Notes on the Text

Cyphering (Ciphering): Computing with Arabic numbers; elementary arithmetic.  

Arnold, Temple, and Kennedy: Schoolmasters known for their greatness.

Pecuniary: Consiting of money; exacted in money.

Becky Sharp, Amelia Osborne: Women from the novel Vanity Fair. They are examples of women society produces when not properly educated.

Commentary on the Text

    Millicent Fawcett was known for her views on women rights in the 19^th century. This specific piece was written in favor of middle-upper class women having higher education. Her particular view was that women should be allowed to have the same access to education as men, as well as the ability to take examinations and earn degrees. She offers several advantages that higher education would allow for these women. For the unmarried women that find themselves suddenly in need of a job, they would have more knowledge to offer to an employer, making them more valuable than the women of lower classes as a governess. Those that are not in need of a job would also benefit from higher education; it would help keep them engaged instead of continually bored with the idleness of their daily lives (which is also a problem for the childless married women). She also feels that married women would greatly benefit from higher education. They would be able to assist their husbands with their work, and therefore saving their income from being spent on outside help. They would also be far better teachers for their children while raising them because they would have more knowledge to impart. Overall her argument is that more education for the women would only help the household, and would not corrupt the position the wife is responsible for maintaining at home.

     The necessity of Fawcett’s argument can be seen in Geroge Eliot’s book Middlemarch. Two of Eliot’s characters, Dorthea and Rosamond, are examples of the types of middle-upper class women Fawcett is referring to. Rosamond has been educated to be the perfect ornamental wife. She can entertain guests, and impress anyone with her singing, but it leaves her in a lonely and bored state when she is alone. If she were brought up with the intention of  attending further education, she would not only have school to keep her busy for the time, but also a better intellect to keep herself entertained when alone. As the Lydgate’s begin to produce children, Rosamond’s education will only add to her value in the family as she shares her knowledge with their offspring. Dorthea expresses her great desire for higher education throughout the novel. She is more able than Rosamond to keep herself busy, but her desires are limited to her lack of knowledge. If she were allowed more education not only would she feel better as a person, but she would be far more helpful to her husband with his work. Both women would benefit from higher education and bring more to their marriages as a result like Fawcett claims would be the case. Instead they both hinder their marriages in different ways as a result of their educational limits.

 Works Cited