Solitude of Self

What it is

Solitude of Self is a speech delivered by Elizabeth Cady Stanton in 1892 before a congressional committee and at a NAWSA convention. It is held by the Library of Congress. Stanton gave the speech three times and considered it her finest work.

Why it matters

Unlike earlier arguments focused on practical grievances, this speech makes a philosophical case for women's rights, grounding them in the idea that every human being, man or woman, must ultimately rely on themselves. Delivered near the end of her active role in the suffrage movement, it shows how Stanton's thinking had developed into broader claims about individuality and citizenship that went beyond the vote alone.

Look closer

• Why might Stanton have chosen the image of a solitary individual to argue for women's rights?
• How does this speech differ in tone and argument from a document like the Declaration of Sentiments?
• What does it suggest that Stanton gave this speech multiple times and valued it so highly?