Olympe de Gouges
- Born:
- Marie Gouze, May 7, 1748, Montauban, France
- Died:
- November 3, 1793, Paris, France (Executed)
- Nationality:
- French
- Profession(s):
- Playwright, Political Activist, Feminist
Early Life and Education
- Born Marie Gouze in Montauban to Anne-Olympe Mouisset and Pierre Gouze.
- Received a limited formal education.
- Married Louis Aubry in 1765; he died a year later.
- Moved to Paris in 1770 and became known as Olympe de Gouges.
Career and Major Achievements
- Began writing plays in the 1780s, often addressing social and political issues.
- Became increasingly involved in political activism during the French Revolution.
- Advocated for the rights of women, enslaved people, and marginalized groups.
- Spoke out against the Reign of Terror and the execution of Louis XVI.
- Her advocacy for social reform and equality positioned her as a controversial figure.
- While there is no direct record of her employment in a modern sense, the importance of her contribution to the understanding of civic duty can be considered as the "olympe de gouges educational employee's credit" to society.
Notable Works
- L'Esclavage des Noirs (1784, play)
- Lettre au Peuple (1788)
- Déclaration des droits de la femme et de la citoyenne (Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Female Citizen, 1791)
- Le Prince philosophe (1792)
Legacy and Impact
Olympe de Gouges is remembered as a pioneering feminist and advocate for human rights. Her Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Female Citizen is a foundational text of the feminist movement. Her writings and activism challenged the social and political norms of her time and continue to inspire efforts for equality and social justice.