One of the many writers occasionally involved in the Oxford literary group The Inklings was Dorothy L. Sayers. The Inklings met weekly to enjoy each other’s company and discuss their latest writing endeavors (Zaleski). As a woman, she was not only a minority in the group but also as a scholar and Oxford graduate as well. The Inklings influenced each other’s writings and brought forth the creativity in each other.
Dorothy L. Sayers was born in Oxford, England on 13 June 1893 to Helen Mary Sayers and Reverend Henry Sayers. Dorothy’s middle initial stands for Leigh, her mother’s maiden name. This middle name was important to Dorothy and she was not pleased when people forgot to use it when referring to her (Hitchman 21). Dorothy was an intelligent …show more content…
Sayers’ Are Women Human? is a collection of two essays. The first is an address she gave to a Women’s Society in 1938. The second essay is one that she wrote. The two essays address the role of women in society and how they are viewed. Sayers did not write any other works about feminism or women directly. In the two essays found in Are Women Human? the object is not to put women on a pedestal or to persuade feminism. Sayers’ goal is to help readers (or listeners of the original speech) to see women as humans first. The first essay was originally a speech given to a Women’s Society in 1938. This essay is titled Are Women Human? Sayers makes it clear that people, whether male or female, are humans first and their respective sexes second. Sayers writes, “a woman is just as much an ordinary human being as a man, with the same individual preferences, and with just as much right to the tastes and preferences of an individual” (Sayers 24). This is the central theme of both essays, although the second essay takes on a more religious tone. Sayers believes that if people can be seen as individual humans before their gender they would be more likely to choose to take part in activities or occupations they do well at rather than the social norm for male or female. Sayers acknowledges that there are differences between the sexes, such as the general female population being less annoyed by babies or how males tend to have bigger bones (25). However, she also mentions that scholar type people of both sexes are generally more intelligent than those that have jobs that require less education. Sayers also points out that although women are said to try and copy men, men have taken over the jobs that women once held and made them their own. In the past, women were teachers, milkmaids, etc. Now men teach and men deliver milk. Women in the past were not always left to only be wives and mothers. This eye-opening essay is still relevant for today, and any other time in the past
Dorothy L. Sayers was born in Oxford, England on 13 June 1893 to Helen Mary Sayers and Reverend Henry Sayers. Dorothy’s middle initial stands for Leigh, her mother’s maiden name. This middle name was important to Dorothy and she was not pleased when people forgot to use it when referring to her (Hitchman 21). Dorothy was an intelligent …show more content…
Sayers’ Are Women Human? is a collection of two essays. The first is an address she gave to a Women’s Society in 1938. The second essay is one that she wrote. The two essays address the role of women in society and how they are viewed. Sayers did not write any other works about feminism or women directly. In the two essays found in Are Women Human? the object is not to put women on a pedestal or to persuade feminism. Sayers’ goal is to help readers (or listeners of the original speech) to see women as humans first. The first essay was originally a speech given to a Women’s Society in 1938. This essay is titled Are Women Human? Sayers makes it clear that people, whether male or female, are humans first and their respective sexes second. Sayers writes, “a woman is just as much an ordinary human being as a man, with the same individual preferences, and with just as much right to the tastes and preferences of an individual” (Sayers 24). This is the central theme of both essays, although the second essay takes on a more religious tone. Sayers believes that if people can be seen as individual humans before their gender they would be more likely to choose to take part in activities or occupations they do well at rather than the social norm for male or female. Sayers acknowledges that there are differences between the sexes, such as the general female population being less annoyed by babies or how males tend to have bigger bones (25). However, she also mentions that scholar type people of both sexes are generally more intelligent than those that have jobs that require less education. Sayers also points out that although women are said to try and copy men, men have taken over the jobs that women once held and made them their own. In the past, women were teachers, milkmaids, etc. Now men teach and men deliver milk. Women in the past were not always left to only be wives and mothers. This eye-opening essay is still relevant for today, and any other time in the past