Olympe de Gouges’s Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen

Olympe de Gouges’s Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen

Olympe de Gouges’s Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen

Choose one of the three reading selections from the list of topic choices below. The focus is on
brief but important primary source material written by important authors. In each case, the
subject relates to the problems of certain people who are oppressed or impoverished. In each
topic, a different genre or approach is adopted to help readers see and perhaps address the
problem. Read the selections as identified with each topic below. Write a 4–5 paragraph essay
(350 words minimum) that analyzes the work. Follow the list of Essay Requirements below
Topic Choices
Reading selection of Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice. Her works are very popular today,
with Austen reading clubs and all types of new books and events based on her ideas. In 2017,
England printed new £10 bank notes bearing Austen’s image. Chapter 43 should be read in full.

Reading selection from Samuel Johnson, “No. 91. Sufficiency of the English Language,” an
essay first published in The Rambler. Johnson was the editor of two coffeehouse magazines,
The Rambler (1750–52) and The Idler (1758–60), and was the author of Dictionary of the English
Language. He was also the subject of one of the first biographies, by James Boswell. In his life,
Johnson overcame numerous illnesses and handicaps.
Reading selection of Olympe de Gouges’s Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female
citizen (written in 1791). The selection should be read in full, with background provided on page
874 of our class text. You should also look at the revolutionary document of 1789 that she is
“correcting,” called Declaration of the Rights of Man. Olympe de Gouges has the status of
women as her main concern. The general context is the French Revolution and the attempts to
redefine rights and status once one replaces monarchy.
Essay Requirements
For the reading selection and topic you choose, your paper should cover the following:
Briefly introduce the writer and the situation that the reading is about. (Who is the author? Why
did he or she write this piece?)
Identify the genre or nature of the reading.
Using specific examples or lines within the reading, suggest the author’s key views and key aims
for the reading audience. (Give a 1–2 paragraph summary of ideas.)
Describe how the reading impacted you. Think about any similar situations today and key
lessons you get from the reading that could be relevant to one’s professional and personal life.
Additional Requirements

This course requires the use of Strayer Writing Standards. For assistance and information,
please refer to the Strayer Writing Standards link in the left-hand menu of your course. Check
with your professor for any additional instructions.
Include a title page containing the title of the assignment, your name, the professor’s name, the
course title, and the date of submission. The cover page and the source list are not included in
the required assignment length (350 words minimum).
You must use the course textbook and any sources identified (with links) above for the topic you
choose, focusing on the main primary source of that author. If you use any additional source
(optional), it must be from the Strayer University Online Library, and of good academic quality for
college work.