Charles Darwin's 'On The Origin Of Species'

Charles Darwin is a naturalist who first began to investigate his interest in natural science with his study of finches on the Galapagos Islands. It is said that this study is the one that sparked his interest in developing his evolutionary theory. He is the author of On the Origin of Species, published in 1859, which he later built upon to write the Descent of Man which he published in 1871. He is well known for the development of the theory of evolution in which he puts forth the idea that humans evolve from apes through natural and sexual selection. At the time, the theory of evolution was dynamic and in high opposition. While the theory of evolution is still known today as a scientific breakthrough, Darwin’s scientific representation of the so-called “superiority” of the male, physically and mentally, over the female has been detrimental to the freedom of the female, which can still be seen to this day.
Patricia Murphy, in her essay, “Reevaluating Female “Inferiority”: Sarah Grand versus Charles Darwin,” states that “by linking a perceived mental inferiority of women to the mechanism of evolution, Darwin seemingly brought scientific proof to support a cultural truism” which generated “significant repercussions (221).” Later texts such as […] and […] suggest that sex differences are not as meaningful as they have been portrayed by Darwin and Gamble. Darwin’s ideology of gender is reflective of Victorian ideologies at the time Descent of Man was written. The prevailing view was a dichotomous standard that put men and women on opposite sides of the spectrum due to “essential” characteristics, which contributes to and enforces the existing social