Hum 2A Readings by Lecture Fall 2017
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Hum 2A Readings by Lecture Fall 2017 Lecture #7: Grimke, Fell, Wollstonecraft Lecture #8: Adam Smith Lecture #9: Galileo, Bacon, Newton Lecture #15: Cook, Crevecoeur, Paine, Longfellow Lecture #17: Locke, Rousseau Lecture #18: Jefferson, Adams, Iroquois League Lecture #19: French Revolution Lecture #25: Industrial Revolution Lecture #28: Jefferson Lecture #30: Dana, Harte HUM 2A FALL 2017 READER PAGE 2 Lecture #7 Grimke, Fell, Wollstonecraft HUM 2A FALL 2017 READER PAGE 3 Margaret Fell (1614-1702) Margaret Fell, "Women's Speaking Justified," Quaker Heritage Press Online Texts. http://www.qhpress.org/texts/fell.html No rhetorical theory texts by women the first to speak up in that sect for social before 1600 have been found. As we have change. seen previously, the very idea of women Margaret Fell was a Quaker. Her husband engaging in public discourse in political was a member of the English gentry, but settings has been pushed to the margins of she became interested in the teachings of most cultures in the West. By the time we George Fox, founder of the Society of reach the seventeenth century in England, Friends (called Quakers). Such a stance the literacy rate for women is below was not a safe one in the increasingly twenty percent. monarchist tenor of the times, and when However, developments in America her husband died in 1658, she suffered and Europe begin to influence this increased political pressure. She was jailed situation, so that by the next century, several times, including a four year perhaps half of the women in those places imprisonment from 1664-1668, when she could be considered literate. (The nature of wrote the following tract. It helped literacy and under what conditions one establish the Quaker view of the equality might be considered literate during this of the sexes, and after she married George time in history are difficult to determine Fox, they developed the basic foundational precisely.) Still, since rhetoric was taught Quaker beliefs in marriage equality. in the University (from which women Fell's persuasive power was not were almost exclusively excluded until the limited to issues of sexual equality. She end of the nineteenth century) and was persuaded Charles II to pardon her designed for use in male-dominated husband in 1674. She delivered petitions professions like politics and the law, most on religious toleration to James II and also women were still excluded from the world advocated protection for Quakers in front of rhetorical training. of William II. When women did speak in public, it We will be reading a selection was often in causes where they were trying from her argument attempting to justify to overcome obstacles to their own women speaking in worship. Following advancement or rights. Certainly, the the opening paragraph, the reading emphasis of Protestant thought in certain concentrates on the last section of the sects which believed in literacy for all (for work, where Fell attempts to provide the purpose of reading the Bible), helped additional arguments for her case. empower women (in ways those advocating the practice could scarcely have imagined). This was particularly true in the Quaker faith. Women were among 10 HUM 2A FALL 2017 READER PAGE 4 from “Women’s Speaking, Proved, and Allowed by the Scriptures” Justified, Proved, and Allowed of by the upon them, they must prophesie, though blind Scriptures, All such as speak by the Spirit and Priests say to the contrary, and will not permit holy Power of the Lord Jesus. Women to speak. And whereas it is said, I permit not a And how Women were the first that Woman to speak, as saith the Law: But where Preached the Tidings of the Resurrection of Women are led by the Spirit of God, they are not Jesus, and were sent by Christ’s own Command, under the Law; for Christ in the Male and in the before he Ascended to the Father, John 20. 17. Female is one; and where he is made manifest in Male and Female, he may speak; for he is the end Whereas it hath been an Objection in the of the Law for Righteousness to all them that Minds of many, and several times hath been believe. So here you ought to make a Distinction objected by the Clergy, or Ministers and others, what sort of Women are forbidden to speak; such against Women’s speaking in the Church; and so as were under the Law, who were not come to consequently may be taken, that they are Christ, nor to the Spirit of Prophecy: For Huldah, condemned for medling in the things of God: The Miriam, and Hannah, were Prophetesses, who were ground of which Objection is taken from the not forbidden in the time of the Law, for they all Apostle’s Words, which he writ in his first Epistle prophesied in the time of the Law; as you may read to the Corinthians, Chap. 14. Vers. 34, 35. And in 2 Kings 22. what Huldah said unto the Priest, also what he writ to Timothy in the first Epistle, and to the Ambassadors that were sent to her from Chap. 2. Vers. 11, 12. But how far they wrong the the King, Go, saith she, and tell the Man that sent Apostle’s Intentions in these Scriptures, we shall you to me, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, shew clearly when we come to them in their course Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and on the and order. But first let me lay down how God Inhabitants thereof, even all the Words of the Book himself hath manifested his Will and Mind which the King of Judah hath read; because they concerning Women, and unto women. have forsaken me, and have burnt Incense to other Gods, to anger me with all the Works of their A further Addition, in Answer to the Hands: Therefore my Wrath shall be kindled Objection concerning Women keeping silent in against this place, and shall not be quenched. But the Church: For it is not permitted for them to to the King of Judah, that sent you to me to ask speak, but to be under Obedience; as also saith Counsel of the Lord, so shall you say to him, Thus the Law, If they will learn any thing, let them saith the Lord God of Israel, Because thy Heart did ask their Husbands at home, for it is a shame melt, and thou humbledst thy self before the Lord, for a Woman to speak in the Church: Now this when thou heard’st what I spake against this place, as Paul writing in 1 Cor. 14. 34. is one with that and against the Inhabitants of the same, how they of 1 Tim. 2. 11. Let Women learn in silence with should be destroyed; Behold, I will receive thee to all Subjection. thy Father, and thou shalt be put into thy Grave in peace, and thine Eyes shall not see all the evil To which I say, If you tie this to all which I will bring upon this place. outward Women, then there were many Women Now let us see if any of you, blind Priests, that were Widows, which had no Husbands to learn can speak after this manner, and see if it be not a of; and many were Virgins, which had no better Sermon than any of you can make, who are Husbands; and Philip had four Daughters that were against Women’s Speaking. And Isaiah, that went Prophetesses; such would be despised, which the to the Prophetess, did not forbid her Speaking or Apostle did not forbid. And if it were to all Prophesying, Isai. 8. And was it not prophesied in Women, that no Women might speak, then Paul Joel 2. that Hand-maids should Prophesie? And are would have contradicted himself; but they were not Hand-maids Women? Consider this, ye that are such Women that the Apostle mentions in Timothy, against Women’s Speaking, how in the Acts the that grew wanton, and were Busie-bodies, and Spirit of the Lord was poured forth upon Daughters Tatlers, and kicked against Christ: For Christ in the as well as Sons. In the time of the Gospel, when Male and in the Female is one, and he is the Mary came to salute Elizabeth in the Hill-Country Husband, and his Wife is the Church; and God hath in Judea, and when Elizabeth heard the Salutation said, that his Daughters should prophesie as well as of Mary, the Babe leaped in her Womb, and she his Sons: And where he hath poured forth his Spirit was filled with the Holy Spirit; and Elizabeth 11 HUM 2A FALL 2017 READER PAGE 5 spoke with a loud Voice. Blessed art thou amongst of your Mouths, for the Lord is a God of Women, blessed is the Fruit of thy Womb. Whence Knowledge, and by him Enterprizes are is this to me, that the Mother of my Lord should established; the Bow, and the mighty Men are come to me? For lo, as soon as thy Salutation came broken, and the Weak hath girded to themselves to my Ear, the Babe leaped in my Womb for Joy; Strength; they that were full, are hired forth for for blessed is she that believes, for there shall be a Bread, and the hungry are no more hired; so that Performance of those things which were told her the Barren hath born seven, and she that had many from the Lord. And this was Elizabeth’s Sermon Children is feeble.