Anna Barbauld The Rights Of Women

Romantic Era: A Man's World If Jesus was a woman would he have gotten any recognition? When we are born, we are limited to the characteristics we get to choose. We do not get to choose our gender, family, and most of our childhood. Being born a man has a different significance than being born a woman. “The Poor Singing Dame” by Mary Robinson, “The Thorn” by Wordsworth William, and “The Rights of Women” by Anna Barbauld all have a similar components in common. The women in these writings were subjected to play roles that they did not have any input in. It is unjust that women have been forced by society to play smaller roles than men. In “The Poor Singing Dame” Mary plays the role of a lively woman which is considered abnormal due to the fact that she was poor, but also because she was a woman. The Lord grew envious
Barbauld can be seen as a feminist for promoting women's rights, but her poem “The rights of women” seems to contradict her beliefs. She is suggesting that women are not equal to men and that a man's opinion matters more than a woman's. Barbauld believes women should let go of their ambition of fighting for their rights when it comes to having a personal relationship with a man. “Then, then, abandon each ambitious thought, Conquest or rule thy heart shall feebly move” (Barbauld 49 Lines 29-30) Anna is suggesting that women should change in order to please their husband because they are the first priority. Once again pushing forward the ideology that women are meant to serve men. Anna grew up treated equally to the men around her. Her father was a teacher and was willing to teach her what he taught the men in his classes. When Anna was married she was treated equal by her husband. Unlike Anna many women do not face the same situation. Just because she decided to change to please her husband does not mean that other women experience the same