Give us that grand word 'woman' once again, and let's have done with 'lady'; one's a term full of fine force, strong, beautiful, and firm, fit for the noblest use of tongue or pen; and one's a word for lackeys.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the strength and nobility associated with the term 'woman' compared to the more submissive connotation of 'lady'.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox's quote presents a powerful distinction between the words 'woman' and 'lady', arguing that the former embodies strength, beauty, and nobility while the latter connotes a sense of subservience. This reflection challenges societal norms that often relegate women to submissive roles and calls for a recognition of their true power and potential, encouraging a more assertive identity that women can embrace.
In practice
In a speech on gender equality, one might use this quote to highlight the importance of language in empowering women.
Sweep up the debris of decaying faith; _x000D_ Sweep down the cobwebs of worn-out out beliefs, _x000D_ And throw your soul wide open to the light of reason and of knowledge. _x000D_ Be not afraid _x000D_ To thrust aside half-truths and grasp the whole.
I am the voice of the voiceless; Through me the dumb shall speak. Till the deaf world's ears be made to hear. The wrongs of the wordless weak. And I am my brothers keeper, And I will fight his fights; And speak the words for beast and bird. Till the world shall set things right.
A weed is but an unloved flower.
So many gods, so many creeds, so many paths that wind and wind while just the art of being kind is all the sad world needs.
'Tis easy enough to be pleasant, When life flows along like a song; But the man worth while is the one who will smile when everything goes dead wrong.
Do you wish the world were happy? Then remember day by day, just to scatter seeds of kindness as you pass along the way. . . .
Laughter does not deny pain. Laughter - like a wail - acknowledges and replies to pain.
It is impossible to reason without arriving at a Supreme Being.
When you do not realize that you are one with the river, or one with the universe, you have fear. Whether it is separated into drops or not, water is water. Our life and death are the same thing. When we realize this fact, we have no fear of death anymore.
The more highly public life is organized the lower does its morality sink.
In my years, I had the opportunity to observe peoples and countries. I see some countries doing well, others failing, and my analysis of things is that whether you fail or succeed is a function of your value system.
You don't reason with intellectuals. You shoot them.
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