Analysis Of Margaret Fuller's Woman In The Nineteenth Century

Introduction:
Summary: Margaret Fuller, author of Woman in the Nineteenth Century argues that humanity will only become suited for the beauty of the world and heaven when “freedom for Woman as much as for Man shall be acknowledged as a right, not yielded as a concession”. The essay begins to show a claim, counter-claim, and refutation format and through this, Fuller argues that women should be equal. Fuller begins her essay with explaining how deeply embedded this idea that women are inferior to men by giving an example of a common phrase of time. She explains how these is not only unfair but also unreasonable because why would a God, who is perfect, create inferior beings and give them less intellectual gifts. This alleged lack of reason …show more content…
Fuller successfully argues that inequality between genders in unreasonable through her use of logic in the support of her arguments. Fuller persuasively argues that it has been proven for many years by other cultures that women can work well in places outside the home. Fuller argues, “The female Greek, of our day is as much in the street as the male to cry ‘What news?’ We doubt it not it was the same of the Athens of old” (207). Fuller effectively argues that women are capable of more because she uses proven facts of female success from an era famous for forward thinking and discovery. She uses the statement “The female Greek…is as much in the street as the male…” to show that equality in the sexes in not unheard of and has, in the Grecian culture, succeeded before. Therefore, logically, it is unreasonable for women to be oppressed because they have already proven in the Greek culture to be capable of public position. In her successful argument, Fuller states women in America can be strong in places outside the home, as many have proven which logically shows her argument that female oppression is unreasonable. Fuller passionately states, “…we should think those who had seen the great actresses, and heard the Quaker preachers of modern times, would not doubt that Woman can express publicly the fulness [sic] of thought and …show more content…
Fuller’s use of sophisticated diction gives validity to her belief that women are capable of the rights given to men. Fuller eloquently persuades women to be “… in hope of an animation for her existence commensurate with what she sees enjoyed by men” (206). Fuller uses words like “commensurate” to appeal to a more educated audience since they are the ones with the most power to influence society and change it in favor of women. She also proves with this more educated vocabulary that women are capable of writing in a clever and persuasive way, which effectively proves that women are capable of reason and mental acuity just as men are. Fuller also evokes pathos through her diction which adds to the effectiveness of her argument. Fuller hopes, “We would have every arbitrary barrier thrown down…Were this done, and a slight temporary fermentation allowed to subside, we should see crystallizations more pure and of more various beauty” (207). Fuller uses specific words like “crystallizations,” “pure,” and “beauty” to evoke a pleasant emotion in the audience to show the feeling that equality would bring. This gives the argument validity because it shows that equality will bring a better society in the end after “…a…temporary fermentation [is] allowed to subside….” Fuller uses sophisticated diction to evoke emotion and to show that women are capable of