1. Women of the Enlightenment

2. Background
From Renaissance to Enlightenment, women consistently considered inferior to men with domestic role in society
Representation & attitude toward women gradually improved
Particularly through literature
New intellectual trends: novel & salon
Gave new public voice
Saw some first signs of feminism, although strict gender roles were promoted
Foundations of equality found in 17th century thinkers
Descartes – All women had ability to be educated
Locke – Women equally independent in state of nature

3. Dual Effect on Women Some promotion of women’s rights
Liberty & equality should apply to women as well as men
Laid foundations of modern feminism
Individualism & rationality challenged women’s relegated role in society
Persistence of ideas of inferiority & subjugation
Women mostly excluded from discussions on liberty & equality
Rise of ideology of domesticity
Women’s role as mothers & wives
Place in the home
Writers separated women as opposites of men (Rousseau)

4. Philosophes on Women Positive views Negative views
Some blamed society for women’s inequality
Believed in women’s intellectual potential
Marquis de Condorcet –proclaimed women’s right to equal citizenship & education
Negative views
Promotion of old notions of inferiority & weakness
Women continually linked with irrationality & emotion
Excluded from philosophical discussions

5. Rousseau on Women Social contract included one between men and women
Men protect women
Women serve men
Emile: articulation of separate spheres
Men = public
Women = private
Glorified domesticity

6. Women of the Enlightenment
Many women greatly affected by ideas of the Enlightenment
Influenced Enlightenment as salonnieres & sponsors
Began to demand greater role in intellectual life

7. Women of the Enlightenment
Mary Astell
Challenged notion of separate spheres
Criticized failure to extend notions of liberty to women
Mary Wollstonecraft
Wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Woman
Advocated equality of sexes
Formulated main doctrines of modern women’s movement
Education was key to equality & independence
Oympe de Gouges
Wrote Declaration of the Rights of Woman
Asserted women’s ability to reason & make moral decisions
Women not same as, but equal to men
Had right to free speech

8. Conclusions Did not result in advances for most women
Education extended, but became gender-specific
Women excluded from many fields
Economic setbacks due to rise of capitalism
Separation of public & private
Ideology of domesticity restricted women
Gave birth to new feminist consciousness & advocacy of rights & opportunities for women

9. Broad Summation
Throughout the majority of Western history, women were relegated in European society to the confines of the domestic sphere. Women were prohibited from enjoying any legal, political, or economic rights, and were primarily regarded as instruments for men’s happiness.
Women were traditionally depicted as fitting one of two primary stereotypes – the highly sexualized seductress or the chaste, virtuous mother, daughter, or wife
From the Renaissance through the enlightenment, women did experience some improvement in their social position, particularly through literature; however, for the most part they continued to be denied access to the public sphere.

10. Class Activities Primary Source Reading:
Wollstonecraft VS Rousseau
Discussion: the paradox of Enlightenment ideology & the treatment of women / non-Europeans