French Revolution and Women - 3224 Words

Do you see a change in the status and role of the women during the French Revolution? In what ways did it find and an expression in popular culture, art and the new political changes associated with the French Revolution? BY: RITESH AGARWAL B.A. HISTORY HONS IIIRD YEAR MODERN WORLD HISTORY The great French feminist, Simone de Beauviour remarked, â€Å"The world has always belonged to males †¦ One might expect the French Revolution to have changed women’s lot. It did nothing of the kind. That bourgeois institution and bourgeois values; and it were almost made exclusively by men.† However, since the time of Simone de Beauvoir, recent scholarship, starting from the 1970’s has brought to light the enormous role women played in the French†¦show more content†¦The organization charged expensive dues, which most working-class women were not able to afford; most of the club’s population consisted of upper class women. The most notable of the women’s clubs was the Club des Citoyennes Republicaines Revolutionnaires, which was founded in the spring of 1793 by Pauline Leon and Claire Lacombe. The women that were part of this club were sans-culottes who emphasized economic claims, cheap food, and basic improvements for women rather than demands of feminists like Olympe de Gouges and Etta Palm d’Aelders. Women’s political involvement was stimulated by clubs, but there was also a more focused vein who sought greater rights for women. The feminist movement began as early as1789 when Olympe de Gouges, a failed working-class actres s, petitioned the National Assembly for reforms, she demanded â€Å"full legal equality of the sexes, wide job opportunities for women, a state alternative to the primary dowry system, and schooling for girls.† In 1791, de Gouges published her â€Å"Declaration of the Rights of Women† which was modeled on â€Å"Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen† and called for equal rights between women and men, a National Assembly for women, a single standard of justice, and freedom of speech for women. During the same time, the Marquise de Condorcet,Show MoreRelatedWomen Of The French Revolution1696 Words   |  7 PagesWomen participated in virtually every aspect of the French Revolution. Their participation almost always proved controversial, as women s status in the family, society, and politics had long been a subject of great debate. In the eighteenth century, women were destined to cater to their husbands and families, taking on domestic roles in the h ome rather than public, political ones. Despite this, women in the revolution demonstrated themselves as symbols of subversive brilliance, previously unprecedentedRead MoreWomen in the French Revolution1101 Words   |  5 Pages9:45-11:10 Women in the French Revolution: The Ultimate Failure of Women’s Acquisition of Equal Rights The French Revolution has often been touted as the revolution that liberated individuals and gave triumph to traditionally oppressed groups. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, which was France’s declaration of rights drafted during the revolution, garnered basic human rights to all man, leaving all women as a subservient afterthought. Due to this oversight, many women as wellRead MoreWomen in the French Revolution714 Words   |  3 Pagesthe streets of Paris during the French Revolution (Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities). The French Revolution started in 1789 and came to a complete end in 1799; it was a turning point for the majority of France, the commoners, who were pressured by the aristocracy. Women during this time had little to no rights, but were very involved in the Revolution. They handled necessary duties for women at that time as well as staging demonstrations and riots; other women were more involved than othersRead MoreWomen in the Fren ch Revolution1796 Words   |  8 PagesWomen in the French Revolution The French Revolution was a time of cast conflict that dramatically altered the political and social order of France. Women during the revolution period had many roles including theyre political involvement, donation of time to revolutionaries, and contributions to ideologies. However, with all the contributions, women were still victimized by the changes that occurred. While these roles had a huge impact on the equality between mean and women this impact did notRead MoreWomen And Women During The French Revolution1413 Words   |  6 PagesDuring the French Revolution, namely 1789, men and women were both dealing with change in government, society, and many different aspects of life. Two documents that represent the rights of men and women are Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen and The Vindication of the Rights of Woman. These two documents are similar in content because they describe how men and women should be treated as equals in society. The Declaration of the R ights of Man and of the Citizen came first, and sparkedRead More Declaring the Rights of Men and Women in the French Revolution628 Words   |  3 Pages The French Revolution was a dark time in the history of man. From corruption in government to the almost certainty of starvation for the French peasants, there seemed to be no sign of better times. These were just a few of the logs in the ever-growing revolutionary fire that was burning in the late 1700s. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;There were many causes to the French Revolution ranging from: poor distribution of power and wealth, a bad harvest which left no grain for bread, a manufacturingRead MoreWomen s Rights During The French Revolution1041 Words   |  5 Pages However, ‘theory’ is the key word here, as this was not true in practice. As Johnson highlights, there were no legal provisions at any point during the French Revolution to guarantee these rights. Although the estates system was abolished, the class system remained, and there continued to be huge wealth disparity in France. As the October Days in the same year highlighted, urban workers continued to struggle to afford bread. The Declaration only guaranteed equality of rights. Although this isRead MoreBroken Promises of the French Revolution and Why French Women Did Not Get the Vote Until 19442987 Words   |  12 PagesPromises of the French Revolution and Why French Women Did Not Get the Vote Until 1944 Because of the discontinuity of French political history, the strength of the Patriarchal culture, and the inability of the French feminist movement to form a cohesive unit, French women could not obtain the right to vote until 1944. To answer the question of why French women did not receive the right to vote until April 21, 1944, one only needs to look at the paradoxical nature of the French Revolution of 1789Read MoreElusive Women Rights As widely cited the French Revolution served as the greatest war of liberation3000 Words   |  12 PagesElusive Women Rights As widely cited the French Revolution served as the greatest war of liberation of the human race and decried as bloodthirsty lesson on the working of mob mentality. Women despite their extensive participation in the relatively legitimate and orderly legislative and political process, which characterized the first phase of the Revolution, as well as in the violence of the Terror were no better off in 1804 after the formulation of the Napoleonic Code. The question asked is plainRead MoreThe French Revolution of 1789- 1799 was a time of change for many people of France. The Revolution600 Words   |  3 PagesThe French Revolution of 1789- 1799 was a time of change for many people of France. The Revolution led to many changes in France which at the time of the Revolution, was the most powerful state in Europe. The major cause of the French Revolution was the disputes between the different types of social classes in French society. Harsh economic conditions brought high taxes and bad ha rvests resulted in suffering for the revolutionary women. They broke people down in Three estates: 1st was made up of