More handpicked essays just for you.
Writings of colonial period in american literature
Women's rights in the late 1700's
Writings of colonial period in american literature
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
The society has completely changed from the Early Colonial Era. In the 17th century, women were seen as objects and incapable to learn. They were not allowed to complete a task that was meant for a man. However, Anne Bradstreet was an educated woman living in a time when society was narrowly defined. Her poem, The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America (1650), was taken without her knowing and published without her consent by her brother in law. In result, The Author of Her Book (1678) was published as a response to her stolen poem; it also portrayed the roles of women in the early times. To add on, The Examination of Mrs. Anne Hutchinson, at the Court of Newton (1637) also displayed the regulations toward women during the time. Anne Hutchinson …show more content…
In this passage, a man named Governor John Winthrop called Anne Hutchinson to court. He claimed she committed a crime because she shared publicized her opinions. On the contrary, Benjamin Franklin displays the appreciation for the women in a Native tribe. Franklin was one of the first people who advocated the abolishment of inequality. Therefore, he wrote Notes Concerning the Savages (1784) to draw attention to the hypocrisy buried in the American society. In this passage, he compares the American culture to the Native American culture. He evaluates the roles of women as evidence to the idea that Americans are treating the Native Americans with injustice. There are many passages written that conveys the role of women throughout the early times; such as: Backstreet’s poem, Hutchinson's trial, and Franklin’s …show more content…
For example, when Winthrop says “... the general assembly as a thing not tolerable nor comely in the sight of God nor fitting for your sex…” (240). He uses the words “not tolerable… to your sex” to further emphasize the different roles enforced for different genders. This shows that women living in Early Colonial Era were not allowed to do things they wished because they were seen as objects. According to Winthrop, women were only to agree with the church and government. They were not allowed to have their own opinions. She was later banned from the Massachusetts Bay colony because the jury was easily convinced by the society’s view of women. Giving lectures was seen as a task only a man can do. Because it was uncivil for a woman to publicize her beliefs, Winthrop was able to convince the jury to ban Hutchinson from their
Anne Hutchinson has long been seen as a strong religious dissenter who paved the way for religious freedom in the strictly Puritan environment of New England. Another interpretation of the controversy surrounding Anne Hutchinson asserts that she was simply a loving wife and mother whose charisma and personal ideas were misconstrued to be a radical religious movement. Since this alleged religious movement was led by a woman, it was quickly dealt with by the Puritan fathers as a real threat. Whatever her motives, she was clearly a great leader in the cause of religious toleration in America and the advancement of women in society. Although Anne Hutchinson is historically documented to have been banished as a religious dissenter, the real motive for her persecution was that she challenged the traditional subordinate role of women in Puritan society by expressing her own religious convictions.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was one of the most renowned women to lead campaigns for women’s rights. Her efforts were focused on "opportunities for women, for married women’s property rights, the right to divorce, and the right to custody of children; her most radical demand was for women’s right to vote" (Davidson and Wagner-Martin 845). In general Stanton wished to instill independence and self-reliance in all women. Stanton was an inspiring orator of speeches including the Declaration of Sentiments as well as the book The Women’s Bible. Upon analysis of her speeches and other works, as well as gaining knowledge of her background, one is able to assume that personal experience strongly affected her writing, which illustrates her writing as representative in that it addressed inequality based on the issue of gender. Another factor that influenced her writing was the way in which she interpreted the great works, the Declaration of Independence and the Holy Bible. Noticing the obvious discrimination and guidelines set for women, Elizabeth Cady Stanton composed a new "women friendly" version of each that she called the Declaration of Sentiments and The Women’s Bible.
Literary historicism, in the context of this discussion, describes the interpretation of literary or historical texts with respect to the cultural and temporal conditions in which they were produced. This means that the text not only catalogues how individuals respond to their particular circumstances, but also chronicles the movements and inclinations of an age as expressed in the rhetorical devices of its literature. Evaluating the trial of Anne Hutchinson within such a theoretical framework means speculating on the genesis of her theological beliefs with recourse to prevailing theories of gender, class, and interpretation. Because texts are self-contained spheres of discourse, nuanced interpretations of them can be undertaken with greater assiduity than in the case of individuals whose private experiences remain largely concealed from the interpreter's knowledge. A historical analysis of Anne Hutchinson herself is hence, in the present discussion, secondary to the analysis of how she comes across in textual discourse as a palimpsest of seventeenth century gender controversy.
Since the beginning of the 17th-century and earlier, there has always been different perspectives on women 's rights. Men and women all over the world have voiced their opinion and position in regard to the rights of women. This holds especially true in the United States during the 18th and 19th century. As women campaigned for equality, there were some who opposed this idea. There was, and always will be a series of arguments on behalf of women 's rights. Anti-women 's rights activists such as Dr. John Todd and Pro-women 's rights activist Gail Hamilton argued intelligently and tactfully on the topic. There were many key arguments made against women’s rights by Dr. John Todd, and Gail Hamilton 's rebuttal was graceful and on par with her male counterpart. Let 's examine some of Dr. John 's arguments against women 's equality.
Margaret Fell and Mary Howgill were two prominent female writers during the seventeenth century in England, both whom were members of the Religious Society of Friends – more commonly referred to as Quakers which advocated political activism, equal rights for women and secular authority. Hogwill and Fell were imprisoned for years for endorsing Quakerism. Margaret Fell penned “Women’s Speaking Justified, Proved and Allowed of by Scriptures” A work advocating for the liberty and authority of women by spiritual justification. Mary Howgill composed a letter to the leader of Parliament: Oliver Cromwell, addressing how he persecuted fellow Quakers, corrupted the world for his own gain and turned his back on God and the Word of God. In this essay,
Despite her beliefs threatening both civil and ecclesiastical law, Hutchinson’s presence was not immediately removed from the community, for she “appeared again; (she had been licensed by the court, in regard she had given hope of her repentance, to at Mr. Cotton’s house that both he and Mr. Davenport might have more opportunity to deal with her)”. In dragging out Mrs. Hutchinson’s case, she still continued to defy the wishes of the church, “much to the astonishment of all the assembly”, displaying another instance of tolerance because she still lingers in the community. “So that after much time and many arguments had been spent to bring her to see her sin, but all in vain, the church with one consent cast her out”.
Anne Hutchinson challenged the traditional role of women in the Puritan society through her opposing religious beliefs. Anne Hutchinson was most likely not the first woman to have her own thoughts. She was simply the first to act on them. Anne Hutchinson was born on or about July 17, 1591 in Alford, Lincolnshire, England. She was the daughter of Reverend Francis Marbury.
...Throughout American history, many men and women have faced difficulties such as inequality, and discrimination. However, with perseverance and determination, both early colonists, and women, have overcome these things. Women, now have every right that men do. As for the colonist; we have our own government, not a British one. “The Declaration of Independence,” by Thomas Jefferson uses pathos and diction to express why the colonies need to be free and independent from British rule. “The Declaration of Sentiments,” by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott uses logos and analogies to reveal how unequally women are treated. Finally, “A Disappointed Woman,” by Lucy Stone uses ethos and imagery to describe how women were treated and to demand equality for them. “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal” (Stanton and Mott).
Sixty- nine years after the Declaration of Independence, one group of women gathered together and formed the Seneca Falls Convention. Prior and subsequent to the convention, women were not allowed to vote because they were not considered equal to men. During the convention, Elizabeth Cady Stanton delivered the “Declaration of Sentiments.” It intentionally resembles the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men and women are created equal…” (Stanton, 466). She replaced the “men” with “men and women” to represent that women and men should be treated equally. Stanton and the other women in the convention tried to fight for voting rights. Dismally, when the Equal Rights Amendment was introduced to the Congress, the act failed to be passed. Even though women voiced their opinions out and urged for justice, they could not get 2/3 of the states to agree to pass the amendment. Women wanted to tackle on the voting inequalities, but was resulted with more inequalities because people failed to listen to them. One reason why women did not achieve their goals was because the image of the traditional roles of women was difficult to break through. During this time period, many people believed that women should remain as traditional housewives.
In Puritan led Massachusetts Bay Colony during the days of Anne Hutchinson was an intriguing place to have lived. It was designed ideally as a holy mission in the New World called the “city upon a hill,” a mission to provide a prime example of how protestant lives should have subsisted of. A key ingredient to the success of the Puritan community was the cohesion of the community as a whole, which was created by a high level of conformity in the colony. Puritan leaders provided leadership for all facets of life; socially, economically, religiously, and even politically. A certain hierarchy was very apparent in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, in which ministers always seemed to have gotten their way. Governor Winthrop got his way in 1637 by banishing a woman, Anne Hutchinson, whom he thought posed a threat to the structure of the colony. I believe that there is a legit rationale for her banishment, this being her religious ideas that were very close to that of the Antinomians who Governor Winthrop was not too fond of. I also think that this was not the primal reason. In my mind, Anne’s gender played a large role in determining whether or not she actually posed a serious threat to the solidarity of Massachusetts.
The male Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony did not like women to think that they were above them, such evidence is the trial of Anne Hutchinson at Massachusetts Bay in 1637. The document is a transcripts of Anne’s trial. Anne Hutchinson was a rebel during her time and she was fond of the concept of Antinomianism, if your not as fond with this concept,let’s break it down “Antinomiansim” is a greek word it is formed from the words “anti” and “nomos”, “anti” means against and “nomos” means law when combined they form antinomianism which means in its simplest form, against the law or against laws. The transcript was most likely at first kept just for records but eventually it was kept not only to preserve history but to capture the human spirit.
The “Trial of Anne Hutchinson” written on 1637, was during the period where women are to subject to the man. Hutchinson being a woman did affect her trial. This is seen in the trial with Governor John Winthrop. He mentioned that she had done things that are not “fitting” for her sex. Not only did she get into trouble with the churches, who were headed by man, but was also accused for promoting her opinions that salvation is God’s gift that does not need to be earned. On the other hand from John Winthrop’s “Speech to the Massachusetts General Court” in July 3, 1645, he describes about two kinds of liberty, natural and moral. “Natural” liberty was liberty to do good or evil; it is based on one’s opinion. This form of liberty is less inconsistent
Gunn, G. (1994). Trials and interrogation of Anne Hutchinson. In G. Gunn, Early American Writing (p. 159...). New York: Penguin Books.
Benjamin Franklin has been without a doubt one of the most relevant individuals in US history. His autobiography gives us a brief but detailed summary of what his life was like and how society worked in the eighteen century. This autobiography gives us many details of how the colonies where and offers and an overall image of the development of British North America which later turned into the United States. Due to the fact that this book was originally written for Franklin's son, the book concentrates in personal information and has very little information about other topics. However, there are some topics that can be extracted from his writings; one of them is gender. Even though, Franklin never talks openly about gender, we can observe how in his writing these roles are clearly assigned. In this paper, we will analyze how Benjamin's Franklin autobiography showcases the importance of gender in the early eighteenth century. Gender can be analyzed in Franklins book by looking at different topics. This given to men and women by society can be seen in the workspace, in the education of each individual, and in the family and family structure.
Feminism today remains prominent because even while women’s rights are very strong, women are still fighting for equality every day. In the time of Anne Bradstreet, women had few rights and they were seen as inferior to men. Anne lived among the puritans whom ruled her everyday life. Although it was against the puritan code for women to receive an education, Bradstreet’s father, Thomas Dudley, loved his daughter dearly and made sure that she was well educated which shows in her works. Anne Bradstreet’s literature became well known only because her family published her works under a male name. This was done because writing poetry was a serious offense to the puritans since poetry was considered creative and the only creating that was done was by God. In the works of Anne Bradstreet, she conveys a feminist attitude, and could very well be one of the first American Feminists.