How Does Despotism Play In A Vindication Of The Rights Of Women

She was a mother, a moral and political philosopher, a writer, and a feminist. Mary Wollstonecraft was the ideal image of what represented the push towards modern feminism. Some may even consider her as the founding mother of modern feminism itself. Much of Wollstonecraft’s literature is influenced by her own life experiences. In 1785, Wollstonecraft took on an employment opportunity as a governess. While spending most of her time there, she had a moment of epiphany where she realized that she was not suited for domestic work. Soon after, she returned to London and became a translator and wrote for a well-known publisher and discovered her love of writing. Eventually, years later she was then able to publish her most notable work, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792). A Vindication of the Rights of Woman is still a very popular book which can be seen as a guide to becoming a better citizen and understanding feminism in a critical context. This essay will argue that Mary Wollstonecraft is still relevant to the feminist cause today as her views portrayed in her book A Vindication of the Rights of Woman are still relatable to many of the feminist issues that currently exist around the world. This essay will do so by comparing how her views in A Vindication of the Rights of Woman can still be used as guiding principles to tackle feminist matters.

It however, would be almost 100 years before any of the things Wollstonecroft argued for would ever be amended, starting in America in 1869 with the first law enabling suffrage in Wyoming. Over the next 145 years torrents of state and constitutional amendments, as well as law reforms would slowly enabled women to gain a broader role within society. Eventually woman became legally equivalent to men in almost every way. Now that most woman accept their roles as equal to men and are afforded the same rights and education it’s easy to see that in most aspects Wollstonecroft was correct, and it was the lack of education and pursuits that kept woman ignorant; unable to expand the horizons of their mind. There are however always exceptions to everything, and so hold true for women. Just as Mary Wollstonecroft was an

By shaping her work around the concept of Enlightenment and its morals we are shown exactly how Wollstonecraft created what can only be described as one of the most dependable arguments for the expansion of equality within democracy in the history of modern politics. Consequently I believe that if we were to say that Wollstonecraft was the founder of modern feminism, it began as an attempt to tie together civilisation and democracy. . “The poor wretch, whose inelegant distress has extorted from a mixed feeling of disgust and animal sympathy present relief, would have been considered as a man,- whose misery demanded a part of his birthright, supposing him to be industrious; but should his vices have reduced him to poverty, he must then have addressed his fellow-men as weak beings, subject to like passions, who ought to forgive, because they expect to be forgiven, for suffering the impulse of the moment to silence the suggestions of conscience, or reason, which you will; for, in my view of things, they are synonymous terms.” Furthermore, Wollstonecraft’s revolutionary claim that democracy and savagery were, and still are, synonymous, was

A Vindication of the Rights of Women by Mary Wollstonecraft is one of the most influential and groundbreaking pieces of literature or the Enlightenment. Wollstonecraft laid the foundation for women’s rights and gender equality, and women especially have her to thank for this. Wollstonecraft was far from the prototypical women in society during the 1700’s, which is evident by her writing of Vindication. Wollstonecraft was successfully able to logically and systematically prove in Vindication that women were not inferior to men, which was a tremendously radical belief during this time in European society. The vast majority Europeans, including women, simply accepted these absurd claims and beliefs of how physically and intellectually inferior women were compared to men, an ideology that was simply preposterous to Wollstonecraft. A Vindication of the Rights of Women is one of the cornerstone works of literature for women’s rights and advocacy for gender equality in society, particularly in regards for morality equality. Without this pioneering work, women may still be subject to the same unfair and absurd treatment in modern-day society.

“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, Pg 114). Wollstonecraft believes the defense to gender inequality would be the education of girls and women. Either girls will be educated, or they will not be; she sees no other way around it. This led her to draft a public education system as an effective solution to the issue of gender inequality. She feels this would best be done if equal education, funded by public tax funds, were provided to all children of all genders and of all social classes. This argument was carefully detailed, thorough and persuading. However, in attempts to support her argument, Wollstonecraft makes the point that “if children are educated to understand the true principle of patriotism, their mother must be patriot” (Wollstonecraft, Pg. 66) seeing as though their mothers would be their primary caregivers. What she intends for this to mean is that women should be educated in order to educate her children. This statement and idea weakens her argument and slightly discredits her as a “feminist.” A feminist who has the best interest of a woman in mind would not have to substantiate her point by proving it would benefit others. A woman’s right to education shouldn’t

During the Victoria Era, philosophers claimed women had natural rights but in reality, their rights were limited. Women always came second to men. The Enlightenment in the 1700’s never offered “free and equal” to women in Europe (Ellis, Esler 55-57). A small number of women protested that women did not have natural rights and Mary Wollstonecraft agreed with their case but, most citizens in their time condemned their arguments. The idea of women actually doing something in the world seemed impossible. The idea was imaginable. Mary Wollstonecraft was a political theorist who analyzed women rights. Wollstonecraft has been described to be the pioneer of feminism, which is true. Wollstonecraft

In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century men had more rights than women because they were looked as the weaker sex of the two. A woman’s duties would be taking care of their families while also maintaining their homes, while the men on the other hand had the freedom to further their education and work in order to provide for their families. It wasn’t until a woman by the name of Mary Wollstonecraft argued for women to have better access in education and paid employment. She argued this could empower not only single women to support themselves, but also those who were married to be able to perform more efficiently as both wives and mothers. She believed that women should have the same rights as men have to be represented in government.

Women in London played a vital role in setting the foundation for the future of women’s rights in Western Civilization. Not only were barriers broken within London, but they became very influential to the future of the liberation movement for women. Interestingly enough, they are believed to be one of the erectors of modern day feminism. Mary Wollstonecraft was an ebullient advocate for women’s rights during the Enlightenment. During this time period, Wollstonecraft taught a new philosophy regarding women and the importance of education. The Enlightenment was a time for reasoning and rational thinking regarding subjects such as science and politics. Nevertheless, these ideas did not correspond with new ways of thinking regarding equal

In an excerpt from her 1792 treatise, A Vindication of the Rights of Women, novelist, philosopher, and women’s rights champion Mary Wollstonecraft argues for a united effort to incorporate women into society. She begins by discussing the corrupt and confining divisions in society. While there are a few ways for men to creep out of their predetermined ranks and futures, for women this is a nearly insurmountable task, she claims. Just legislation is aimed at promoting the public good, she explains, but women do not neatly fit into this equation. Many male philosophers believe that women should stay in the home and live lives of propriety, she relates.

A Vindication of the Rights of Woman and The Subjection of Women both presented political and logical explanations for why women remained subservient because of civilization’s, or more importantly, Man’s view of the natural ways of social order and discipline and presented a critique of why women were seen as such. They both sought to imagine a society, which would engage women in greater equality with males through women overcoming the hindrances of society. In her essay, Wollstonecraft sought to persuade women to listen to her call for them to serve with a nobler purpose in society as strong, intellectual beings, while Mill invokes the disability of civilization, throughout history, and on the fall of women to a submissive status. In seeking equality, Wollstonecraft attributes the way men treat women to their own weaknesses; whereas, Mill ascribes the poor treatment of women to their acceptance of society’s outlooks.

Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797), eighteenth-century English writer, philosopher and advocate of women’s rights shared Blackwell’s beliefs that society as a whole would greatly benefit if women received equal treatment and respect. Wollstonecraft concentrated her efforts in the fight for equality of women in the field of politics (Feminist Interpretations and Political Theory 37). Wollstonecraft concerned herself with refining women’s existence socially and politically through further distinguishing the distinctions between men and women in both the private and public sphere (37). Wollstonecraft saw the power and authority held by men in private spheres as well as in the sphere of politics as socially developed entirely (38). Similar to Wollstonecraft’s position, philosophers during the time of Enlightenment argued the artificiality of political authority among women, based on the premise that the natural authority between the sexes within the family structure blighted the authenticity of political authority among women (38). The governing ethic of conjugality dictates the treatment of women as wives, mothers and sexual partners (38). Obstacles such as these contradict any progression made by political reform (40).

I do not wish them (women) to have power over men; but over themselves…” (pg. 81). She is not arguing for a woman-dominated society, what she advocates for is women to be reasonable and intelligent. There is nothing bad that could come from giving women more of a chance to educate themselves and to share the same civic rights that men have. In the article, “On the Reception of Mary Wollstonecraft's: A Vindication of the Rights of Woman” Janes expands on the concept of the natural woman and it’s significance within the twenty-first century, especially in the United States. Additionally, she correlates it to the book “History of Woman Suffrage” written

Mary Wollstonecraft’s A Vindication of Rights of Women is a treatise concerning how she views society in 1792. She observes the oppression of women and the lack of education in society. Wollstonecraft is saying that men hold more influence over society than. The society, community, life itself is organized for men to succeed and be successful.[Oppression and Women's History, Linda Napikoski and Jone Johnson Lewis, 2017]. Women were used to pleasing men and only focus on dressing nice and staying quiet[Oppression and Women's History, Linda Napikoski and Jone Johnson Lewis, 2017]. To Wollstonecraft, this is the view of women being under men for everything. Women are still to this day being oppressed and treated unfairly. Women face issues such as sexual violence, underpaid, or even getting shamed.( 10 challenges, Ms. Magazine, 2017). Women still experience all things society but them through but they still impact the world.

Summary In A Vindication of The Rights of Women, Mary Wollstonecraft focuses her attention on oppression, society, and the fundamental rights of a woman. She goes on to elaborate about the three topics specifically detailing multiple accounts of how women are and have been degraded, discriminated, and how they have been portrayed throughout history. Wollstonecraft talks about how women have been oppressed and denied their potential in society. She mentions how it is believed that education is to blame for the condition of adult women.

Men hold the power to influence the thoughts of society because they keep women ignorant by withholding a formal education and the chance to think independently. To Wollstonecraft, education is important because it leads to independent thought and independence itself. Without education, women are ignorant and unable to fight their standing in society. Wollstonecraft refers to this situation as a "slavery which chains the very soul of women, keeping her under the bondage of ignorance." This line is important because it echoes the idea that women are forcefully denied the chance to better themselves through education. Also, the language Wollstonecraft uses, namely comparing women to slaves, shows Wollstonecraft's ideas about any form of slavery, not just involving women. Because the main subject