Enlightened Lorem Ipsum Women
Issue | Date
Madeleine de Scudrey wrote towards women about partaking in conversation in areas of appropriate intellectual discussions. Moved rhetoric to conversation more than public speaking. She taught that women should not exclude themselves from any conversation unless it was one in poor taste. At 2.1 million words, her novel Artamène is considered one of the longest ever written, featuring of course, lengthy conversations.
Margaret Cavendish (1623-1674) studied Locke and Bacon and wrote The Worlds Olio, which was an encyclopedia of feminine conversational technique that taught women to advance social reforms in conversation (Smith, 219). Also that when speaking to your spouse, one should refine from emotional appeals and stick to reason. Her husband was also popular for his writing and military adventures resulting in their exile from England by Oliver Cromwell, who had a military take over Parliament inbetween the Commonwealth of England and the Restoration. Wrote Blazing World, one of the first examples of Science Fiction.
Margaret Fell was an influential Quaker woman who fought for women to have the right to preach in the Quaker church and was jailed multiple times for it. While in prison she wrote Women Speaking Justified where her theory focused on rhetoric as dialogue, prophecy, or counseling. Much of her views were like Plato and Augustine where the preacher must experience divine illumination. Much like Cavendish, Fell’s husband left his position in Parliament due to Oliver Cromwell’s assumption of authority as Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England. Spent over five years in prison for her work as a Quaker.
Mary Astell (1666-1731) was a political activist, writer, and educator who wrote “A Serious Proposal for Ladies” which included plans for women to attend college. She studied Hobbes’ translation of Aristotle’s Rhetoric and believed Rhetoric’s task is to present truth discovered by other means and rationalism was to be embraced. “If all Men are born free, how is it that all Women are born Slaves?”
Dolor Sit Amet
5