Exploring the Artifacts: Dinah Maria Mulock-Craik

Dinah Maria Mulock-Craik was able to support herself with her writing, and she wrote A Woman’s Thoughts about Women in 1858, six years before she was married. In the Preface to the novel, she says that she is writing only her thoughts and that they do not by themselves solve any problems or answer any questions (iii). She says, “In this book, therefore, many women will find simply the expression of what they have themselves, consciously or unconsciously, oftentimes thought” (iv). This suggests that she does not want to tell women what to think, and that she rather wants to give them the opportunity to compare their thoughts with hers or to help them give words to their thoughts. She believes that her book is “likely to effect some good,” but she cannot predict its specific effects (v). Her novel includes twelve chapters covering a range of women’s experiences, such as professions, families, friendships, happiness, and getting old; in this way, the novel seems to appeal to women in a variety of situations.

The second chapter is titled “Self-Dependence,” and she begins the chapter by noting that boys are taught to be independent from a young age while it is viewed as a negative characteristic for girls (22). She says that most exceptional people have had both feminine and masculine characteristics, and “there must be somewhere a standard of abstract right, including manhood and womanhood, and yet superior to either” (26). She then includes a narrative of two sisters who were able to maintain and run their father’s business after his death (28-29). In addition to showing that women do have the capability to be self-sufficient, she argues that a self-dependent woman will benefit more than just herself; she will benefit the greater society by also helping to take care of other people.

Throughout some of the chapter, Mulock-Craik speaks to women and includes herself, as when she says, “We must help ourselves” (34). She links her argument for self-dependence with the recognition that women’s place in society is changing. In addition to noting that marriage is becoming less common, she says, “The age of chivalry, with all its benefits and harmfulnesses, is gone by, for us women” (34, 37). These changes require women to be more independent, but Mulock-Craik argues that instead of looking for “ill-defined ‘rights,’” women should think about duties (34). The duty of self-dependence will ultimately provide them with the important rights they need (34).

The chapter on self-dependence reinforces what Mulock-Craik proposed in her preface – to bring some good by writing out her thoughts. Through self-dependence, women not only will be more independent themselves, but they will also be able to help others. In addition, self-dependent women will be able to gain greater rights in society. Most of the chapter seems to be directed toward women who are not married and therefore do not have a husband to depend on, but how would Mulock-Craik’s argument for self-dependence be different if she were talking about married women? Would there even be an appreciable difference, or can the ideas of self-dependence and marriage be combined? Mulock-Craik was a self-dependent woman, but would she define her self-dependence in a similar way after she married?

Citation: Mulock-Craik, Dinah Maria. A Woman’s Thoughts about Women. London: Hurst and Blackett, 1858.