Women In The French Revolution

Alec Nielsen4/25/14History 113Women in the French Revolution
Like most places in the world, until recently, women were considered an extension of their husband or father. They were given none or little rights both socially and politically. During the French revolution spanning from1789-1794, most social groups went though great changes from the nobles of the second estate, to the common man of the third. The revolutionary changes experienced by women in France were insignificant compared to most other social groups around them; their place in society stayed relatively stagnant. Revolutions often change things for everyone and the French revolution is an example of change at its minimum, at least for women. Most men and women agreed
All 17 articles of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen did not apply to women as they do not qualify as the “men’ stated in the first article whom hold citizenship (Hunt, 77). Some Ideas, however, were reconsidered and some even made it farther than just a thought such as divorce rights. Women were also granted leave from an abusive husband or father (Coffin, 554). Mary Wollstonecraft argued strongly that reforming education for independent and equal womanhood. Wollstonecraft hinted at the idea at representing women in politics but she stated, “such an idea would excite laughter” (Coffin, 553). Male revolutionaries rejected every call for equal rights for women, but their reactions in print and in speech show that these demands troubled their conception of the proper role for women. Although they lived in a revolutionary France, the average French woman was still held fast in their traditional subordinate place in society.Marie Gouze, a self educated woman found the opportunity to write her own manifesto called the Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Citizen (1791) modeled on the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. Following the structure and language of
The first on the list of the 17 rights Gouze wrote is “Woman is born free and remains equal to man in rights. Social distinctions may be based only on common utility.” (Hunt 125) After this manifesto, many women started participating in everyday things like the men did such as joining clubs, debates and demonstrations. They used the revolution to sell goods and participate in the artisan life. The government prosecuted Maria Gouze because of her Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Citizen. Once the revolution was more radical some people saw them as a threat to the order of the public and despite having this new advantage for women, another con for them was that in 1973 they had their political groups shut down. (Coffin, 554) Marquis de Condorcet also argued that the 12 million French women should receive equal political rights as men. He viewed people’s rights as everyone’s rights, he stated “either no individual in mankind had true rights, or all have the same ones” None of the national assemblies ever considered political rights for women even when it arose. (Hunt, 26-27)These changes were not that