- I found item 12 to be particularly interesting. Item 12 states that women and men should be prosecuted under the law equally and fairly; they should also adhere to the same set of legal rules. I found this interesting, because being arrested is a detrimental experience, yet De Gouges’ is understanding that in order for women to attain true equality to men women must accept both the good and bad that come with it.
- De Gouges and Wollstonecraft seem to share the same idea that marriage enslaves women, because they are forced to remain docile and obedient to their husbands even if they are abused or treated poorly within the union. I believe their concerns are very authentic and telling to the time period in which they lived. Since women did not have any real way to pursue financial freedom other than marriage, many women were entrapped in unsafe marriages and unable to pursue their own interests and desires.
- It is very disheartening yet eye opening to read these texts, because it reminds me of the battle that took over a hundred years women had to fight in order to assert true equality under the law in the United States. Reading the texts also makes me realize how foolish the beliefs men had of women truly were, and makes me appreciative to live in a time period where those ideas are almost eradicated. One issue that De Gouges and Wollstonecraft address that still seems relevant today is the idea that a woman’s purpose is to serve and please their husband; I say this, because women in my culture still face this dilemma. In Puerto Rico, women are expected to cook and clean for their husbands and even remain loyal when the husband has stepped out of the relationship. Growing up I can recall many times in which my own grandmother has told me I have to learn how to cook and clean in order to maintain my future husband or I would remain single forever.
Olympe de Gouges and Mary Wollstonecraft Response- Claudia Agosto
This entry was posted in assignments. Bookmark the permalink.