“ge Gouges/ French Declaration of Rights for Women
LYMPE DE GOUGES
ch Declaration of Rights for Women, 1791
de Gouges (1748-1793) was a French playwright whose
became increasingly political as che French Revolution
essed after 1789. When the revolutionary government of the
fonal Assembly passed a new constitution in 1791 with the Decta
of ofthe Rights of Man and Citizen of 1789 as the preamble, and
laid not pve women che vote, de Couges wrote the Following
tse Translate rom the French by the editor786 = _20/ Enlightenment and Revolution
What was Olympe de Gouges's a
Olmpe de Bument? What specific age
women was she seeking:
THINKING HISTORICALLY
Compare this docurnene withthe Declaration ofthe Rights
and Citizen. What are the similarities and differ
purpose of
Jifferences?
ences? Whar ie
similarities? What is the significance of the
ing just? It is a woman yl
fuestions you will not deprive her of that right at least. Tel
has given you the soverign empire to oppress my sex?
Your talents? Observe the creator in his wistlomy survey
grandes, with which you seem to want to be in harmony
if you dare, an example of this tryanical empire,
Go back to animals. Consule the elements, study p
lance ar all the modifications of organic mattery and eubc
evidence as Ioffe you the means; search, probe, and distin
Shes the sexes in the administration of nature. Everywhere ag
them mingled, everywhere they cooperate in the harmoniee
this immortal masterpiece.
Man alone has raised his exception to a pri n
bloated with science and degenerated, in a century of enlighta
Wisdom, in the crassest ignorance, he wants to command acd
sex which has received all intellectual faculties; he pretends tp
onary, and claims his rights to equality, in order to say noth
abour it. a
nai
', ang
Preamble
Mothers, daughters, sisters, cepresensatives of the nation, den
fonstituted a national assembly. Considering that ignora
ernment corruption, they resolve 10
solemn declaration, che natural, inalienable, and sacred sights ¢