CCC8004 First essay

Chapter7
George Sand and Harriet Beecher Stowe: Exploring ‘‘Woman’s sphere’’

George Sand and Harriet Beecher Stowe, as the two popular nineteenth-century female authors, they had much in common, such as the strong spirit of independence and fight for rights for women etc. However, they certainly had some differences too. In this essay, it will be talk about their similarities, differences and which one is better. Also, their success and construction to the society will be discussed too.

Sand and Stowe were also facing problems as other women although they were well-known and successful in their careers. They had aristocratic background but they had already lived with poverty. They had the experience of turbulent years of civil and social strife. Compared to them, maybe Sand was the poor one. Her love affair was not smoothly. After Sand end her first unhappy marriage, she was living with a series of men, even people called her ‘‘the most obscene of women’’. Stowe had the quite different lifestyle. She was more conservative relatively. However, in the political area, Sand did not agree that the political rights for women, even suffrage. She valued social equality but not political equality. Stowe favored women suffrage and thought that it was a way to advance the virtues of domesticity. Besides, this two writers also played an active role on public affairs by writing. Sand mainly focused on the injustices on women and the lower classes while Stowe was describing the predicament of slaves. However, each advocated that woman’s way of looking at things is valued and believed that it could help to improve the world if the men understood it. The most important view of them is that women had the rights to work and own property. Women should be paid equally with man. The love and virtue of women can change the world. It might be a little bit exaggerated but the things they did were actually change the world and improve the rights of women.

This two famous female writer were also successful and contributive. Who was a better one to the society? Sand used a male pseudonym and men’s clothing to get more freedom. In addition, her lifestyle might be more open than many women nowadays. As a woman, she seemed to be very successful and knew how to get the rights of women, not only control by men. She was an exemplary person for women. However, many people thought that her behavior was inappropriate and could not be accepted. Compared to Stowe, Stowe had more influence to the society. Her novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin described the lives of African American under slavery and energized the anti-slavery force in the America North. The President Abraham Lincoln once assessed her ‘‘so this is the little lady who made this big war’’. We can see the influence of Stowe. Although Sand was more outstanding at identifying problems facing of women, Stowe was better at suggesting solutions.

Sand and Stowe were the successful writers. Their writings have positive effects to women’s equality and their contribution should be appreciated. Although their views might not as same as the modern women’s rights activists, they bring up the value and virtue of women.