Mary Wollstonecraft's Concern For Sexual Morality

Unlike the men, Mary Wollstonecraft agreed that individual freedom was very important to society, but that it also lead to more desirable equality for woman. “Women must be allowed to find their virtue on knowledge, which is scarcely possible unless women be educated by the same pursuits as men” (Doc D). Wollstonecraft believed the primary source was to educate woman the same as men. If a woman were educated the same as men the woman would have a greater value to society.

She also argued that people should have the same education and social freedom. “To render [make] mankind more virtuous, and happier of course, both sexes must act from the same principle; …. women must be allowed to found their virtue on knowledge, which is scarcely possible unless they be educated by the same pursuits [studies] as men.” (Doc D). Wollstonecraft believes women are seen as ignorant and inferior, but to make women equal to men, they should be allowed to study the same topics as men. As Wollstonecraft said, “Make them free, and they will quickly become wise and virtuous…” (Doc D). Women did house chores all day as men would go to school or work. When the men come home and talk about their day, the women can not have a conversation because they are not educated. To have an actual conversation, women need to be educated in the same topics as men. Wollstonecraft’s main idea was to have gender equality and social freedom. Everyone should have the freedom as an individual to be able to get educated and to speak

Her main idea was for men and women to be treated equally. She believed that women were just as important as men and that they could be very valuable to society. She also thought that by giving women an education and a job that they would definitely be a benefit to society. She wrote “To render mankind more virtuous, and happier of course, both sexes must act from the same principle…” (Doc. D). This quote proves Wollstonecraft’s passion for equal rights. She clearly believed that by making females and males equal, it will be very beneficial. Therefore, she believed that equal rights was extremely important in

During the Age of Reason, Mary Wollstonecraft believed that “women must be allowed to be educated by the same pursuits as men” (Doc D). Aside from believing that women should be able to get the same education as men, Wollstonecraft also believed that if women were taught the same subjects as men, they will adjust quickly and become just as intelligent as men (Doc D). Women today are able to study the same subjects as men and are able to go into the same fields of study as men thanks to Wollstonecraft and many other women’s rights activists. Mary Wollstonecraft’s main idea about freedom was that women should be able to get the same education as men, which relates to the other two said branches of freedom, which were freedom of religion, and freedom of choice of

Men are respected more in the 17th and 18th century and to this day in some places of the world. Another equality philosopher, Mary Wollstonecraft believed that women should work to be at the same rank as men. In Wollstonecraft’s book she argues that women must be able to found their virtue on knowledge, but for that to be possible they must be educated as equally as men. Wollstonecraft also argued that if the government makes women free, they will become wise and virtuous. Because of Wollstonecraft's ideas she helped introduce women's equality and rights to the world.

these “female follies,” on men and argues, “From the tyranny of man, I firmly believe, the

Mary Wollstonecraft defines sexual inequality as little things such as which toys a child is supposed to play with based on their gender which leads to bigger things. Such as, how women are supposed to act and what role they play in society. Throughout the book, Wollstonecraft provides several examples of society doesn’t value women as much as men. Women are looked at as an accessory to men, someone who is just there to pleasure men. Wollstonecraft (2004, 28) states sexual inequality as: “Women are told from their infancy and taught… that cunning, softness of temper, outward obedience, and a scrupulous attention to a puerile kind property, will obtain for them the protection of a man.”. Wollstonecraft explains that society has basically stated that a woman’s life goal

1. In both works deceit is happening, in Paradise Lost Adam and Eve both go against God’s word despite both promising him that they wouldn’t eat the fruit. In A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, Mary Wollstonecraft is going against the moral right/codes of being a woman. a. Both women go against how they are supposed to act, Eve goes against God’s word, whereas Wollstonecraft fights to have equal rights with men.

Later stating, that all people deserve equal rights on a daily basis, particularly the right for a woman to access the same educational opportunities as men do. As a result, many had viewed her book as controversial material, and others had viewed it as revolutionary for the advocacy of women’s rights and education. Alongside her newly published book, Mary had also released a different book called, “Maria,” where she debates that women have strong sexual desires and it would be idiotic to pretend otherwise. Interestingly enough, as of the publication of “Maria,” Mary Wollstonecraft had released 24 books expressing her ideal society and her beliefs. Moving onto a different point, Mary Wollstonecraft, similar to most philosophers, had also voiced her beliefs on many subjects such as societal issues and politics throughout her career as a

Mary Wollstonecraft, who was born during the age of enlightenment in the 18th century, is one of the most prominent feminists in women’s history. Her book A Vindication of the Rights of Woman led her to become one of the first feminists, advocating for the rights of women. Born in a time where women’s education was neither prominent nor important, Wollstonecraft was raised with very little education. However, events in her life influenced her to begin writing, such as the way her father, Edward John Wollstonecraft treated her mother, “into a state of wearied servitude” (Kries,Steven)1. In 1792, she published Vindication on the Rights of Woman, which is one of the most prominent feminist pieces to date. This book is considered a reply to

One particular woman, argued in her "Declaration of Rights of Women" that men and women are both born free and therefore both should live equal in their rights. She felt that there was a need for social and political reform in which women have equal rights to property and public office and therefore equal responsibilities in taxes and the punishment of lawbreakers. Wollstonecraft argued "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman" that "Women had to do what men did to be equal.” Writings of Mary Wollstonecraft seemed to have been in vain because the leaders of the French Revolution were resistant to giving any kind of social and/or political equality to the women of the French Revolution.

Mary Wollstonecraft’s, A Vindication of the Rights of Women, is another example in which an Enlightenment author exhibits their opinion on the education and purpose of women. Contradictory to Rousseau’s writing, Wollstonecraft believed that women have a greater purpose than to serve man, and that is to be independent and care for others while they also care for themselves. She stated that unlike in Emile, women should be seen as and act independently and take care of themselves. She believed that women are not on this Earth for the purpose of serving men, and that they can stray away from these duties if they wish. Education wise, Wollstonecraft believed that a woman should not be limited to caring for their families, but may choose to pursue a higher learning, such as nursing and healing. But, she also said that caring for their children and husbands is not to be seen as a lesser job that women take part in, and that it is to be respected. Although Wollstonecraft incorporated some

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

As one of the earliest feminist writers, Mary Wollstonecraft faced a daunting audience of critics ready to dispel her cry for the rights of women. Her powerful argument calling for equality in a society dominated by men was strong, and her ideas withstood a lot of criticism to become one of the most important feminist texts. Her argument was simple and illustrates a solution to the inequality in society. The foundation of this argument is the idea of education and how independent thought is necessary to live a virtuous and moral life. In the present state of society, women are seen as inferior to men and held in a state of ignorance. The worst effect of this

It is in my opinion that Mary Wollstonecraft was influenced not only by the overall treatment in society upon woman but how they were portrayed in literature and on paper; she referenced the works of a Dr. Gregory and Jean- Jacques Rousseau and how she thought their thoughts were superficial and silly. In comparison to Thomas Paine and his work of the Rights of Man, I would say him and Mary Wollstonecraft shared the same views on equality and removal of despotic hereditary based regime. Paine focused more on the overall power structure in society and Wollstonecraft focused more on its citizens and affects equality, or lack thereof, has on society. In the argument of her case, Wollstonecraft made strong arguments for fair and equal treatment of woman and men alike and even left us with a blueprint of what has become our modern public school