In the excerpt from “Reflections on the Revolution in
France,” Burke writes, “A queen is but a woman; a woman is but an animal; and
an animal not of the highest order” (448). Smith preface’s her text with an argument against the common
conception that women “have no business with politics” (45). She argues that women should be aware
of the events that are unfolding around them in order to understand what has
happened. Therefore, she presents
an extremely radical text, “Desmond.”
In “Letter 1,” one learns of Desmond’s affections for a married woman, a
radical idea that Smith also prefaces.
The text brings Desmond to Paris in the midst of the revolutionary
France. Through her character,
Desmond, Smith comments on the events that have unfolded in the revolution. I would argue that Austen is just
as critical of the politics of the time in her novel, “Lady Susan.” In the novel, Austen is critical of the
ability of an unmarried woman to survive in society. She critique’s “Lady Susan” manipulation of men and
disinterest in her daughter.
However, I think this is an attack on society’s misconception about a
woman’s abilities.
It seems to me that the women writers are adopting very different forms of social critique. While Austen remarks more subtly on the social conditions of women, Smith takes a completely different and bolder approach. I find it most interesting that Smith puts forth her social commentary through a male character, perhaps showing how a man's opinion on social matters held significantly more weight than a woman's.
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