

An issue of the 19^th century that goes hand-in-hand with the womenâs movement is the anti-slavery movement. The feminist writers, as well as two prominent female slaves, wielded their pens and their voices against slavery, especially the enslavement of women. The abolitionist movement was typically enforced by women. Because of this the female writers had a strong influence on the anti-slavery cause.

Angelina Grimké Weld and Sarah Moore Grimké were both active in the anti-slavery movement. Angelina Grimké Weld wrote Appeal to the Christian Women of the South, an appeal for Southern women to consider the injustice of slavery. Weld feels that women are partly responsible for the perpetuation of slavery. In her Appeal she tells the women, "I know you do not make the laws, but I also know that you are the wives and mothers, the sisters and daughters of those who do, and if you really suppose you can do nothing to overthrow slavery, you are greatly mistaken" (Weld 1947). Weld is pointing out to women that they have a great influence over the men in their family and it is their responsibility to use that influence to benefit slaves. She continues on to give women a list of instructions to follow in understanding and acting on their responsibility. Within her instructions she encourages women to, "Read then on the subject of slavery" (Weld 1947). Weld understands the importance of the written word as an educational and enlightening tool. By encouraging women to read, she is encouraging them to step out of their ordinary "female" sphere.

Sarah Moore Grimké also uses the written word to display her opinion on slavery. Grimké alludes directly to the female slave. There is no status whatsoever in the combination of being female and being a slave, thus Grimké appeals to the white female to examine her virtues in her relation to her slaves and to the men in her life. Grimké asks, "Can any American woman look at these scenes of shocking licentiousness and cruelty, and fold her hands in apathy and say, ÎI have nothing to do with slaveryâ? She cannot and be guiltless" (2027). Grimkéâs appeal to the consciences of the white women is a useful trick to spur them to action.

Not only were white women actively involved in the womenâs movement and the anti-slavery movement, two former slaves were on the forefront of the issues. Harriet Ann Jacobs escaped slavery "to become part of a circle of anti-slavery feminists" (Lauter 1837. Jacobs writes her life story in the form of a work of fiction entitled Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. Jacobs story examines the dual curse of being female and being a slave. Jacobs points out the horror in knowing that, as a slave, one is "entirely unprotected by law or custom" (1848). Being a female slave also subjects one to further degradation by the common practice of rape by the slaveâs master. Jacobâs points out that rape is a secret of slavery "concealed like those of the Inquisition" (1845). Jacobs, like Angelina Grimké Weld and Sarah Moore Grimké, knows that the white female is guilty of the perpetuation of such revolting practices as rape. In her text she says, "Southern women often marry a man knowing that he is the father of many little slaves. They do not trouble themselves about it" (Jacobs 1845). In addition to informing her audience, Jacobs is appealing to those at the forefront of slavery by trying to invoke guilt on them. Jacobs knows that if white women were to begin refusing to tolerate the raping of slaves by their husbands, the rapes would probably decline. Jacobâs fiction story is an intelligent way to get her point across. Her use of fiction makes the reader stop and think about the issues at hand: slavery and the female slaveâs plot in life.

Another slave that fought for both womenâs rights and abolition is Sojourner Truth. Truth, who could not write, dictated her autobiography to Olive Gilbert. She believed herself to be a prophet and as such traveled and "preached a combination of feminist Christianity, abolition, temperance, and womenâs rights" (2047). Truth uses Biblical parallels such as the following one to make her point, "Den dat little man in black dar, he say women canât have as much rights as men, Îcause Christ wanât a woman! [·] Whar did Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothinâ to do wid Him" (Lauter 2049). The power of Truthâs words inspire many to action for womenâs rights and abolition. She also has some views that are similar to Sarah Moore Grimké. Truth points to the inequality in the incomes of men and women and she says, "When we get our rights we shall not have to come to you for money, for then we shall have money enough in our own pockets" (2052). She knows that with the passage of womenâs rights, comes a responsibility and independence on the part of the women. She feels that this independence will be good for men because women will no longer have to depend on them. Even though Sojourner Truth was not a writer in the literal sense, her published works show the influence that she had on readers and women of her time.

These brave female writers were on the forefront of the womenâs movement. Because of their education and writing abilities, they were able to exert an influence on other women and inspire them to action. Without females using the written word, the issue of gender equality, as well as abolition, would not have been noticed in the same way. As a result, the womenâs movement has progressed rapidly in the last two centuries.

Works Cited

Gage, Frances. "Reminscences by Frances D. Gage of Sojourner Truth, for May 28-29,

1. The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter, et al.

Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1998. 2048-50.

Grimké, Sarah Moore. Letters on the Equality of the Sexes, and the Condition of

Woman. The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter, et al.

Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1998. 2024-31.

Jacobs, Harriet Ann. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. The Heath Anthology of

American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter, et al. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company,

1998. 1839-1863.

Lauter, Paul, et al., eds. The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Boston: Houghton

Mifflin Company, 1998.

Stanton, Elizabeth Cady. "Declaration of Sentiments." The Heath Anthology of

American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter, et al. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company,

1998. 2035-37.

--- Eighty Years and More: Reminiscences. The Heath Anthology of American

Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter, et al. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1998.

2033-35.

Weld, Angelina Grimké. Appeal to the Christian Women of the South. The Heath

Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter, et al. Boston: Houghton

Mifflin Company, 1998.1946-1953.

--- "Letters to Catherine Beecher." The Heath Anthology of American Literature.

Ed. Paul Lauter, et al. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1998. 1954.