An essay in defence of the female sex by Drake and Astell
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"An Essay in Defence of the Female Sex" by James Drake is a feminist treatise written in the late 17th century. The work aims to argue against the prevailing negative perceptions of women and to assert their worth and capabilities, challenging societal norms that diminish their role. Through a series of characters and witty observations, the text explores the virtues and abilities of women, advocating for their equality with men. At the
start of the essay, Drake introduces the premise of defending women against criticisms levied by male authors and societal views that deem them inferior. He discusses the barriers women face, particularly related to education and social expectation, while asserting the intelligence and worth of the female experience. The initial arguments emphasize the shortcomings of men as judges of women, framing the discourse as a response to a private conversation between friends. Drake highlights not only the intellectual capabilities of women but also their emotional and moral strengths, positioning the essay as a call for recognition and equality in a male-dominated society. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Drake, Judith, active 1696-1707 |
|---|---|
| Author | Astell, Mary, 1666-1731 |
| Contributor | Drake, James, 1667-1707 |
| Title |
An essay in defence of the female sex In which are inserted the characters of a pedant, a squire, a beau, a vertuoso, a poetaster, a city-critick, &c. in a letter to a lady. |
| Note | Authorship has been attributed to both Judith Drake and Mary Astell. |
| Credits |
Produced by Richard Tonsing and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 54.9 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | HQ: Social sciences: The family, Marriage, Sex and Gender |
| Subject | Women |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 57596 |
| Release Date | Jul 28, 2018 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 376 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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