Reviews for The Solitude of Self: Thinking about Elizabeth Cady Stanton

The average rating for The Solitude of Self: Thinking about Elizabeth Cady Stanton based on 2 reviews is 5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2008-04-25 00:00:00 Michael Downs In the early 1800s, the feminist movement gradually began to take shape in America. Society was structured as a male-dominated, Christian believing, and overall socio-politically republic for the well being of all men without regard to women, African Americans or other minorities. Women were raised to be good wives and mothers. When faced with extenuating circumstances such as a failed marriage, they were legally unable to protect themselves. They were protected by their legal guardians; first, their fathers, then, their husbands. Few women raised objection to their sheltered lives. Many accepted without questioning the laws or consequences of such inequality. Finally, one such woman did. Elizabeth Cady (later Stanton) became a foremost leader in the feminist movement. Vivian Gornick is a talented novelist whose focus on women's issues continues to spark any reader's intellect and imagination. In her latest work, SOLITUDE OF SELF, she depicts Elizabeth Cady Stanton who is by far one of the less heard about but most inspiring feminist leaders of women's rights in the 19th century. Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a feminist determined to rectify the injustice of inequality between men and women by demanding suffrage, reform of marriage and divorce laws, recognizing the stronghold of religion, and challenging society's perception of women. Gornick expresses that Stanton's arrival and involvement encouraged other women who were once silent on the many women's issues began speaking their minds. An entire intellectual world opened up and friendships were formed through correspondence amongst a network of women moving toward one cause - women's rights. Their history signifies the persistence and power which women have within them. Gornick's biography accentuates not only a life well spent to gain justified rights for her and others; but also to bring equality into a society that only spoke of the principle from its founding. She ignited a movement which turned the principle of "equality for all" into a reality. Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815-1902) grew up in a socially conservative home in upstate New York. However, she had the radical blood to go against mainstream views even at an early age. In 1840, her intolerance of inequality kindled a slow blaze that would last for a fifty year struggle. She attended an antislavery conference in London where they refused to seat her because she was a woman. For the first time, she realized how the rest of the world perceived her - as only a woman. This incident began her crusade toward women's rights. In 1848, she met Susan B. Anthony, her friend, organizer, political ally, and champion in the cause. They never parted through the entire journey toward suffrage. Gornick includes their exchange of letters while campaigning across the states in churches, town hall meetings, convention centers, and Congress. In the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention, she formulated the Declaration of Sentiments which stated the grievances against women and demanded suffrage. As time progressed, Stanton's views shifted to marriage and divorce. She believed there needed to be a radical reform in marriage and divorce laws because the institution of marriage forces both genders to inevitably neglect laws imposed by custom or policy, break them to satisfy desire, or subjugate one gender to obey the other. In order to achieve political equality for women, laws needed to be created which encouraged the growth of inner lives. As a modern feminist, Gornick embraced Stanton's wisdom and felt empowered by her words and philosophy. By the 21st century, the feminist movement underwent many transformations, defeats, and victories. Gornick and Stanton share a commonality which is the unwillingness to live with inequality. She continues to write and share unique perspectives of women's stories through intellectual and emotional integrity. Her latest books include The Situation and the Story: the Art of Personal Narrative and Fierce Attachments: A Memoir. It is not uncommon to recognize Gornick's descriptive words which play into a deeper analysis of the roles and discrepancies which exist in American society. Often, she reveals her own thoughts and feelings about the forces at play. However, the conclusion of fowl play or a just call is always left to the reader. In 1865, the feminist movement had lost ground. The Civil War ended and African American men demanded their own right to vote. Elizabeth Stanton's stand on this issue split the women's movement in half. She believed in universal suffrage. While many within her movement were willing to wait longer, Stanton was unwilling to compromise. All must have suffrage, regardless of sex or color. Otherwise, a true democracy cannot exist unless everyone can be initiated into the governmental system. When the 16th Amendment arose, many competing interests wanted in. Stanton wanted the amendment to enfranchise women. Unfortunately, the 16th went on to authorize income taxes. Women would have to wait until the 20th Amendment to receive their vote. Tragically, Stanton would not be able to see her long fought victory. A few years before Stanton's death, she realized that until women release themselves from religious beliefs, they cannot attain the vote. For over fifty years of advocating, fighting, and persuading minds that women must have the right to vote, she now understood that she had made a miscalculation. Throughout the years, Stanton believed that women must have suffrage first. Then, they can break from the imposition of religiosity. After pondering the issue and carefully rereading the Bible, she concluded that religion holds the greatest obstacle for women to obtain the vote. They must free themselves from religion first so they can gain political equality. Gornick is intriguing, intellectually stimulating, and true to her subject. Her work is based on letters, memoirs, notes, clippings, resolutions, and personal sources which add humanity to an individual larger than life. The writing is incisive, knowledgeable, and well-thought out. Readers of history, social movements, politics, and women's studies will enjoy reading this biography. Although this is a work about a remarkable feminist, I believe the biography is not only written for only one group, sex, or genre reader. I certainly know had Elizabeth Cady Stanton been alive today, she would equally welcome all readers. It is a book for the universal.

Review # 2 was written on 2008-03-05 00:00:00 Leslie Torres This is a quest tale about a woman realizing her true self through activism. Elizabeth Cady Stanton is frequently represented as Susan B. Anthony's comrade-in-arms who stayed home with the babies while Susan did the crusading. Yes, the woman was a baby machine for a time (seven children) but she was an uncompromising truth-teller. In reality, as she said, "I forge the thunderbolts and Susan launches them," with those thunderbolts becoming increasingly more radical and far-reaching. What she lacked in tact, she made up for in intellectual courage. She was threatening because her views challenged the supposed security and structure of middle-class living. Many of her ideas were ahead of their time. I understand the uproar against her advocating divorce on the grounds of incompatibility because she essentially was advocating knocking the crutches away from women who did not yet have the laws, education, and mindset to know how to walk unaided. With the The Woman's Bible, she was insightful enough to see that mindsets would need to change, including those religiously determined, before the laws would change. A lot of great thinking packed into 132 pages. A quick and worthy read on the intolerability of inequality.