"Woman's Nature and Education" (Emile) by Jean-Jacques Rousseau

• Anatomical and Moral Differences

  • Rousseau argues that men and women share the same organs and needs as a species.
  • The differences between men and women are entirely due to sex, which profoundly conditions their mental and emotional natures.

• Complementary Roles

  • In the union of sexes, each contributes to a common end in different ways.
  • Rousseau states: "One should be strong and active, the other weak and passive."

• The Purpose of Woman

  • Rousseau asserts a primary principle of nature: "woman was specifically made to please man."

• Strength through Resistances

  • A woman's strength lies in her charms and her "modesty and shame."
  • These qualities are employed to arouse a man's strength through resistance.

• Regulation of Desire

  • Man possesses "unlimited desires," while nature provides "reason" to govern men.
  • Women receive "modesty" to restrain them, preventing men from being tyrannized or overtaxed by their senses.

• Domestic Sedentary Life

  • Rousseau posits that a woman is incessantly reminded of her sex by her constitution.
  • A woman requires a "quiet and sedentary life" to care for, breast-feed, and maintain the unity of the family.

• Relative Education

  • Rousseau concludes that a woman's education must differ from a man's and entirely be "relative to men."
  • He states: "To please them, to be useful to them, to make themselves loved and honored by them… these are the duties of women at all times, and should be taught them from their infancy."

• Public Opinion

  • A man may defy public opinion if he believes he is in the right; however, a woman's task is only half finished by doing right.
  • Women are dependent on their "reputation" and how society perceives them.

"Sexuality and Identity" (Confessions) by Jean-Jacques Rousseau

• Revelatory Character

  • Rousseau describes a pivotal incident with a Venetian courtesan, Giulietta, as revealing of his character.

• Sanctuary of Beauty

  • He initially perceives the courtesan’s room as a "sanctuary of love and beauty".
  • Rousseau expresses a feeling of "respect and esteem" for her person.

• Physical Collapse

  • Upon recognizing the courtesan’s charms, he experiences a "deathly cold" and "weeps like a child".
  • This emotional reaction points to the overwhelming impact of such beauty on his sensibilities.

• Gender Blurring

  • Louise de Keralio warns that "a woman who becomes queen changes sex," implying gender roles are fluid and can shift with power status.
  • A woman in power risks becoming a