Elizabeth Cady Stanton was one of the most renowned women to lead campaigns for women’s rights. Her efforts were focused on “opportunities for women, for married women’s property rights, the right to divorce, and the right to custody of children; her most radical demand was for women’s right to vote” (Davidson and Wagner-Martin 845). In general Stanton wished to instill independence and self-reliance in all women. Stanton was an inspiring orator of speeches including the Declaration of Sentiments as well as the book The Women’s Bible. Upon analysis of her speeches and other works, as well as gaining knowledge of her background, one is able to assume that personal experience strongly affected her writing, which illustrates her writing as representative in that it addressed inequality based on the issue of gender. Another factor that influenced her writing was the way in which she interpreted the great works, the Declaration of Independence and the Holy Bible. Noticing the obvious discrimination and guidelines set for women, Elizabeth Cady Stanton composed a new “women friendly” version of each that she called the Declaration of Sentiments and The Women’s Bible.
It has been noted that Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s father on several occasions expressed that he wished Elizabeth had been a boy. Even when she excelled in life and completed tasks in attempts to please him, he constantly reminded her it was a shame she was born a girl. His constant reminder expressed to Elizabeth that her father believed that only males could be successful, which merely fueled her ambition to succeed and prove the contrary along with ensuring that other women follow…
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…, she was merely trying to make her point known and knew that she must be forceful about her beliefs to order to get attention and get her point across. Stanton is a woman to honor for the work and success she accomplished in the fight for womenâs rights.
Works Cited
Banner, Lois W. Elizabeth Cady Stanton: A Radical for Womanâs Rights. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1980.
Davidson, Cathy N. and Linda Wagner-Martin. The Oxford Companion to Womenâs Writing In The United States. New York: Oxford United Press, 1995.
Lauter, Paul. The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1998.
Nelson, Thomas. The Holy Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1985.
Stanton, Elizabeth Cady. The Womenâs Bible. New York: Arno Press, 1972.
Ward, Geoffrey C. Not for Ourselves Alone. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1999.
Political Romantics of Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Political Romantics of Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Romantic persuasion enters all genres of literature. At the time of the American Renaissance romanticism became a prominent aspect of writing. It was a time of change not just in literature, but in the political arena. The political turmoil of the time created a new venue for writers with views of a utopian society. These author’s, with their ideals, became a catalyst for the continuing changes of today. This cunning use of language, whether intentional or accidental, continues today. Political change comes not just from thought provoking words, but from gaining the emotions of those hearing the words.
During a time in need of sweeping political change an arena is created which can serve a romantic heart well. Whether this heart is seen as romantic or warrior-like it is the passionate wording that entrances the reader. Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s work, while seen as political, speaks not just to the mind, but the heart as well. Choosing her language carefully serves two intents, demanding change and evoking desire in the reader to assist in the changes. It is this ability to create desire that makes Stanton an influential writer. Elizabeth Cady was one of eleven children born into a time in history when women had no voice. After the death of her oldest brother Stanton’s father commented, “Oh, my daughter, I wish you were a boy!” (Heath 2031). From this early time she was reminded of her limitations, but refused to accept the restrictions. Stanton went so far as to have the word “obey” omitted from her marriage vows to Henry Brewster Stanton. This formidable personality coupled with an eloquent writing ability led her into politics.
It is Stanton’s language …
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… Ellen. Century of Struggle: The Woman’s Rights Movement in the United States. Cambridge: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1996.
King, Martin Luther. “I Have a Dream.” A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings of Martin Luther King, Jr. Ed. J. M. Washington. San Francisco:
Harper