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Reaction Response Essay
Margaret Fuller is one of the most celebrated writers in the history of America due to her
brilliance and fiery social critique during her tenure between 1810 and 1850. Margaret Fuller
was the first woman of her generation to serve as the first foreign correspondent for an American
newspaper. She also wrote a series of celebrated literary and social commentary columns for
Horace Greeley's newspaper (Levine 803). She is described as an idealistic, outspoken, quick-
witted, and adventurous woman who went beyond the odds and joined the fight for Italian
independence, where she nursed the wounded soldiers in the war battles. She is also remembered
for her great work of American feminism through her book, "Woman in the Nineteenth Century.
Margaret Fuller is widely remembered for her huge contribution to the fight for women's
inclusivity in society.
Margaret Fuller's writing was motivated by her belief in social reforms ranging from
women's rights to the prison systems. Her writings were about how women deserved better,
including accessing educational opportunities, as men did. The main point of Margaret Fuller's
writing was that education among women would empower them to be more independent and
expose them to more opportunities than the social conventions of the Nineteenth Century
provided to women of that generation (Levine 803). Margaret Fuller also wrote to address
homelessness and poverty in society, leading her to be referred to as a prominent 19th-century
humanist who is compared to Susan B. by many prominent leaders of the suffrage movement
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because she influenced social reform movements. Margaret Fuller also created a platform where
women expressed their opinions regarding politics and challenged other people's thoughts on
women's roles.
What I like most about Margaret Fuller's writing is her self-confidence and her
personality of radical thinking about women in society. Her personality and confidence have
motivated and inspired many poets, including Walt Whitman, who believed in Fuller's advocacy
for a new national identity of women's inclusivity. Another thing I like about Fuller's writing is
its contribution to society. Women became recognized in society through her writing since their
voices were heard through her platform (Levine 804). Margaret Fuller's writing and involvement
in the Italian Independence War proved to society that women could perform the responsibilities
and roles which were traditionally assigned to men (Levine, pg., 811). Also, her educational
achievements, including attending university and learning linguistics, motivated and influenced
other women to access education.
However, what I dislike about Fuller's writing is that she advocated more for talkers than
activists since she mostly talked and spread information through her writings, including
newspaper articles and books, rather than advocating for the actual practical course of fighting
gender inequality in society. In addition, Fuller's writing was not a good representation of
women's character in society since, as an author, she was not married and hence could not lead
the other women by her example or truly represent the female character through her writing.
Through her writing, Fuller was biased and based her thoughts on the stereotype of women being
oppressed by the male figure and the societal systems. However, these arguments seem baseless
and lack depth since she does not cover what men did to oppress women in society and ignores
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men's contributions. Margaret Fuller's arguments were one-sided and biased, not providing
credible information to make decisions and for future reference.
Margaret Fuller remains a pioneer in the history of feminism through her contributions to
the fight for gender equality during her era. She is also an exceptional writer who used her
bravery and creativity in literature writing to empower women in society. She also led as an
example by going against the odds, joining the Italian Independence War, and acquiring an
education. Therefore, Margaret Fuller should be celebrated and recognized because of her
contribution to feminism in society.
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Work Cited
Levine, R. S. (2017). The Norton Anthology of American Literature (Shorter Ninth ed.). W. W.
Norton & Company.
