Bathsua Makin

Abstract

As pamphlets criticizing a culture that viewed woman as weaker vessel and advocating women's had published in seventeenth century, what is called the controversy over women's education started. Bathsua Makin was first English woman who entered into controversy. Makin, a highly educated woman, was referred to as England's most learned lady. In her An Essay to Revive Ancient Education of Gentlewomen(1673) advertising her school, Makin attacked on custom of breeding women low and argued for equal right of women to obtain an education. However, Makin have been criticized because of her acceptance of woman ideology that regarded women as subordinated to man, her use of a masculine persona, and her call for of rich women. But, in consideration of a historical context which had reinforced sexual discrimination according to public and private spheres, and current of Querelle des Femmes in seventeenth-century England, it seems that criticisms of Makin's arguments have possibility of misunderstanding. The purpose of this paper is to convey meaning of Makin's arguments for women's exactly by examining her An Essay closely. Makin sometimes negotiated and sometimes challenged woman ideology of those days in order to realize her purpose, women's education. First, Makin stressed need of women's learning by using various rhetorical methods. For example, male voice gave Makin more freedom and was effective in supporting her pro-education argument. Second, Makin argued that regardless of status, economic condition, and marriage, all women had to learn. Her arguments contributed to emerging criticism of woman's position in domestic and public spheres in seventeenth-century England.