Women of the Willow

The beginnings of early women writers Abigail Adams, Mary Wollstonecraft, and Charlotte Bronte found themselves in the wake of a male dominated world of not only penmanship in literature, but of secular power that did not embrace the fraternity of women. In fact, the beacon for freedom was but a very dim hope for the female faction.

Adams, Wollstonecraft, and Bronte, all brave and strong spirited women, labored tirelessly in a world of manmade design despite the chains placed upon their right to equality, self expression, and individual freedom. Adams voice of cause set the stage for women whose words needed to be heard in a new emerging nation. And a cause she did have. Her influence would measure invaluable while being married to a delegate for this new nation. The voice of Wollstonecraft was one of reason and greatly motivated by the way male society had habitually persecuted its females. Rather than broadening the education of the women of that era, men customarily looked upon females as ornamental objects. Wollstonecraft nurtured a reason for which she would write convincing essays about women who were denying themselves the opportunities of a real education with intellectual advancement. The voice of need was born from Charlotte Bronte. Through her writings, and the destitution of an impoverished childhood, she would recount haunting reminders of the hardships of women and children. She would not only shed great light on the neglect of women and children, but her humanitarian ideology depicted the inhumane conditions that were forced upon children at that time in English history. Their sacrifice and resilience gave women who followed them their own place under God’s good sun. They were the very heart and soul of this new women’s group and demanded the tale be told of women’s sufferings. At stake was their individuality and happiness that every woman had prayed for when hope waned weak. Having since passed along this bright torch to the many great women, yielding to the call of liberty, they would find their home in life and literature as well.

Similarly, these women are as the weeping willow tree—women who became strong as the willow tree, yet having to bend beneath the suffering and pain just for being born woman. But their will remained strong, and their tears would water the fertile ground that would bear fruit for their future gender. Their difficult roads of hardship and adversity lit not only a brighter path, but smoothed the way for those heavily burdened. The common thread that connected these women together was their very place in history. All held significant roles that would help to change the course of history and establish their rights and the pursuit of their own happiness. The happiness that is needed by a woman, felt by a woman—meant for a woman. Together, their voices, and each spoke their own voice in their own time, heeded the call to be heard. All of their voices would be driven by a burning passion fueled by centuries of suffering and oppression. As the voice of cause inspired Abigail Adams to write her words and letters, she became instrumental in keeping abreast the issues of ladies rights for the new nation. She was a rebel with a cause and would play a significant role in constituting women’s issues which would be necessary in cultivating a new agenda for women. When considering Abigail Adams’ definitive part in history, one has to remember that she stepped forth with a just cause for women already mired in time of great turmoil and rebellion in a new country.