Women Authors Who Fought for Equal Rights

Margaret Fuller was an author who's writings shaped the way women and women's rights were perceived back in the day. Her messages have held strong and last even today. In her piece Women of The nineteenth Century she writes 'What women needs is not as a woman to act or rule, but as a nature to grow, as an intellect to discern, as a soul to live freely, and unimpeded to unfold such powers as were given to her when we left our common home'. I believe Kate Chopin, Sarah Orne Jewitt, and Mary E. Wilkins Freeman would have agreed with this.

In 'Desiree's Baby' by Kate Chopin, Desiree goes through a great struggle when she has a child with her fiance Armand. The baby is part African so he assumes it is from Desiree and then banishes her. Later in the story it is found out that it was actually Armand that was part African. Chopin would agree with Fuller's statement because she was on her own now with the baby. Fuller's statement is female empowerment based and that is exactly what was going through Desiree's mind at this time. She had to be a strong independent women for her child. In 'A White Heron' by Sarah Orne Jewitt, Sylvia is one with nature. She loves the cows at the farm and she even finds a white heron and is fascinated by it. A hunter comes by looking for it. He is charming and Sylvia seems to be falling for him. However, despite his attempts to get her to expose the heron, she doesnt. Jewitt would agree with Fuller's statement because she is definitely living freely and in tune with nature. She even has the opportunity to get closer with the guy by telling him where the heron is but she doesn't.

Back in this time this was a big deal because women were expected to fulfill all of men's wants and needs, something Fuller addresses in her piece also. In 'The Revolt of Mother' by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman, the wife sticks to her duties as a women at the time. Cleans the house, does all the chores, and makes sure the man is happy. However, as the story progresses, it is evident that she is growing impatient with her husband as he is building a barn when a bigger house is more important. When he goes away for a few days she takes matter into her own hands and moves the household things into the barn. Back in this time period going against the man of the house would have been seen as completely ridiculous. Freeman would have agreed with Fuller's piece because both are about breaking from societies men dominant views. In different ways and levels obviously.

In conclusion, Margaret Fuller's writings helped make a change. It is clear that other female writers back in the day shared the same ideas and opinions. Chopin, Jewitt, and Freeman are just a few of the many examples of female writers that would have agreed.