Difference between revisions of "Week 6 Questions/Comments-327 11"
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(→JUDITH SARGENT MURRAY, Story of Margaretta, 1798) |
(→SUSANNA HASWELL ROWSON, Charlotte: A Tale of Truth, 1794) |
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I include this quote because I really think that this is a concept that so many activist leaders could relate to... the dream of wanting a better world, not for themself, but for their CHILDREN. It also is significant because the person for whom Susanna Rowson feels had a bad life was not that of her own, but of Charlotte. Maybe it is that oppression is seen more extensively in those around the oppressed than in the oppressed themself, or maybe Susanna felt her life was NOT oppressed after hearing that of Charlottes. --Sara S. | I include this quote because I really think that this is a concept that so many activist leaders could relate to... the dream of wanting a better world, not for themself, but for their CHILDREN. It also is significant because the person for whom Susanna Rowson feels had a bad life was not that of her own, but of Charlotte. Maybe it is that oppression is seen more extensively in those around the oppressed than in the oppressed themself, or maybe Susanna felt her life was NOT oppressed after hearing that of Charlottes. --Sara S. | ||
| − | The message is the ''honor'' of women is very important. If a women acts against her honor or goodwill, then ultimately she will end in death. I have a question for this story? Were men or women reading this story, or both? Or who was the intended audience? These questions could shed some light on how women were perceived to act. --Michelle M. | + | The message is the ''honor'' of women is very important. If a women acts against her honor or goodwill, then ultimately she will end in death. I have a question for this story?''' Were men or women reading this story, or both? Or who was the intended audience? These questions could shed some light on how women were perceived to act.''' --Michelle M. |
Although the power and influence of men over women is highly apparent in this time period, I was rather shocked when Montraville essentially kidnapped Charlotte when she refused to go overseas with him due to loyalty and duty to her parents. More shocking however, is that fact that no one attempted to aid Charlotte when she was shrieking and obviously being taken against her will. Particularly Mademoiselle could have alerted someone to what was going on, but perhaps since she came to see Belcour that she was under his influence not to. Furthermore, once Montraville acquired Charlotte as his wife in the colonies, he treated her with indifference and neglect. This shows that males wanted to exert and demonstrate their power over women and once they had secured that power, the women required no more of their attention. –Clare O. | Although the power and influence of men over women is highly apparent in this time period, I was rather shocked when Montraville essentially kidnapped Charlotte when she refused to go overseas with him due to loyalty and duty to her parents. More shocking however, is that fact that no one attempted to aid Charlotte when she was shrieking and obviously being taken against her will. Particularly Mademoiselle could have alerted someone to what was going on, but perhaps since she came to see Belcour that she was under his influence not to. Furthermore, once Montraville acquired Charlotte as his wife in the colonies, he treated her with indifference and neglect. This shows that males wanted to exert and demonstrate their power over women and once they had secured that power, the women required no more of their attention. –Clare O. | ||
| − | I found it astonishing that this woman was such a successful writer during this time period, I suppose the themes were acceptable to the vast majority of men who allowed her works to be published. Preaching to young girls to obey her parents; if she dishonors herself and her parents by eloping, she will most certainly live a horrible life and die ashamed. I was curious, on page 194, what exactly does Rownson mean by “sober matron”, I thought her intended audience was the “young and thoughtless of the fair sex”. I found the title to be interesting as well, “Charlottle. A Tale of Truth” this implies that this is story is not only true but this is the horrible truth of the consequences of dishonor. -- Emma C. | + | '''I found it astonishing that this woman was such a successful writer during this time period''', I suppose the themes were acceptable to the vast majority of men who allowed her works to be published. Preaching to young girls to obey her parents; if she dishonors herself and her parents by eloping, she will most certainly live a horrible life and die ashamed. I was curious, on page 194, what exactly does Rownson mean by “sober matron”, I thought her intended audience was the “young and thoughtless of the fair sex”. I''' found the title to be interesting as well, “Charlottle. A Tale of Truth” this implies that this is story is not only true but this is the horrible truth of the consequences of dishonor.''' -- Emma C. |
I thought Rowson's conversation with the "sober matron" who's checking the book before letting her daughter read it throughout the chapters we read was really interesting. Even though her stated audience was young women, urging them not to go off and elope themselves, she kind of seems to be appealing to the importance of mothers in raising their children properly in a way that I'm not sure we've seen before. -- Katie C. | I thought Rowson's conversation with the "sober matron" who's checking the book before letting her daughter read it throughout the chapters we read was really interesting. Even though her stated audience was young women, urging them not to go off and elope themselves, she kind of seems to be appealing to the importance of mothers in raising their children properly in a way that I'm not sure we've seen before. -- Katie C. | ||
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I agree with Clare, i was also surprised where the rest of the family was when she needed help. Montraville basically guilt-tripped Charlotte into going against her parents and leaving them for him. She was a woman of value, morals and beliefs that she was very strongly rooted in; but eventually gave into the love of her life. So far in class, we talk about how much power the male member of the family has, however, it was interesting to see how much influence and power he had with her, even before he became apart of the family; he was basically giving her ultimatums. (top of 200).... --Aqsa Z. | I agree with Clare, i was also surprised where the rest of the family was when she needed help. Montraville basically guilt-tripped Charlotte into going against her parents and leaving them for him. She was a woman of value, morals and beliefs that she was very strongly rooted in; but eventually gave into the love of her life. So far in class, we talk about how much power the male member of the family has, however, it was interesting to see how much influence and power he had with her, even before he became apart of the family; he was basically giving her ultimatums. (top of 200).... --Aqsa Z. | ||
| − | I really enjoyed reading the novel. I thought that for the time it was well thought out and that the reader was able to follow the storyline. What was even more amazing to me was that a woman wrote this and published it under her own name. I assumed even women that had attended the schooling were not encouraged to use their schooling other than to help with the rearing of future leaders. Does this mean that they are more works by women of this era, under their own names? –Kayle P | + | I really enjoyed reading the novel. I thought that for the time it was well thought out and that the reader was able to follow the storyline.''' What was even more amazing to me was that a woman wrote this and published it under her own name. I assumed even women that had attended the schooling were not encouraged to use their schooling other than to help with the rearing of future leaders. Does this mean that they are more works by women of this era, under their own names?''' –Kayle P |
| − | Yuck. I am glad that we read this in the same week as the Judith Murray piece, since both are more soapbox than story. I found it interesting that the "female" writer reinforced existing gender roles, while the "male" writer offered alternatives for women. Why did Murray choose to use a male voice? Was it because she felt her ideas would be taken more seriously? Because she was afraid of repercussions? Getting back to the Charlotte piece though, yuck. This melodramatic thing was a bestseller for 50 years? I would be curious to see what the rest of her work was like. Although, as Rowson suggests within the story, this was probably a novel intended to be passed along to young women by their sober mothers (as a means for controlling them through gullible fear, and perpetuating existing patriarchal marital framework). Why women perpetuated this, more even than men did, I will never understand. --Stef L. | + | '''Yuck. I am glad that we read this in the same week as the Judith Murray piece, since both are more soapbox than story.''' I found it interesting that the "female" writer reinforced existing gender roles, while the "male" writer offered alternatives for women. Why did Murray choose to use a male voice? Was it because she felt her ideas would be taken more seriously? Because she was afraid of repercussions? '''Getting back to the Charlotte piece though, yuck. This melodramatic thing was a bestseller for 50 years? I would be curious to see what the rest of her work was like. Although, as Rowson suggests within the story, this was probably a novel intended to be passed along to young women by their sober mothers (as a means for controlling them through gullible fear, and perpetuating existing patriarchal marital framework). Why women perpetuated this, more even than men did, I will never understand.''' --Stef L. |
I read this a few years ago in a literature class, and it still makes me cringe out of disgust for certain characters and be filled with sadness for Charlotte. I also wonder, who did she intend to write this for? Men, women, children? It's a tale of betrayal and dishonesty. I'm assuming it was meant to be a lesson of what to do and what not to do. If you disobey your parents, have sex, and run away, you will be punished. Unfortunately for the the characters in this story, their punishment was death. Charlotte did all of what I previously stated and died in the end; Belcour tricks his friend and Charlotte, lies, and betrays and is killed by Montraville; La Rue is just as guilty of lying, trickery, and betrayal as Belcour and also faces a miserable death. --Ashley V. | I read this a few years ago in a literature class, and it still makes me cringe out of disgust for certain characters and be filled with sadness for Charlotte. I also wonder, who did she intend to write this for? Men, women, children? It's a tale of betrayal and dishonesty. I'm assuming it was meant to be a lesson of what to do and what not to do. If you disobey your parents, have sex, and run away, you will be punished. Unfortunately for the the characters in this story, their punishment was death. Charlotte did all of what I previously stated and died in the end; Belcour tricks his friend and Charlotte, lies, and betrays and is killed by Montraville; La Rue is just as guilty of lying, trickery, and betrayal as Belcour and also faces a miserable death. --Ashley V. | ||
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I thought that this was very interesting because it so obviously enforces the gender roles of the time. It seems to support them, yet Charlotte was so incredibly unhappy with her life with Montraville that it also seems a little unlikely that Rowson actually believed that her life was the best life. The first time that she had felt joy was when her father had resurfaced in her life, and she was dying. I also found it very intriguing that Montraville was not mentioned or seen at all in the last chapter when she was dying. --Mary Beth M. | I thought that this was very interesting because it so obviously enforces the gender roles of the time. It seems to support them, yet Charlotte was so incredibly unhappy with her life with Montraville that it also seems a little unlikely that Rowson actually believed that her life was the best life. The first time that she had felt joy was when her father had resurfaced in her life, and she was dying. I also found it very intriguing that Montraville was not mentioned or seen at all in the last chapter when she was dying. --Mary Beth M. | ||
| − | It is quite interesting that Susanna Rowson published this novel under her own name. I think it is an assumption and a stereotype that all women had to use masculine pen names to avoid gender discovery. Rowson obviously drew acclaim and success for years after the publication of her work, despite the novel being written by a woman. As many of my classmates have already pointed out, I also was struck by how Rowson cemented gender roles in her writing as opposed to challenging them. --Ellen S. | + | It is quite interesting that Susanna Rowson published this novel under her own name. I think it is an assumption and a stereotype that all women had to use masculine pen names to avoid gender discovery. Rowson obviously drew acclaim and success for years after the publication of her work, despite the novel being written by a woman. '''As many of my classmates have already pointed out, I also was struck by how Rowson cemented gender roles in her writing as opposed to challenging them.''' --Ellen S. |
