LITR 4232: American Renaissance
University of Houston-Clear Lake
Student Presentation, spring 2001

Reader: Jessica Hayman

Discussion notes: Cleo Huval-Moore

Tuesday, 13 February

Woman in the Nineteenth Century by Sarah Margaret Fuller:

Women Gain Their Voice

This was a team presentation with Lisa Runnels and Jessica Hayman. Lisa discussed Elizabeth Cady Stanton's work while Jessica focused on Fuller.

Both presentations examined the works as they related to course objective number three with emphasis on the "representative problems and subjects of American culture." especially concerning the place of women in a male-dominated society.

The women encountered in this course so far have slowly gained their voice. In "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" the women do not speak. Katrina has a clandestine conversation with Brom Bones that ultimately leads to Ichabod's fateful ride through the woods and his encounter with the headless horseman. However, the readers are not privy to Katrina's words. We are left to wonder what she might have said, and her lack of voice leads to the ambiguous nature of the story. In this story, the men speak, not the women.

With the emergence of Cora in Last of the Mohicans, a woman does finally speak. However, it is in a fictional work and Cora is a mere character. She is not speaking for or by herself; a male author gives her words to her. Finally with Sarah Fuller, we get a woman writer and speaker who voices her own opinion in her own words.

LIFE HISTORY OF SARAH FULLER

Her father was a member of Congress and Speaker of the Massachusetts House. He was disappointed with a daughter but did educate her. She was forced to take a job within the "woman's sphere" as a schoolteacher after her father died and her family required her to support them. "But Fuller saw teaching as a means, not an end and she keenly felt her isolation from the intellectual circles in Boston" (1690-91). From there, Fuller broke out of the woman's sphere and began leading "conversations" for women, which focused on things from poetry to philosophy. These conversations became so popular that men had to finally be allowed to attend!

In her piece, "Women in the Nineteenth Century," Fuller explores the cultural problems of race and gender. These power words refute all of mens' arguments that the woman is the weaker sex.

Finally, we have a woman who speaks to the cultural problems of her day. She questions the hypocrisy of fighting for the rights of slave men while making more laws that restrict women's rights. She is fearless and outspoken (much like Cora) and questions men directly and refutes their arguments against women. Fuller uses her writing as a platform to express her ideas and to encourage others.

A lively discussion regarding the role of women and how they are viewed, not only in the nineteenth century ensued.

Dr. White pointed out that Fuller is a white woman, but her womanhood partly excludes her from power just a Fredrick Douglass's race - or Sojorner Truth's race and gender - exclude them.

Lynn said that she felt discrimination has flipped the other way. That people feel sorry for her because she has three boys.

Thomas noted that there is still discrimination against women and men still make more money.

Cleo noted the parallels between women feeling as if they were being taxed with out representation and the men at the Boston tea party.

Valerie used the Abigail Adams letter on page 905 to indicate her thoughts on women's rights during the Declaration of Independence.

Dr. White spoke on the need for Fuller and others not to alienate the powerful in their path for equality. He added that progress was extremely slow and there was resistance to the idea of women's rights due to the mobile nature of the U.S. The constant change to the family broke down to the nuclear family from a traditional family.