'God hath made no difference such as men would': Margaret Fell and the Politics of Women's Speech1

[...]Kunze criticises Fell's leadership both in the sect as a whole and Women's Meetings in particular for stifling the more radical activity of the sect and for accepting a traditional division of labour which positioned women outside and below the sphere of male activity. [...]her prelap...

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Published inBunyan studies no. 7; p. 73
Main Author Luecke, Marilyn Serraino
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Newcastle Upon Tyne Northumbria University, Department of Humanities, Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences 01.01.1997
Subjects
British & Irish literature
Bunyan, John (1628-1688)
Bunyan, John (1628-88)
English literature
Politics
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Summary:[...]Kunze criticises Fell's leadership both in the sect as a whole and Women's Meetings in particular for stifling the more radical activity of the sect and for accepting a traditional division of labour which positioned women outside and below the sphere of male activity. [...]her prelapsarian Eve is an intellectual and spiritual equal to Adam, and her fallen Eve is the bearer of knowledge gained through the experience of sin and the grace of repentance, a woman whose experience has prepared her for the responsibility of leadership. Fell's Eve admits guilt; she has the good sense both to recognize her situation and to admit the truth. [...]she avoids the anticipated 'apology for Eve', be it based on the excuse of Eve's weaker nature or on the purity of Eve's intention to be of assistance to Adam. [...]of this retelling of Eve's story, woman is justified, not through the power of her body to procreate, but through the power of her intellect to understand and communicate truth that is essential to the direction of the community.
ISSN:0954-0970