Birth Quote by Rebecca Harding Davis
“Before the birth of the New Woman the country was not an intellectual desert, as she is apt to suppose. There were teachers of thehighest grade, and libraries, and countless circles in our towns and villages of scholarly, leisurely folk, who loved books, and music, and Nature, and lived much apart with them. The mad craze for money, which clutches at our souls to-day as la grippe does at our bodies, was hardly known then.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Woman's Rights, 1865
The quote argues that the notion of a cultural void before the New Woman is false; there were vibrant intellectual communities and cultural pursuits.
In simple terms: There were many educated people and cultural activities before the New Woman.
Key Takeaway
Recognize historical continuity of intellectual life.
Themes
history
culture
gender
education
Mood
reflective
nostalgic
Type
historical
analytical
When to use this quote
- Rural community gatherings
- library programs
- women's education
- cultural clubs
- literary societies
Key Concepts
Intellectual history
social change
Questions to Reflect On
- How did these intellectual circles affect women's rights?
- What factors led to the decline of such communities?
A Different Perspective
The quote may romanticize the past and overlook existing inequalities.
