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The Suffragettes
'Once they are aroused, once they are determined, nothing on earth and nothing in heaven will make women give way; it is impossible.'
A potted history of the women who pioneered feminism and changed the world.
One of 46 new books in the bestselling Little Black Classics series, to celebrate the first ever Penguin Classic in 1946. Each book gives readers a taste of the Classics' huge range and diversity, with works from around the world and across the centuries - including fables, decadence, heartbreak, tall tales, satire, ghosts, battles and elephants.
A potted history of the women who pioneered feminism and changed the world.
One of 46 new books in the bestselling Little Black Classics series, to celebrate the first ever Penguin Classic in 1946. Each book gives readers a taste of the Classics' huge range and diversity, with works from around the world and across the centuries - including fables, decadence, heartbreak, tall tales, satire, ghosts, battles and elephants.
57 pages, Paperback
First published March 3, 2016
49 people are currently reading
2435 people want to read
About the author
Emmeline Pankhurst
45 books59 followersEmmeline Pankhurst was a British political activist and leader of the British suffragette movement who helped women win the right to vote. In 1999 Time named Pankhurst as one of the 100 Most Important People of the 20th Century, stating: "she shaped an idea of women for our time; she shook society into a new pattern from which there could be no going back."
By Topical Press Agency, photographer unknown - Hulton Archive - Getty Images, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
By Topical Press Agency, photographer unknown - Hulton Archive - Getty Images, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 331 reviews
March 14, 2018
This tiny little Penguin Classic actually contained a surprising amount of information, including letters, articles, speeches and bills of law, all focused on the time during and after the fight for women’s vote.
Some of it made me cringe, some of it made me mad, and most of it made me feel incredibly proud to even belong to the same gender of the brave women who went through SO much to gain one more step towards equality for all of us!!
Such an incredible achievement, I am in awe and inspired, and more determined than ever to show people why feminism is still needed, and why we need to push for equal rights even when we have already achieved them for ourselves , but know that not everyone has.
This is how we pay it forward — what we have now, achieved through hard work and determination by those who came before us — by standing up and speaking up for those who can’t speak for themselves ✊🏼✊🏼💜💜💜💜
Some of it made me cringe, some of it made me mad, and most of it made me feel incredibly proud to even belong to the same gender of the brave women who went through SO much to gain one more step towards equality for all of us!!
Such an incredible achievement, I am in awe and inspired, and more determined than ever to show people why feminism is still needed, and why we need to push for equal rights even when we have already achieved them for ourselves , but know that not everyone has.
This is how we pay it forward — what we have now, achieved through hard work and determination by those who came before us — by standing up and speaking up for those who can’t speak for themselves ✊🏼✊🏼💜💜💜💜
December 29, 2019
Quick read that’s super informative. Recommend to all!
October 25, 2020
"Once they are aroused, once they are determined, nothing on earth and nothing in heaven will make women give way; it is impossible"
This beautiful little book had been calling out to me for the past couple of weeks. Although this could easily be devoured in an hour, I decided to take my time.
This amazing little book contains legal documents, posters, leaflets and newspaper articles all about the UK Suffragette movement. It was interesting to hear from different sides, especially those who were actually against the vote. To be honest, reading the opposing side of women getting the vote, actually made me a little angry! This is where my feminist side comes out!
I still have difficulty getting my head around the fact that it wasn't until 1928, that women received the same voting rights as men. I see it as women were FINALLY recognised as being human beings.
This beautiful little book had been calling out to me for the past couple of weeks. Although this could easily be devoured in an hour, I decided to take my time.
This amazing little book contains legal documents, posters, leaflets and newspaper articles all about the UK Suffragette movement. It was interesting to hear from different sides, especially those who were actually against the vote. To be honest, reading the opposing side of women getting the vote, actually made me a little angry! This is where my feminist side comes out!
I still have difficulty getting my head around the fact that it wasn't until 1928, that women received the same voting rights as men. I see it as women were FINALLY recognised as being human beings.
March 5, 2018
Once they are aroused, once they are determined, nothing on earth and nothing in heaven will make women give way; it is impossible.
Si buscas un texto de ensayo sobre la historia del movimiento sufragista, no lo vas a encontrar en este librito. Se trata, más bien, de una recopilación de panfletos, portadas de periódicos y textos de la época que nos permiten ver de primera mano lo que se publicaba mientras las mujeres luchaban por el voto femenino y el derecho a ser parte activa de la sociedad. Algunos documentos son muy curiosos y otros, reveladores. No puedo estar más contenta con estas joyitas que son los Penguin Little Black Classics.
March 29, 2020
“Because only those who wear the shoe know where it pinches, and women know best what they want and what they don’t want.”
I found this book in Manchester a few weeks ago and I felt the need to buy it. I mean, what better place to buy a book about the suffragettes than the city where Emmeline Pankhurst was born? This Little Black Classic is a tiny collection of pamphlets, legal documents, posters and newspaper articles published between 1867 and 1928 about the suffrage movement in the UK. It’s divided into three sections: Suffrage, Anti-Suffrage and Victory.
It’s a quick and informative read that gives the readers an insight into the fight of the British women for the women’s right to vote. I recognise I was surprised when I started reading it and got to the Anti-Suffrage section. It was interesting—and sad—getting to know the perspective of women against the female vote. Although considering the short length of this book, I think I would have preferred it to have been more focused on the suffragettes, perhaps leaving the anti-suffrage movement for another Little Black Classic.
Overall, The Suffragettes is an interesting collection that, without going into the ins and outs of the movement, shows the reader enough to have a slight idea of its trajectory in the UK.
“Now, I ask you, if women can do that, is there any limit to what we can do except the limit we put upon ourselves?”
P.S.: English isn’t my native language, so I apologise if you see any mistakes.
July 15, 2017
A very interesting little book of newspaper articles, pamphlets, posters and legal documents surrounding the Suffragette movement in the UK - focusing mainly on England. The book was split into three sections: Suffrage, Anti-Suffrage and Victory and I found it really interesting to learn more about the women. Especially those opposing the vote. It's so wild to think that it wasn't until 1928 that women got the same voting rights as men!
I'd definitely recommend if you're thinking about picking some up some of these Little Black Classics.
I'd definitely recommend if you're thinking about picking some up some of these Little Black Classics.
July 18, 2018
Hugely informative little book. The most impressive thing about it is how little anti-feminist rhetoric has changed in 100+ years. In fact it hasn't changed at all. Isn't that sad.
The book is divided into three sections: Suffrage, Anti-Suffrage, and Victory, the last one consisting of the relevant texts from the two Representation of the People Acts (1918 and 1928) and a newspaper article about the umber of voters swelling after each franchise bill.
So basically the suffrage movement had two branches - one sucking up to men, the "constitutional" suffragists who loved to emphasise how law-abiding and good they are (NUWSS). And the "militant" one whose members had grown a tad impatient with waiting, for 43 years and three reforms, to get recognition for women as regular citizens (WSPU). Can you guess which one got the job done?
Yup. People in power will never willingly give it up. Women were not "given" the vote, they won it by relentless and increasingly militant fighting. As Emmeline Pankhurts says in her speech given in Hartford, Connecticut, and published in the book, you have to make yourself obtrusive - and they did.
Though it is decidedly noteworthy that the militant actions of the suffragettes mentioned in this book (which I know is nowhere near exhaustive) only inflict property damage and damage to themselves. They set a library on fire - but during the night, and nobody was hurt. They cut off telegraphic communication between stockbrokers in London and Glasgow, upsetting their work. Miss Davison threw herself at a horse at a derby (and sadly died from her injuries), and her previous record, as reported in the newspaper article about the incident, consisted of obstruction, throwing stones at buildings, hunger strikes, setting fire to pillar-boxes and one assault. The suffragettes themselves emphasise that they are only willing to risk their own lives in their militant actions:
What I found fascinating and a little disturbing is how closely the discourse from 110 years ago resembles our modern discourse on feminism, on both sides. Observe:
From the Suffrage section:
From the Anti-Suffrage section:
The Suffrage section was by far the most interesting. I especially enjoyed the newspaper report of an underaged suffragette whom the judge had decided to let go and wrote to her parents to come pick her up, to which they said they'd raised her in "Socialistic and Progressive beliefs", and that she'd requested that her father ask the judge to give her the same sentence as the other arrested suffragists, which he intended to do.
The militant suffragettes had a great sense of humour, too, it seems - when they set fire to that library, they left a book by Christabel Pankhurst at the site with a note reading: "To start your new library".
And finally, a few quotes I think merit attention:
(All bolded and underlined text in the quotes was so in the original.)
The book is divided into three sections: Suffrage, Anti-Suffrage, and Victory, the last one consisting of the relevant texts from the two Representation of the People Acts (1918 and 1928) and a newspaper article about the umber of voters swelling after each franchise bill.
So basically the suffrage movement had two branches - one sucking up to men, the "constitutional" suffragists who loved to emphasise how law-abiding and good they are (NUWSS). And the "militant" one whose members had grown a tad impatient with waiting, for 43 years and three reforms, to get recognition for women as regular citizens (WSPU). Can you guess which one got the job done?
Yup. People in power will never willingly give it up. Women were not "given" the vote, they won it by relentless and increasingly militant fighting. As Emmeline Pankhurts says in her speech given in Hartford, Connecticut, and published in the book, you have to make yourself obtrusive - and they did.
Though it is decidedly noteworthy that the militant actions of the suffragettes mentioned in this book (which I know is nowhere near exhaustive) only inflict property damage and damage to themselves. They set a library on fire - but during the night, and nobody was hurt. They cut off telegraphic communication between stockbrokers in London and Glasgow, upsetting their work. Miss Davison threw herself at a horse at a derby (and sadly died from her injuries), and her previous record, as reported in the newspaper article about the incident, consisted of obstruction, throwing stones at buildings, hunger strikes, setting fire to pillar-boxes and one assault. The suffragettes themselves emphasise that they are only willing to risk their own lives in their militant actions:
Human life for us is sacred, but we say if any life is to be sacrificed it shall be ours; we won't do it ourselves, but we will put the enemy in the position where they will have to choose between giving us freedom or giving us death.
What I found fascinating and a little disturbing is how closely the discourse from 110 years ago resembles our modern discourse on feminism, on both sides. Observe:
From the Suffrage section:
We women, in trying to make our case clear, always have to make as part of our argument, and urge upon men in our audience the fact - a very simple fact - that women are human beings.
It is about eight years since the word militant was first used to describe what we were doing. It was not militant at all, except that it provoked militancy on the part of those who were opposed to it.
From the Anti-Suffrage section:
They call it "justice" and "equality". It is nothing of the kind. It is the subjection of man to woman.
Men of all ages have had to do the brunt of the world's business, and ought to govern.
The Suffrage section was by far the most interesting. I especially enjoyed the newspaper report of an underaged suffragette whom the judge had decided to let go and wrote to her parents to come pick her up, to which they said they'd raised her in "Socialistic and Progressive beliefs", and that she'd requested that her father ask the judge to give her the same sentence as the other arrested suffragists, which he intended to do.
The militant suffragettes had a great sense of humour, too, it seems - when they set fire to that library, they left a book by Christabel Pankhurst at the site with a note reading: "To start your new library".
And finally, a few quotes I think merit attention:
To be militant in some way or other [...] is a duty every woman will owe to her own consciousness and self-respect, to other women are less fortunate than she herself is, and to all those who are to come after her.
This is the whole history of politics. You have to make more noise than anybody else, you have to be more obtrusive than anybody else, you have to fill all the papers more than anybody else, in fact you have to be there all the time and see that they do not snow you under.
[T]here is a good deal of warfare for which men take a great deal of glorification which has involved more practical sacrifice on women than it has on any man. It has always been so. The grievances of those who have got power [...] command a great deal of attention; but the wrongs and grievances of those people who have got no power at all are apt to be absolutely ignored. This is the history of humanity right from the beginning.
A large number of amiable but short-sighed M.P.'s are willing to grant the demand, without getting your permission.
Save suffragists women from themselves and other women from Suffragists.
(All bolded and underlined text in the quotes was so in the original.)
April 10, 2017
"Once they are aroused, once they are determined, nothing on earth and nothing in heaven will make women give way; it is impossible."
A small, enjoyable and interesting look into the Time of the Suffragettes. This Little Black Classic is full of speeches, posters, pamphlets and newspaper articles. Even a small view in the Anti-Suffragette movement, which seems silly and ridiculous now; it is a great feeling we can laugh about that now (most of the time), because the thought that women once had to seriously face these kind of opinions is scary as hell.
A small, enjoyable and interesting look into the Time of the Suffragettes. This Little Black Classic is full of speeches, posters, pamphlets and newspaper articles. Even a small view in the Anti-Suffragette movement, which seems silly and ridiculous now; it is a great feeling we can laugh about that now (most of the time), because the thought that women once had to seriously face these kind of opinions is scary as hell.
April 3, 2017
3.5 stars!
August 26, 2023
An interesting little collection of material about suffrage and anti-suffrage, drawn from primary sources published between 1867-1928. Fascinating to see excerpts from a range of legal documents, pamphlets, newspaper articles, posters, etc.
November 17, 2025
lowkey read this instead of doing uni work but whatever
November 18, 2024
“Once they are aroused, once they are determined, nothing on earth and nothing in heaven will make women give way; it is impossible.”
quick and informative read.
quick and informative read.
November 22, 2018
Um livro que todas as mulheres deveriam ler para terem uma pequena noção do que algumas mulheres tiveram de enfrentar para nós hoje termos direito a votar.
January 5, 2020
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
This year I plan to read one of these Little Black Classics a week, so that I will finish them (currently at #94 of 127) and can start with the Little Mint Classics (the Modern classics). The Suffragettes was first on the list, and while it would have been a perfect read for last years (100 years since women got the Vote in NL), this didn't occur to me until after I started reading.
Quite different from the other books in the series, this is a collection of articles, pamphlets, cartoons and speeches on the topic of Suffrage, when the good fight was being fought. I found it very interesting to read, and was astounded by quite some things I didn't know. It was a hard and rocky road, but are massively indebted to them as I couldn't imagine being born without having this Vote, the chance to study, work, etc.
~Little Black Classics #94~
This year I plan to read one of these Little Black Classics a week, so that I will finish them (currently at #94 of 127) and can start with the Little Mint Classics (the Modern classics). The Suffragettes was first on the list, and while it would have been a perfect read for last years (100 years since women got the Vote in NL), this didn't occur to me until after I started reading.
Quite different from the other books in the series, this is a collection of articles, pamphlets, cartoons and speeches on the topic of Suffrage, when the good fight was being fought. I found it very interesting to read, and was astounded by quite some things I didn't know. It was a hard and rocky road, but are massively indebted to them as I couldn't imagine being born without having this Vote, the chance to study, work, etc.
~Little Black Classics #94~
April 18, 2017
A nice little "summary" of the history of the suffragettes. It really makes you realise how far women's rights have come and how hard women have fought for these rights (even if there is still a lot to do, it's amazing how much has been accomplished already). However, the book was sometimes a little... dense: hence the three stars.
Xx
Xx
July 8, 2018
Once they aroused, once they are determined, nothing on earth and nothing in heaven will make women give way; it is impossible.
Read
September 12, 2025me personally i am a big fan of women's suffrage
February 28, 2019
The Suffragettes
Took me long enough eh lol. This tiny little book has been in my “currently reading list” for so long, and I can’t understand why.
Anyways, it is a really nice concept, it’s a collection of pamphlets, leaflets and documents that majestically describe the call for freedom of the suffragettes.
It was quite clever of whoever decided to put this small book together, to include not just a couple of pages, but an entire section of the book to documents and evidence of those who were against women’s emancipation.
We often forget how hard our ancestors have fought to take us where we are now. Rights that we take so much for granted. And, most importantly, we so often forget that there are people in several parts of the world who are not even halfway where we are now. I hope this book to be a wake up call for those people, so than we can all fight together for a better tomorrow, just like the suffragettes did for us
Took me long enough eh lol. This tiny little book has been in my “currently reading list” for so long, and I can’t understand why.
Anyways, it is a really nice concept, it’s a collection of pamphlets, leaflets and documents that majestically describe the call for freedom of the suffragettes.
It was quite clever of whoever decided to put this small book together, to include not just a couple of pages, but an entire section of the book to documents and evidence of those who were against women’s emancipation.
We often forget how hard our ancestors have fought to take us where we are now. Rights that we take so much for granted. And, most importantly, we so often forget that there are people in several parts of the world who are not even halfway where we are now. I hope this book to be a wake up call for those people, so than we can all fight together for a better tomorrow, just like the suffragettes did for us
August 24, 2016
This is interesting and educational read on the Suffragette movement in England and it's information comes from pamphlets and newspaper articles of the time. A lot of this information I didn't know and I liked reading the opposing arguments.
March 14, 2024
The Penguin little black classics serves primarily as an introduction to an author or a subject. The Suffragettes gives us a glimpse into the history of the Suffrage movement in UK. With the help of speeches, newspaper clippings, posters, and events, it paints the picture of the late Victorian climate when the movement reached its pinnacle.
For a twenty first century women like myself, suffrage is a universal right and I've never known otherwise. To think that the time when women's rights and women's legislation were decided without their active participation was merely 130 years ago is shocking.
As an Indian women, Suffrage has been woven into our freedom struggle and was given universally the moment we gained our independence. Reading about the movement in UK feels surreal in a sense that it could be events that took place in a world apart but I'm thankful for the ripples it created which have undoubtedly benefited women across the world.
The book gives only a brief insight into the passion and turbulence that drove the Suffragettes. I would love to know more about this revolutionary period of feminist history.
"We are showing them that government does not rest upon force at all: it rests upon consent... No power on earth can govern a human being, however feeble, who withholds his or her consent."
-Emmeline Pankhurst
For a twenty first century women like myself, suffrage is a universal right and I've never known otherwise. To think that the time when women's rights and women's legislation were decided without their active participation was merely 130 years ago is shocking.
As an Indian women, Suffrage has been woven into our freedom struggle and was given universally the moment we gained our independence. Reading about the movement in UK feels surreal in a sense that it could be events that took place in a world apart but I'm thankful for the ripples it created which have undoubtedly benefited women across the world.
The book gives only a brief insight into the passion and turbulence that drove the Suffragettes. I would love to know more about this revolutionary period of feminist history.
February 8, 2018
This little book of just 60 pages gives us a concise insight into the history of the suffragette movement and anti-suffrage movement. It is filled with speeches, including the 'Freedom or Death' speech by Emmeline Pankhurst, as well as suffragette posters, newspaper articles, pamphlets and letters. This penguin little black classic is divided into three chapters, which are as follows: Suffrage, Anti-suffrage and Victory.
July 22, 2020
Very short, but also very informative little book. I'm always amazed by the suffragette movement, because it shows what iron willpower women had in order to gain the right to vote. How hard they had to fight for something so basic. :( I also liked how the book also included the anti-suffragette movement. I hadn't even known about it, and now I do. All in all, a good short read! Recommended to everyone!
May 31, 2021
„Now, I want to say to you who think women cannot succeed, we have brought the government of England to this position, that it has to face this alternative: either women are to be killed or women are to have the vote.”
Very inspirational, very informative. Everybody should read it!
Very inspirational, very informative. Everybody should read it!
December 26, 2020
Very interesting and informative little book
December 25, 2024
This was a solid start, looking forward to an upcoming Wikipedia rabbit hole. ☺️
September 14, 2017
This 56-page Little Black Classic is divided into three sections: suffrage, anti-suffrage, and victory showing a selection of speeches, pamphlets, posters, articles, and pictures from the suffrage movement in the UK. Each entry stands on its own giving the reader the raw material to read and study.
March 5, 2021
#lerosclássicos2021
December 15, 2024
the anti-suffrage manifesto is lowkey hilarious
April 5, 2018
This was a really interesting collection of photos and letters that showcase the Suffragette movement as it progressed through the 1910s and 1920s. I just wish the book had been longer, as it was only 55 pages, and there's definitely scope to collate more of these materials together and have a more in-depth look at the movement.
March 27, 2023
2021 Reading #4 | First(s) of the Year
(Outside A Room of One's Own.)
This year, I feel like all my reads so far have been (1) small and (2) motivated by whatever I have just read. And this one is no exception: after being astonished by the fact that Virginia Woolf did not take into account —more like neglected to acknowledge!
— voting rights and the Suffragette movement (contemporary to her writings) as an important part/component for women's independence in A Room of One's Own, I decided to take it into my own hands to get acquainted with it.
About the book/pamphlet, I do not have much to say: it did its job. I especially loved the fact that it portrays both sides/arguments to the Suffragette movement. It is always interesting to see how something we have always taken for granted was so contested and disrupting when it first came about. Overall, a very interesting read! Highly recommend!
[Read on 16 February 2021. | Review written on 16 February 2021.]
(Outside A Room of One's Own.)
This year, I feel like all my reads so far have been (1) small and (2) motivated by whatever I have just read. And this one is no exception: after being astonished by the fact that Virginia Woolf did not take into account —
About the book/pamphlet, I do not have much to say: it did its job. I especially loved the fact that it portrays both sides/arguments to the Suffragette movement. It is always interesting to see how something we have always taken for granted was so contested and disrupting when it first came about. Overall, a very interesting read! Highly recommend!
[Read on 16 February 2021. | Review written on 16 February 2021.]
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