A Vindication Of The Rights Of Woman

1089 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Women in English literature throughout the ages

The eighteenth century brought about a great deal of change and a new-found interest in science and reason. Because of this, many great inventions, ideas and innovative theorists arose from this time period. Among them was a forward-thinking essayist by the name of Mary Wollstonecraft. In her book, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, Wollstonecraft preaches her belief that the oppression of women is largely due to lack of female education. Although the term "feminism" wasn’t coined until decades later, Wollstonecraft paved the way for future women’s rights movements by advocating equality in education for women. She believed men and women should be equal in the very basic aspects of life, such as in loyalty in marriage. Wollstonecraft openly called out fellow philosopher and novelist of the time, Jean-Jacques Rousseau on his negative views of women and their role in society. Although against common beliefs of the time, Wollstonecraft boldly stated her opinions on a woman’s ability to think rationally and formulate ideas as well as any man.

First of all, it is not difficult to decipher Wollstonecraft’s feelings about Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Although Rousseau was dead at the time A Vindication of the Rights of Woman was written, Wollstonecraft does not hesitate to argue and dispute his points. Actually, both Rousseau and Wollstonecraft had many ideas in common, with an exception to one major theme, that is. Wollstonecraft disagrees with Rousseau’s thoughts on the proper place for women in society. Wollstonecraft argues "for why should the gracious fountain of life give us passions, and the power of reflecting, only to imbitter our days and inspire us with mistaken notions of dignity?"(14). By this, she means that because women are...

... middle of paper ...

..., yet were frightened as to how they would achieve it.

In every age there are great thinkers who step forward and present ideas that “cross the line,” so to speak. It is because of these people that society is constantly changing and evolving. While some of Wollstonecraft’s thoughts were forceful and abrupt, her early thoughts on feminism challenged society to view women in a different light. She was able to make people consider the importance of education for all, and was not afraid to go against popular philosophers of the time to do it. Many people, especially women, did not know how to react to Wollstonecraft’s new ideas. However, her main point, equality, and understanding of ones self, did encourage women to educate themselves, push past the false limitations which society had placed on them and begin to cultivate rationality, understanding, and peace of mind.

Show More
Related

  • Declaration Of Independence Summary

    1252 Words  | 3 Pages

    "This is the very point I aim at. I do not wish [women] to have power over men; but over themselves" (Wollstonecraft 63). Wollstonecraft made this statement in response to Roseau dictating that if society "[Educated] women like men..." (Wollstonecraft 63), and women would resemble the male sex, and then carry less power over men. Instead of succumbing to men, Wollstonecraft stressed how education could elevate a women to reach equal statue in society. Following similar ideas to the Tao Te Ching and the Art of War, Wollstonecraft serves education as a tool of discipline to women who can use it to help elevate them in society. Wollstonecraft points out in her introduction that, "One cause to [the problem of women sacrificing their usefulness and strength to beauty attributes] to a false system of education..." (Wollstonecraft 6), and how a reformation and push for women to better educate themselves and look past what is currently there will help them reach higher status in society; therefore giving them their own independence. As Wollstonecraft dictates, "It follows then, I think, that from their infancy women should either be shut up like eastern princes, or educated in such a manner as to be able to think and act for themselves (Wollstonecraft

    Read More

  • An Analysis Of Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication Of The Rights Of Woman

    1771 Words  | 4 Pages

    Mary Wollstonecraft’s (1759-1797) famous work, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, originally published in 1792, is often considered to be a founding work of the liberal feminist movement. In it, Wollstonecraft sets out her beliefs that if women were given equal treatment to men and afforded the same opportunities, there would no longer be a difference between the behaviour and abilities of men and women.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication Of The Rights Of Woman

    1348 Words  | 3 Pages

    Setting up what might turn into a typical subject all through much women 's activist written work, Wollstonecraft directs her investigate on two fronts: from one viewpoint, she reprimands patriarchal society (as it would later be called) for the unreasonable way it restrains ladies ' rights, and also their chance for instruction, self-expression, and financial autonomy; while then again, she scrutinizes ladies for becoming tied up femininity which, in her perspective, transforms ladies into unimportant "spaniels" and 'toys '. Wollstonecraft 's answer was better instruction for young ladies, not the allowing of equivalent rights. So in this sense, one may say women 's liberation starts not with Wollstonecraft yet rather with the different Women 's Suffrage developments that sprang up in the mid

    Read More

  • Mary Wollstonecraft: The First Feminism

    121 Words  | 1 Pages

    Indisputably, Mary Wollstonecraft was one of the most influential figures of Enlightenment, also considered the ‘first feminist’. It is certain that her works and writing has influenced the lives of many women and altered the outlook of some societies on women, evolving rights of women a great deal from what they used to be in her time. It is clear that Wollstonecraft’s arguments and writing will remain applicable and relevant to societies for many years to come, as although there has been progression, there has not been a complete resolution. Once women receive so easily the freedom, rights and opportunities that men inherently possess, may we be able to say that Wollstonecraft has succeeded in vindicating the rights of women entirely.

    Read More

  • Mary Wollstonecraft Treatment Of Women Analysis

    729 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the essay, Wollstonecraft is a woman in the 1700s, who currently experiencing inequality due gender that she was born into. During this era, women do not have many rights as a citizen, nor as a human being. Women are expected to perform household duties, such as cooking, cleaning, raising children, and being completely submissive to their husband. However, one woman had a different opinion of what a woman is capable of doing, and her name is Mary Wollstonecraft. Mary believed that woman should be treated equally as men, in the manner of education, respect, and status.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Wollstonecraft's Essay On Radical Feminism

    409 Words  | 1 Pages

    A change in feminism is shown between Wollstonecraft’s essay and Young’s essay. As women first demanded rights, they were coming out of complete dependence on men. Wollstonecraft and other activists fought for the basic right of education for women. As women gained liberty, they began to oppress themselves in the Third Wave of feminism. Wollstonecraft focused on the basic rights of women in her paper, saying “They must be permitted to turn to the fountain of light, and not forced to shape their course by the twinkling of a mere satellite” (Wollstonecraft 5). Here Wollstonecraft is saying that women need to be given the opportunity to get a good education, not just be taught by what their husbands tell them, so they could be their better selves.

    Read More

  • Thomas Paine and Mary Wollstonecraft

    403 Words  | 1 Pages

    Mary Wollstonecraft was as revolutionary in her writings as Thomas Paine. They were both very effective writers and conveyed the messages of their ideas quite well even though both only had only the most basic education. Wollstonecraft was a woman writing about women's rights at a time when these rights were simply non-existent and this made her different from Paine because she was breaking new ground, thus making her unique. Throughout her lifetime, Wollstonecraft wrote about the misconception that women did not need an education, but were only meant to be submissive to man. Women were treated like a decoration that had no real function except to amuse and beguile. Wollstonecraft was the true leader in women's rights, advocating a partnership in relationships and marriage rather than a dictatorship. She was firm in her conviction that education would give women the ability to take a more active role in life itself.

    Read More

  • Indian Woman's Death Song Analysis

    1381 Words  | 3 Pages

    Although she accepted gender differences as natural, she rejected the social indoctrination that women were inferior to man. Furthermore, she believed that women were deliberately portrayed by society as inferior. For example, she asserted that women “have acquired all the follies and vice of civilization.” Wollstonecraft argues about excessive sensibility for women. She asserted that due to women’s inflamed senses and neglected understanding, they become “the prey of their senses”, or in other words their judgment is not formed by the society. Therefore she rejected the society’s perception of “a mixture of madness and

    Read More

  • The Justifications Of Social Inequalities In Jean-Jean Rousseau

    1270 Words  | 3 Pages

    It is a declaration for the equal rights of man and women. The political significance of Mary Wollstonecraft cannot be overstated—her work is regarded as one of the first greatest feminist treatises in history and is also seen as the first step towards liberal feminism. She fought equality for women in the political sphere, but she also addressed the need for equality in the social, private realm. She emphasized the need for reform in women’s status, education, and maternal duties. In A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, Wollstonecraft argues that men and women are born with the same ability to reason. Therefore, men and woman should equally be able to exercise reason and attain knowledge. And conclusively, educated women would ultimately improve society; they would become better wives and mothers (72, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman). She argues that the current education system (i.e. Rousseau’s ideas of women education) restricts women and subjects them into passivity. Women are not perceivably “smart” as men because they have not been given the opportunity to be; women receive a “disorderly kind of education” (46, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman). Women are kept in passivity, forced to superficiality and shallowness. She derides these traits that are seen as inherent to a woman’s nature and asks the powerful question: how are women supposed to contribute to society if they have been reduced to their appearance and bodily function? For a thriving, modern and true civilization to succeed, each and every individual must be encouraged to seek moral and intellectual development, including

    Read More

  • Mary Wollstonecraft: The Life Of Women And Society

    943 Words  | 2 Pages

    The scarce amount of women who were fortunate enough to obtain schooling sadly did not receive enough to meet society’s expectations, or lead a content lifestyle (Tomaselli). Wollstonecraft believed that education should be equal for both men and women. She argued that women are capable and have the right to be learn about important subjects, including reading, writing, arithmetic, botany, history, and philosophy (Powell). Wollstonecraft even emphasized the significance of physical education (Powell). She called for reforms, suggesting that schools be mixed regarding sex so as to “‘form a just opinion of ourselves’” (“On National Education”). As mentioned earlier, Wollstonecraft did her part to advocate for this by opening a school, but was forced to close it in a short amount of time (“On National Education”).

    Read More

  • Frankenstien

    1720 Words  | 4 Pages

    Mary Wollstonecraft was an English writer and advocate of women’s rights; she was also the mother to English writer and feminist Mary Shelley. Wollstonecraft was a known feminist to family and acquaintances, however her feminist ideals were not know to the world until the publishing of her most famous work A Vindication of the Rights of Woman in 1792. In this book addresses ...

    Read More

  • Analysis of Vindication of the Rights for Women by Mary Wollstonecraft

    797 Words  | 2 Pages

    Vindication of the Rights for Women by Mary Wollstonecraft was published in 1792, during the French Revolution. Wollstonecraft preached that intellect will always govern to persuade women not to endeavor to acquire knowledge but convince them that the soft phrases, acceptability of heart, delicacy of sentiment, and refinement of taste, are most preferred. By intellect, I mean the men because they were the ones that were allowed to get an education therefore allowing them to become intellectual. Wollstonecraft cleverly does not try to prove her point through protests or accusations, but argue that women are not naturally inferior to men, but appear to be only because they lack education. She suggests that both men and women should be treated as rational beings and imagines a social order founded on reason. She believed it was unfair for women to be treated differently and passionately wanted to make a change. That it was time to let go of feelings and begin the thought process behind the rationality of the women’s predicament. Men felt that while they would get an education an...

    Read More

  • Women In Society: A Vindication Of The Rights Of Women?

    1220 Words  | 3 Pages

    Women today are still viewed as naturally inferior to men, despite the considerable progress done to close this gap. Females have made a huge difference in their standing from 200 years ago. Whether anyone is sexist or not, females have made considerable progress from where they started, but there is still a long journey ahead. Mary Wollstonecraft was an advocate of women 's rights, a philosopher, and an English writer. One of Wollstonecraft’s best works was “A Vindication of the Rights of Women” (1792). In her writing, she talks about how both men and women should be treated equal, and reasoning could create a social order between the two. In chapter nine of this novel, called “Of the Pernicious Effects Which Arise from the Unnatural Distinctions Established in Society,”

    Read More

  • Mary Wollstonecraft

    1202 Words  | 3 Pages

    Mary Wollstonecraft was a self-educated, radical philosopher who wrote about liberation, and empowering women. She had a powerful voice on her views of the rights of women to get good education and career opportunities. She pioneered the debate for women’s rights inspiring many of the 19th and the 20th century’s writers and philosophers to fight for women’s rights, as well. She did not only criticize men for not giving women their rights, she also put a blame on women for being voiceless and subservient. Her life and, the surrounding events of her time, accompanied by the strong will of her, had surely affected the way she chose to live her life, and to form her own philosophies.

    Read More

  • Women In Western Society

    1034 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Enlightenment questioned the role of women. For centuries men have dominated what the role of women should be. Many male writers believed that that women were lower intellectually value to men. But there were some philosophies, which showed some positive feed back for women. They argued that women were capable of all that men are. It was the woman thinkers who added new perspectives to the women question by suggesting better improvements for woman. Those thinkers believed that woman should be better educated. They should be able to learn what men are learning. A English writer Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) was the fonder of modern European feminism. She began the women movement arguing the rights of women. She declared, that women should have equal rights with education and in economic and political life.

    Read More

More about A Vindication Of The Rights Of Woman

Open Document