The Suffragette campaign

The Suffragette campaign was an outcome of the Suffragist campaign. The two campaigns were fighting for the same cause, Women’s Votes, but fighting in very different ways. The Suffragette campaign consisted of, rather than peaceful demonstrations and petitions from the Suffragists, more violent protests. These demonstrations included; Arson, vandalism, attempted murder and even suicide. In many men’s, and women’s, eyes these acts were classed as terrorism and were carefully taken into account when discussing Women’s Votes in parliament, or simply at dinner parties.

Source B is an extract from a book called ‘Woman or suffragette’ written by a woman, who you would expect to be for votes for women. It was written by Marie Corelli in 1907, this was very early in the Suffragettes campaign and this may not have been Marie Corelli’s view later on in the campaign.

Source C is a cartoon called ‘The Shrieking Sister’. It was drawn in 1906, also very early in the campaign, and was created by Bernard Partridge, a man. This is surprising as most men were made out to be against the campaign and completely against votes for women, but this was not the case.

There are many similarities between Source B and Source C and Source B does, to some extent, support Source C. Source B, from ‘Woman or Suffragette’ by Marie Corelli, suggests that there are many discontented women in England, showing some sympathy toward the suffragettes. The extract carries on saying ‘It cannot be denied that women suffer great injustice at the hands of men. The single word ‘Suffer’ backs up the point of Marie Corelli feeling sympathetic toward the women because this word shows understanding to the mental and physical pains endured by the suffragettes. Earlier in the extract the word ‘Shrill’ is used to express how powerful the women are feeling and how, like a high pitch sound, the women are trying to catch attention and get into peoples heads.

Source C, to a fair degree, supports all of the above statements from source B. The cartoon, created by Bernard Partridge, agrees with some of Marie Corelli’s key points. Similar to the extract, Bernard Partridge shows there to be a number of discontented women in Britain at this time. He portrays this by showing the woman on the right putting her fist up toward the Liberal Meeting Hall. This gesture shows unrest toward politicians not giving the vote to women. Bernard Partridge also shows agreement with the use of the word ‘Shrill’. This is proved in his title ‘The Shrieking Sister’. Shrill, meaning high pitch and uncomfortable, has a very similar meaning to shriek, which means a high pitch squeal or shout.

Along with the many similarities between the sources there are a handful of differences. For example Source B suggests that women shouldn’t have the vote at all, ‘Women were and are destined to make voters rather than to be voters themselves’. This is not the case in Bernard Partridges cartoon. His cartoon shows that he is neither for nor against the Women’s Votes.

Also Marie Corelli talks about the suffragettes as ‘Ladies’. This shows she classes the suffragettes as well educated and upper class females. On the other hand Bernard Partridge drew the suffragist as a tatty, badly dressed, ankle-showing woman rather than an elegant lady.