Artifact Inventory

Rhetorical Analysis

Patriotism, Virtuosity and Education – The Main Elements of The Female Review

It is exceedingly clear that the purpose of The Female Review is to celebrate and document the success of the nation’s new freedom and to be explicit about how the nation came about achieving those ends. Herman Mann says in the preface that “we should be barbarians to ourselves to be inattentive to its [virtue and liberty] promotion” (Mann XV). Mann researches the life of a cross-dressing American woman who fought in the Revolutionary war and tells her story without necessarily promoting her actions whilst definitely praising her.

            Herman Mann’s preface is dedicated to what he terms “the patrons and friends of Colombia’s cause” and for the most part, his writing seems to be directed to that audience as well. It had been only fourteen years since the end of the Revolutionary war in America and he writes to explain that it is absolutely vital that one should not forget to recognize the means to which the country had reached this level of success. He does not fail to mention that he is by no means encouraging the actions of Deborah Sampson, the female in The Female Review. He states that his main goal is to educate others on this subject and to promote his feelings about virtue and education.

            It appears that Herman Mann uses his book that is seemingly about one subject: the vivacity and honor of a young woman who maintained her “chastity” while serving the Continental Army, to discuss more general matters like the importance of nature vs. nurture and bad vs. good. He seems overly cautious in his writing, so that he doesn’t come off as too strong with his opinions. Mann states that there exist two kinds of people, virtuous and wicked. The virtuous characters are ones that people should imitate and praise and the wicked, vice-like characters, should be used as examples of how not to be…that this is how good can come of evil. He slightly inputs his opinion of Deborah by saying that she is a distinguished character but makes sure to say that the public shall still make of her what they will. Basically, he only wishes to promote the end result of her actions, as opposed to her actual person.

            Herman Mann speaks extensively about nature vs. nurture and how that essentially determines the course of one’s life. He details the lives of Deborah’s ancestors in the first chapter, explaining their misfortune and their lack of money despite probably having the intention of giving Deborah and her siblings a good education. He exalts having a proper education and laments over those who do not have the opportunity to obtain one, whilst not rejecting the lives of farmers, whom make good for themselves with what they are given.

            He details a very sad account of her childhood life (pathos) and repeats several times that he went straight to the source, Deborah, for the information regarding her life (logos). By appealing to the members of the newly freed nation, a nation that was just beginning to form itself and establish values, with very calculated dialogue Herman Mann uses Deborah’s story to illustrate the ways in which a person should be. The purpose of The Female Review seems to be to give lessons on virtuosity, promote patriotism, the importance of education, and improving oneself despite the lemons given to one by life.

Work Cited

Mann, Herman. The Female Review. Dedham [Mass.]: Nathaniel and Benjamin Heaton.,

1797. Print.