John Stuart Mill was ahead of time when he wrote The Subjection of Women. He probably knew that the suffrage of women would be an ongoing social issue that would become global attention for many years. The Subjection of Women, published in 1869, is one just one of Mill's work that is has been recognized as a stirring essay on the inequality between men and women. In the first paragraph, Mills exclaims; "the legal subordination of one sex to the other-is wrong in itself...and that it ought to be replaced by a principle of perfect equality, admitting no power or privilege on the one side nor disability on the other: (p.521). In his piece, Mill's makes poses many arguments against the subordination and treatment of women in the misogynistic Victorian society. The theme or language he uses in his essay is in direct correlation to slavery; "Did not the slave owners of the Southern United States maintain the same doctrine..." (p.522). Mills uses the the term "master" throughout the essay; "The masters of all other slaves rely...", "The masters of women wanted more than simple obedience" (p.522). He uses the language or terms related to slavery. Mills presents the image of the subordination and treatment of women closely to enslavement of blacks in the south. He dates the issue and the idea of slavery as far back as the times of Aristotle; "Aristotle, held this opinion without doubt or misgiving...namely that there are different natures among mankind, free natures and slave natures;" (p.522). Slavery was something that was socially and even morally acceptable, dating back to the times of even great philosophers, like Aristotle who viewed the world in the same manner. "But was their ever any domination which did not appear natural to those who possessed it?" (p.522). Mills, again, makes another reference to exclaim his point on the injustice upon women by using slavery as an example; "Did they not call heaven and earth to witness that the domination of white man over the black is natural..black race by nature incapable of freedom and marked out for slavery?" (p.522). The use of slavery as the image to relate to the women's plight is froth throughout the essay. In another example, he gives the reader an insight into the perceived mindset of men in regards to women. He uses another example of slavery to illustrate his point;
The Subjection of Women meant more to me because John Stuart Mills used slavery to illustrate his essay. I was intrigued by his candidness on the subject and his ability to make his point by not keeping the subject centered on gender, but on humanity. My favorite line in the essay is; "...it is, that this relic of the past is discordant with the future, and must necessarily disappear" (p.524). Unfortunately the disparages women face have not disappeared. It did not disappear for blacks for many years after slavery. There has been changes that have changes made within society for women and African Americans. The changes have garnered historical attention and been the framework for other social causes.
"It is necessary to society that women should marry and produce children. They will not do do unless they are compelled. Therefore it is necessary to compel them...It would be exactly that of the slaveholders of South Carolina..."It is necessary that cotton and sugar should e grown. With men cannot produce them. Negroes will not, for any wage which we choose to give. Ergo they must be compelled" (p.526).
The Subjection of Women meant more to me because John Stuart Mills used slavery to illustrate his essay. I was intrigued by his candidness on the subject and his ability to make his point by not keeping the subject centered on gender, but on humanity. My favorite line in the essay is; "...it is, that this relic of the past is discordant with the future, and must necessarily disappear" (p.524). Unfortunately the disparages women face have not disappeared. It did not disappear for blacks for many years after slavery. There has been changes that have changes made within society for women and African Americans. The changes have garnered historical attention and been the framework for other social causes.
Denise,
ReplyDeleteVery good exploration and comment on Mill's essay, with insights well-based in the text. Good selection of textual passages, although I would like you to work on providing more context for them, and to try to make the syntax flow more smoothly between your words and your author's. In the last paragraph, for example, it is hard to determine what the "relic of the past" is, and including the words "it is" at the beginning causes an awkward shift from your own sentence. You do a good job here, though, of engaging with the text and making it meaningful for your reader; please keep that up!