Judith Sargent Murray s On The Equality Of The Sexes

Analytical Essay: Judith Sargent Murray’s ‘On the Equality of the Sexes’ Judith Sargent Murray was a revolutionary woman- born into a socially prominent and wealthy family during the start of the American Revolution, Murray was recognized for her intellect at a young age and given an education along with her brother. Later in life, she had her written works widely published and read during a time when women’s voices were seen as fundamentally inferior to those of men. In one of her most influential and strongly opinionated works, ‘On the Equality of the Sexes’, Murray makes a strong case for the spiritual and intellectual equality of men and women, arguing that women and men are born equal, but that men are simply given more education and†¦show more content†¦Towards the end of ‘On the Equality of the Sexes’, Murray specifically invokes the story of Adam and Eve, a story used for centuries to depict women as the sinners, t o turn the argument against itself and argue that Adam, or the men, are the real sinners in the Bible, as Adam knowingly breaks the rules while Eve was innocently deceived by the serpent. â€Å"Adam could not plead the same deception,† says Murray, â€Å"nor ought we to admire his superiour strength, or wonder at his sagacity†, implying that people overestimate the skills of men while dismissing the intellect of women as commonplace. The bigger takeaway from Murray’s invocation of Adam and Eve is that it shows the audience that she is trying to make her argument more relatable by putting gender equality in the framework of the Bible, a piece of work that was not only a religious text, but a way of life for most people in Murray’s time. By analyzing the Bible through a feminist lens and swapping the roles of Adam and Eve, Murray saved women’s reputation as the repenting sinners, but in mentioning the Bible to justify her point, Murray ultimately ret reats back to the practice of relying on others’ words to make her ideas worthy of public consumption. Murray also uses the Biblical story of Job to turn the argument of male superiority against itself and to strengthen the footing of her argument. At first, she concedes by recognizing that there are many passages inShow MoreRelatedJudith Sargent Murray s On The Equality Of The Sexes848 Words   |  4 PagesJudith Sargent Murray’s On the Equality of the Sexes reveals the struggles women had in the 17th-18th centuries when it came to equal education opportunities. Women were expected to become people of domestication while men had many opportunities to expand their minds and be ambitious, and be leaders. Women were expected to focus on taking care of their family, not to have minds of their own. They wanted change. Her audience: Since Murray wrote for magazines, her audience was the readers of thoseRead MoreAnalysis Of Judith Sargent Murray s On The Equality Of The Sexes1373 Words   |  6 Pagescentury, Judith Sargent Murray argued that women had, in fact, proven themselves to perform creatively and intellectually with the opportunities that were given to them—opportunities that were often overlooked. 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