New-York tribune., 1890-05-21
ADEFENcE OF ~FRANcLLoN'

TO the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: The risk a woman aesu,le- when 10 urd"r
takes so difficult enterprise tine production oi %
play can never DO fully appreciated hy Der Wtl -h"
l, made ~ feel that uot alone hcr literary and ar
t~'ic efforts are in ~" balance. ht f1' her private
character D, also 20 stake that hcr motives arc nah.
to the hasc,t impu'aroas and hcr personality and
womanhood considered target ~ De- a-sailci with
impuuiiv hy tho-" who regard her efforts unftvor
ably. Tn acquAut her with these f,c'. ha, been the
voluntary task of tho critic ~ The rrhlno ard BOO
satisfactorily has hc performed hi, Work that % ho-
required little time f0r thr denounced iad wounded
woman 70 recover sufficiently a. .r"at % aori in her
own defence the adautcr Of the pl,g.
The argument ~ Car,'c- lc- iu tac Inequality ~
the marriage relation a- u exists. u4 ,Ap1.ire %,
noustrou~ injustice women. which Duma. do.-
with the skin - practi o drmatl,f and master If
literary expression. in MS debate he assume, the
woHau's point of view and thus become. her spoke
The critic of Tho Tribune pr. s, 90 think that
Cisrie,e' teaches that wife Who b. convinced 4 h'r
husbands inhdelty should secl p,r.nour and also
become uufithful 20 bier ilnlrlaer yut.. in brDf
that the play urge, the degradation 81 woman. Th-
deny. The lesson mat "Clarl-ec~ cafprDce o. the
moral obi gati0n Of men, which lt docs logically AID
irrr-lethy bv the various characters throughout the
play. 20 far from The Irhunes position being AtrIc
one Claris>e :, unable 10 fulhl the threat which -he
-smartng under the sense ~ wrong and mndd'l,cd hl
jealousy and ncglect-hurl, at her dcpartr, husband
Sic follow, him. 10 l- irc. but return with der thrrlt
unfullllcd, and overcome with horror at oven the ap
proach Of intrigue. That women are unequal 20 such
revenge. aud cannot degrade Themselves ~ mans
level what Dumas teaches The force Of Clari.,c~
lies in unua-hinc The position 90. men regarding the
marriage relation. IN thl. respect DO hesitate
Ia say that such powerful agent ln rcmpudiug
public opinion has ever been presented. That il Is
unusual does not decrease It, force. viii one
urge that it, lesson j. unnecded. The critic - The
Tribune that the entire fabric u the sauctii1
ol life. 10 nothing ~ That OF society. rests tlc
virtue Of women, aAudng . the fi't that women
bear children aud that men do not Lut Dc seems {"
forget what most in charity and pity for their
That ~" privilege Of men ucrcah" tIr degradation
If women. The impress sOu received from the criticism
~ The Tribune j. that the subject prcscutcd lu
vulgar and Indecent and that The play is
utterly unfit ~ Dee seen. THIS positively denv and
against il would place the ntuitlvc sense of dcloacy
ana reflective judgment of tie women Who saw the
play. and who have -incc gwen me- their -vH afly.
congratulations and encouragement VI 70 and women
have such different standards Of morilty-pi what De-
~ and seeming -tlat II APPEARS almp-t hopcc.. 20
attempt to reconcile them. Women do not tocgai"
cOarseues-. even lu their own defence nor j. their
worldly wisdom, fortunately f0r them. wide deep
r1.-c" g. q woman play. ab0undiuc as 10 docs Zoo
such passages Maternity Is woman. ptirIotienI'
TIE blood man go proudly ehed- fnr hls country
the NE mother give her child. There IT, not 10
living worldly Il pure Toma1 dc-rading hcr-clf
for etc. etc \ PLAY ut coqu"utly -nts forth
the bcautics re.poi ''it"s and the JOY, OF mother
hood 80 faithfully depicts the LOYALTY of women &"
one another. cNquefely unfllds the fist buddiug
affection Of young girl and the purity and beauty
~ the marriage relation in t9 truc-t and highest
mlGmcnt can scarcely Dee the foul and rinrd thing
the critic Of The Tribune describe. E,p.ct Glly
Vow. yorl, MAY 90 1900