An Exploration of the Contemporary Themes in Margaret the First

 Though Danielle Dutton’s novel Margaret the First is based in the 17th century, much of the novel ties into the contemporary issues of the 21st century. Margaret Cavendish as a character represents the struggle to be seen and heard in a predominantly male field of study. As a writer in that era, Margaret was vastly outnumbered by men who had been able to receive education in reading, writing, spelling, and grammar (66). This disadvantage leads her to be mocked by her readers, to which Margaret says it is against a woman’s nature to be able to spell correctly (68). Already, Margaret has more hurdles to overcome than any male writer. While women today have more access to an education than they did in the 17th century, there are still many disadvantages faced in male-dominated fields. For example, women are often belittled for their intelligence based completely on how they appear. The stereotype of being a “dumb blonde” has circulated throughout educational institutions for decades, reinforcing the belief that women cannot be both smart and beautiful. Another theme represented in the novel is the idea that a woman does not have a purpose if she does not bear children. For example, in the novel Dutton writes, “She saw the aging wife of an aged marquess, without even any children to dignify her life” (100). Margaret herself struggles with not being able to conceive, describing her Parisian community as “whispering of [her] failure” when she could not get pregnant with William even after two years of marriage (44). Margaret again discusses this issue in her book entitled Orations of Divers Sort, Accommodated to Divers Places. She writes, “for Women are Witless, and Strengthless, and Unprofitable Creatures, did they not Bear Children” (115). While today there are more women choosing not to give birth, political issues such as abortions and pregnancy rights reinforce the idea that a woman’s ability to conceive overrides her career and purpose in life. Both of these themes highlight Danielle Dutton’s purpose in writing a historical novel about a woman from nearly three centuries ago to portray the idea that equality between men and women is still a task being faced in 2024.