Near the end of the eighteenth century, France was reinventing itself. The yawning gap between the nobility and the common people sparked a revolution that redefined the French government. This autonomous government was bent on dissolving social barriers and ruling based on reason rather than tradition, among many other revolutionary ideas. Above the fray rang a singular and fierce voice that dared to out-revolutionize the rest of the nation.
Olympe de Gouges was a self made playwright and Parisian intellect born in the third estate. The Rights of Woman (1791), published on the heels of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789), was her attempt to break down gender barriers. Unfortunately, her beliefs proved too much for her time and led to her death at the guillotine in 1793.
The Rights of Woman tests the integrity of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen by echoing much of the latter’s enumerated articles. Article X, which is perhaps the embodiment of the document, argues that since woman has the right to be punished for her crimes, she must also have the right to speak publicly about her beliefs.
Essentially, Gouges raises reasonable yet progressive questions in this document:
- Does the revolution address the rights of women? (Article I)
- Why are women unrepresented when half of the nation and workforce is made up of them? (Article VI, XIII, XVI)
- Why are women unable to claim their own property? (XVII)
Gouges also addresses hypocrisy…
- A child born out of wedlock has no legal protection, while a bastard child does. (Article XI)
These points must have compelled one to reexamine the position of women in the French revolution. However, her ambitions were too early for her time, and Gouges may have been overzealous in her indignation for her sex. This was evident in her incendiary language in both the preamble and postamble.
At this point in time, we can see that many of Gouges’ concerns have been met. However, I believe further progress can be made, as women are still paid less than men in the workplace.