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Harris
Women in Literature
Stanton/Fuller
Elizabeth Cady Stanton: From Address to the New York State Legislature, 1860
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a prominent figure in the womens civil rights movement.
Her philosophical essays address the significant gender inequality that plagued this era. Women
at this time lacked many rights that were granted to men. She delivered many speeches to law-
makers on the subject to persuade a change in the government laws. In her Address to the New
York State Legislature, Elizabeth Cady Stanton attacks the expectations of women in society and
challenges the senate to change their laws. One passage in the speech states:
Now, do not think, gentlemen, we wish you to do a great many troublesome things for
us. We do not ask our legislators to spend a whole session in fixing up a code of laws to satisfy a
class of most unreasonable women. [] In mercy, let us take care of of ourselves, our property,
our children, and our homes. True, we are not so strong, so wise, so crafty as you are, but if any
kind friend leaves us a little money, or we can by great industry earn fifty cents a day, we would
rather buy bread and clothes for our children then cigars and champagne for our legal protectors.
[] We do not ask man to represent us; it is hard enough in times like these for men to carry
backbone enough to represent himself. [] In pity for man, we would no longer hang like a mill-
This passage, in particular, exemplifies multiple strategies that Elizabeth Cady Stanton
uses to her advantages. Her most significant strategy is her rhetoric. Elizabeth Cady Stanton
prided herself in her rhetoric, philosophy, and wit. She begins the paragraph by informing the
men that it would not be a difficult task to give women equal rights. She continues to flatter the
men, saying that the women as a species are not as strong, wise, or crafty. Similar to Mary
Wollstonecraft, she promises that their allowance of rights will not destroy society, but benefit it.
Women, with more rights, would be better mothers and better wives. In a last effort of
persuasion, she attempts to convince the men for more rights by informing them that women are
an unnecessary burden on them. By giving women rights, men would be relieved of their duties.
The sentence In pity for man, we would no longer hand like a mill-stone round his
neck, stands out in particular. The imagery that the simile creates is extremely powerful.
Comparing women to as heavy of a burden as a stone around someones neck is striking to the
It is evident that Elizabeth Cady Staton is aware of her audience. She is speaking to a
senate, which is composed of wealthy, educated, white men. These white men in particular are
not significantly interested in women. They believe them to be uneducated, and that their place is
as home-makers, wives, and mothers. While a woman speaker is addressing them, they This
passage, and the entirety of the speech, is eloquently stated. Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a well
educated woman, but she had to prove her intelligence. In a room She was clever and cunning in
her words.
This passage is located near the end of her speech. Throughout the speech, Elizabeth
Cady Stanton relays multiple reasons why women deserve equality.
She depicts women to have less rights than slaves. She argues that in many legal codes (such as
marriage) women and men are classified as one. She compares women to monsters, that men
must be afraid of. In a last call to arms she states that women should not be afraid of this
power that they would be granted. They can simply use that laws that the men use for
themselves.
Frequently throughout this speech, Elizabeth Cady Stanton draws heavy parallels
between the treatment of women and slaves. She focuses on the parallels prejudice of color and
the prejudice of sex. At the time that these pieces were written, the Civil War was close in the
near future. Slavery, and the morality of owning slaves, was a heavily discussed topic. Many
Americans were questioning their traditions. By drawing parallels between slavery and
patriarchy, it puts the plight of women in a new light. She describes their struggles to be
synonymous. For every right one is granted, the other is deprived. They both exist to be
subordinate to white males.
overall effect of all of the above elements, where does the passage take us, as readers, how
does the passage connect the rest of the text/purpose/drive the plot forward, character study
how does the passage connect to one or more broader themes or ideas in the short story or
novel as a whole.
dont worry, you wont have to make any new laws, just apply your laws to us to