Women During The Romantic Era

There are very few moments in peoples’ lives where they have the opportunity to do something that may actually affect change. While learning about the Romantic Era, I was introduced to a woman, by the name of Mary Wollstonecraft, who harnessed that rare moment when she wrote her manifesto: A Vindication of the Rights of Women; kick-starting the revolution of women’s rights. Her advocation for women’s rights to education equality lead to what we now know and are capable of today. I felt the most connected when learning about the first trials of equality because I also believe that the social, political, legal, and economic rights of women equal to that of men is integral to the growth of our society. Today we are still dealing with the improprieties …show more content…
They were used as bartering devices for families, traded off from father to husband to live in a state of constant subjugation to men. This was a time when women were treated with vitriol not because of happenstance, but because of policy. In 1879, Henrik Ibsen saw the inequalities of society and wrote a controversial play titled: A Doll’s House, which showcased the struggle a woman/wife/mother went through when coming to the realization of their own importance in life and how one may contribute to society when never allowed to be anything but subservient. In Act III, the character Nora begins to see her relationship with her husband, Torvald, for what it was and the truth behind her status and marriage; she decides to stand up for herself. I had the pleasure of reading this final scene as a class assignment and instantly fell in love with the simile comparing Nora, or women in general, with that of a doll in a doll’s house. When Nora bravely states, “I believe that before all else I am a human being, just as you are”, she is no longer accepting society’s subordination of women to men. In a society supposedly built on a foundation of freedom and morality, women have been slighted their inherent right to a full life, true liberty, and any pursuit of happiness that does not coincide with the desires of men. A proper wife in the 19th century was meek, quiet, happy, selfless, agreeable, always …show more content…
The fact of the matter is, people want to evade the abhorrent truth that prejudice and sexist acts are still prevalent. Our society is not as tyrannical as it once was but inequality still exists masked under a decorum of fancy oration and misdirection. As a female student in a male dominated field I have learned to be aware of as well as how to navigate through distressing times with some veracity when it comes to sexism. This being said, I have nothing but respect and admiration towards the people like Mary Wollstonecraft. As much as I despise having to tread lightly for the sake of someone’s blatant ignorance, I know that women before me had it far worse than anything I will ever have the misfortune of experiencing. Learning that the fight for equality began over a century ago has left me despondent at times but there is a silver lining. The knowledge of how far we have come and people are still not giving up on the vision of what could one day be…..A fair and just world for