Book Reviews and Analysis

Waves of Feminism:

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Women in the 16th Century:

- Possibilities for women were extremely limited and the majority were poorly educated. A few select women (mostly nobles) were able to differentiate themselves from the era's stereotypical women, through their writing.

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Women in the 17th Century: 

The idea of female intellectuals became a steadily more established/accepted one. For men, as long as they weren't involved in the actual decision making, women were allowed to contribute to conversations usually privy to men. Still yet to be formally educated but through intense observation and inquisitive minds - eager to explore this new platform they learnt in whatever way they could. Women suddenly held the pretty substantial position of a subtle advisor to men. Also the introduction of a newly accessible profession - the actress - became a source of independence and individualism for women. 

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Women in the 18th Century:

The trend of increasing women's emancipation continues yet education was still limited and they were still restricted to a non-consensual transactional marriage or convent life. However the female voice is noticeably amplified particularly in the political and scholarly spheres. The introduction of respected female writers became acknowledged and the works of Aphra Behn and her contemporaries were finally something deemed worth recognising by men. 

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Women in the 19/20th Century:

The introduction of women in the work place as the technical and industrial revolution meant that men simply weren't enough anymore opened up some from of liberation for women. However with women being paid much less than men employers more readily employed them, exacerbating the already negative perceptions men had of them. During the 19th century, with contraceptions and abortions (despite consequences for some) were finally liberated somewhat from being a slave to their bodies, reclaiming control over her reproductive 'servitudes'

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Mrs Fawcett began a suffragist movement towards the fin de siécle. But it was around 1903 that the movement began to gain momentum; primarily spearheaded by the Pankhurst family creating the Women's Social and Political Union (later joining with the Labour Party) and transforming into something similar to the activists we recognise today. Over time, with arrests, legislation failures, hunger strikes delaying the cause year after year they starting turning to more militant tactics. But eventually their hard work accumulated to a successful outcome; limited in 1918 to certain women yet still a triumph this translated 10 years later to the vote for all women. Whats interesting is that in many countries feminism started with men. 

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Prominent Feminists: Mrs Fawcett, Rosa Luxembourg, Sappho, Christine de Pizan, Mary Wollestonecraft, Olympe de Gouges, Quaker Lucretia Mott, Susan B. Anthony (NAWSA), Mary Baker Eddy (Christian Science Church), Doris Stevens, Alice Paul (Suffrage movement), Hippel, Louise Otto (GGWA),  Clara Zetkin,