Grandpa’s Views
Many think that French feminism began in the 20th century with tart-tongued Simone de Beauvoir and Benoîte Groult. Not true. Forgetting the immense inherited power of Anglo-French Queen Eleonor of Aquitaine and the string-pulling of famous royal mistresses like Diane de Poitiers, Madame du Barry and Madame de Pompadour, the real pioneers were Olympe de Gouges and George Sand. Both wielded pens mightier than swords, and annoyed men magnificently – in de Gouges’ case, alas, at the cost of her head.
Olympe de Gouges
Gracie’s Impressions
Olympe de Gouges
This feisty French revolutionist, known for standing up to men, lived over 200 years ago and yet she is remembered all over France. Although, until 100 years ago, she was not yet considered as a hero and just as ‘a widow who defied men’. But she was much more than that. She wrote the ‘Declaration of the rights of the Woman and the Female Citizen’ the women’s version of the Declaration of the rights of Men and the Citizen’. She pretty much broke every law stating that women had no rights by demanding that women get the right of voting and of being respected. She was also against slavery. But she paid for her reasonable demands. Olympe de Gouges was guillotined in 1793 and wasn’t really acknowledged until 150 years later but she hasn’t been forgotten.
- George Sand
‘Mauprat’; ‘Indiana’.
La Petite Fadette