Women of intellect — a view from classic literature

“A ‘woman of intellect’ it appeared, was a sort of ‘lusus naturae’, a luckless accident. A thing for which there was no place or use in creation, wanted neither as wife nor worker. Beauty anticipated her in the first office. He believed in his soul that lovely, placid, and passive feminine mediocrity was the only pillow on which manly thought and sense could find rest for its aching temples; and as to work, male mind alone could work to any good practical result — hein?”

— Charlotte Bronte, Villette

Everyone who has ever seen the quotes I post on my blog knows the amount of respect I have for Charlotte Bronte’s Villette. It’s my favorite piece of literature of all time. I’m not changing my mind but I’m using this quote to raise a big red flag about this type of mentality, which sadly, still exists in a way.

This particular quote is in context an attempt from M. Paul to provoke Lucy and get a rise out of the poor friendless teacher, it’s just his way. But the danger lies in the fact that most classics imply this view as a fact of life for communities at that time.

And what sends chills down my spine is that this mentality still shows it’s ugly head, now in 2020, in very subtle ways, in my own life. This is the exact reason I strive to excel at everything I do. I may be plain looking but I have the collective brain power of 10 male workers who treat me like I’m naive simply because I’m female.

Millions of kind, intelligent women are suffering to this day because of this mentality. I am here to promise you that we will rise and make an impact, just you watch.