Feminism and Women’s Experience under Male Rule in Ain’t I a Woman?
The long tradition of male rule and domination has indeed portrayed women as weaker individuals in society. Their voices have been silenced; their lives distorted. Their concerns are treated as peripheral (Rivkin and Ryan 527).
In Truth’s Ain’t I a Woman, it is understood that women have to be helped into carriages and lifted over ditches (Truth and Kennedy par. 2). This is a depiction of their weaknesses and inabilities. Such is the negative perception that they are given the best places everywhere. It is thought they may not withstand harsh conditions. They are feeble. However, the narrator talks of how she has been able to do all these, yet she is a woman.
The society believes women cannot lead. Sojourner talks of how she has been able to plough and plant without being supervised or led by a man. Contrary to what the society’s expectations and beliefs are, women are portrayed to be very capable in this context. They are hardworking, a fact that is learnt from the revelation that she raised thirteen children till they became of age as to be sold to slavery. Sojourner hits out at male chauvinists who have floated the argument that Christ was not a woman. She argues He was born of God and a woman, and that man had nothing to do with Him.
In spite of being despised by men, women are indeed strong and powerful. It is stated that a woman was created strong enough to interfere with the world, singlehandedly. Women, if they come together would form a force so strong to make things right in the world. All they desire is a chance to do this and men ought to grant it.
Works Cited
Rivkin, Julie, and Michael Ryan. Literary Theory, an Anthology. Malden, Mass: Blackwell, 1998. Print.
Truth, Sojourner, and Amos P. Kennedy. Ain’t I a Woman? Oak Park, Ill: A.P. Kennedy, Jr, 1990. Print.
