Ellen Key - 'theorist of the superwoman and the prophet of the child'

Ellen Key was described as ‘the theorist of the superwoman and the prophet of the child’ (The Manchester Guardian, 26 April 1926). 

Have just started reading her most famous text, 'Century of the Child' (translated title as the original was written in Ellen's native tongue, Swedish).

This quote kind of blew me away...

"Fathers and mothers

must bow their heads in the dust before the

exalted nature of the child. Until they see

that the word " child " is only another expression

for the conception of majesty; until they

feel that it is the future which in the form of a

child sleeps in their arms, and history which

plays at their feet, they will not understand

that they have as little power or right to prescribe

laws for this new being as they possess

the power or might to lay down paths for the

stars." 

(page 181)

The full text is available here - I recommend it!