Preview

Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication To The Rights Of Women

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
961 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication To The Rights Of Women
A Critique of “A Vindication to the Rights of Women”

In Mary Wollstonecraft’s, “A Vindication to the Rights of Women,” she “earnestly” stressed women to start standing up for themselves in society. She urges them to “acquire strength, both of mind and body” in order to conquer their rights. Through her writing, Wollstonecraft was able to send a powerful message to women, by telling them that they have a voice and should not allow others to take advantage of it. Wollstonecraft, promoting education and taking an active role in society, made an effective mark on women in society by educating women in what they can do about society and how they should not be thought of as lesser then men (Wollstonecraft 204). “A Vindication to the Rights
…show more content…
She argued that women should have an education and should be an active role in society. If women were to receive an education it would be a way to improve society because they would have a basic understanding of how society works and would be able to make conscious decisions about life. By limiting education to women, this is only limiting advancement in society. Wollstonecraft goes on by adding her opinion that by keeping women away from an educated world, it might make women uneasy; by that meaning they would not want to cooperate with society. Also if women were educated, then relationships in and out of the home would be better. Their children would be able to learn from both their father and mother, instead of just from the educated father allowing for the child to advance in schools because they would be receiving two perspectives. Though being “ridiculed or pitied” by men, Wollstonecraft urged women to further their education because it would allow them to expand their thoughts and ideas out into society. Women with an education “will acquire too much courage or fortitude.” As for being inferior towards men, Wollstonecraft explained that “there is little reason” for that to happen. She ended her argument by saying intellect will always govern which again stresses her point that education is an important attribute to ones life (Wollstonecraft …show more content…
Women are allowed to vote, they have an equal educational opportunity as men, and be able to live alone without having to depend upon a man to support them. A lot of these rights were acquired because of the argument made by Wollstonecraft. She was one of the first or many feminists who stood up for her rights and stood up against men and society, challenging them that women could do just the same kind of work a man could. By doing challenging the “norm”, Wollstonecraft started a new era for women and gave them different outlooks and perspectives on how they should live their lives. Many new organizations started such as the National Women Suffrage Association and the National Women’s Trade Union League. Also conventions such as the National Right’s Convention took place. The organizations and meetings happened because of the influence Wollstonecraft had upon women. She gave them a different way of thinking by giving them the courage and the pride any women would need in order to succeed in

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    Women have suffered throughout history. Angelina Grimke, Sarah Grimke, Catherine Beecher and Margaret Fuller wrote letters to express the importance of women’s rights. Often comparing women’s rights to slavery, each letter stressed the importance of equal rights for all. I never knew women were oppressed that badly. The letters these women wrote were based on moral rights, observation of injustice, and suppression in society. Each letter written expanded my knowledge on women’s rights. Although each wrote letters, the effectiveness of the writer’s point of view made some essays more effective at proving their point than others. Throughout this paper I will summarize, compare and contrast, and analyze each letter written to determine which paper effectively persuaded their reader.…

    • 1624 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Malala Yousafzai Analysis

    • 1104 Words
    • 5 Pages

    To begin with, Mary Wollstonecraft was a feminist who was a strong advocate for women’s rights and equal opportunities. She stood strongly for women and education. Wollstonecraft believed that all women should be educated, and that they should always have that option available for them whenever they need it to be. Mary Wollstonecraft didn’t agree with the way women were presented and perceived not only by men, but by society as well. In one of Wollstonecraft’s famous writings, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman she makes the conclusion that women should be educated despite of what their “expected” role as a woman should…

    • 1104 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the Vindication of the Rights of Woman Wollstonecraft wanted to create equal opportunity for women as well as for men. The playing field for both men and women alike should be even; one shouldn’t be favored over the other. Wollstonecraft wanted women to have the same opportunities that men had; a good formal education as wealthy men, a profession with higher intellectual status, and positive virtues. Women having an educational background and using that to their strengths. For women to use their educational wits to their strengths would provide them with better job opportunities and not always depending on their husband to make decisions for them or household. However, men are trained at finding professions while women are trained for marriage…

    • 375 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Philosopher Mary Wollstonecraft focused on the rights of women and men, she wrote about this topic furthermore in her book “A Vindication of the Rights of Women.” In this she wrote, “they be educated by the same pursuits [studies] as men. For they are now made so inferior by ignorance and low desires, a not to deserve to be ranked with them.” Wollstonecraft makes clear how women do have the power to write and be educated. She further explains how women should be given the chance to prove…

    • 494 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Age Of Reason Dbq Essay

    • 525 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Wollstonecraft focus on the equal rights of women, that women could be more than beautiful,emotional and, dependant on men. Therefore she fought for the right to women to study and teach individuals that everyone no matter the gender can make logical,reasoned arguments. Wollstonecraft stated “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 of men.”(Document D). Wollstonecraft is stating that for equality for both genders ,women must be allowed the sames education and privilege as men or they’ll be inferior by ignorance and low…

    • 525 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Mary Wollstonecraft stated in the Vindication of the Rights of Women “... women must be allowed to found their virtue on knowledge, which is scarcely possible unless they be educated by the same pursuits as men”(Doc D). This quote means that for women to be respectful and have much intellect, they must have the same education as men. This is important to her idea because one step to having equality with women is education which was not equal. She also said “ in short,... reason and experience convince me that the only method of leading women to fulfill their peculiar duties is to free them from all restraint by allowing them to participate in the inherent rights of mankind. Make them free, and they will quickly become wise and virtuous”(Doc D).This quote is stating that women are not given the ability to grow in intellect and they cannot become smart, or ethical without equality. This supports Wollstonecraft's idea because if women just had the same equality more and more women would become more than just a housewife or caretaker. Mary Wollstonecraft was a massive part of women's equality and without her; women wouldn't have the equality they have today. Through all three of them; Locke, Voltaire, and Wollstonecraft, together made a huge impression and now there is a better government, more equality in religion, and close to complete women's…

    • 870 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    enlightment thinkers

    • 357 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Mary Wollstonecraft Contribution Was the Right for Women To Be Treated Equally As Men. I Think Women Should Be Treated The Same As Men As Well. Mary Wollstonecraft Said “If All Men Are Born Free, How Is It That All Women Are Born Slaves? If One Man Shall Be Able To Vote I Think Women Should Be Able To Vote Also. I Chose Mary Wollstonecraft Because I Agree With Her Enlightenment Idea 100 %.…

    • 357 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Mary Wollstonecraft’s A Vindication of the Rights of Women, Frederick Douglass’s Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, and Rabindranath Tagore’s Punishment all serve as pieces of social commentary, painting the struggles women and slaves hold as oppressed parties against their oppressors: men and white slaveholders. In each text, there are presumed advantages the oppressed groups hold, adding complexity to the relationship between oppressor and oppressed as there are times where these advantages serve as a hindrance and liability to the well-being of its holder. A perceived advantage held by an oppressed people becomes a liability when the advantage fails to surpass or even equal basic rights held by a non-oppressed people. As…

    • 1735 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Wollstonecraft Vs Mill

    • 651 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Mary Wollstonecraft’s 13 chapters of A Vindication of the Rights of Women states an argument that all human beings are equal and both men and women have the same exposure to reason. All humans should have a chance to pursue and strive for their goals and dreams. She thinks that women’s expectations are a result of social standards and education from a young age. From an early age young girls are being taught that they are less…

    • 651 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    "Women ought to have representatives, instead of being arbitrarily governed without any direct share allowed them in the deliberations of government." (Wollstonecraft, 1792). Women began to consider that the way they had been being treated might have not been fair. Women of the eighteenth century did not wish to have greater power then men. They only wished for equal rights.…

    • 1058 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Vindication of the Right

    • 4547 Words
    • 19 Pages

    From the respect paid to property flow, as from a poisoned fountain, most of the evils and vices which render this world such a dreary scene to the contemplative mind. For it is in the most polished society that noisome reptiles and venomous serpents lurk under the rank herbage; and there is voluptuousness pampered by the still sultry air, which relaxes every good disposition before it ripens into virtue.…

    • 4547 Words
    • 19 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Human Rights Dbq

    • 472 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Just like the other Enlightenment philosophers Mary Wollstonecraft believed in natural right, but she had stood for the natural rights of woman. “ Women must be allowed to find their virtue on knowledge, which is scarcely possible unless they educate the same pursuits [studies] as men”. Wollstonecraft believed that the only reason men were inferior to women was mainly because, men never women a many chance to prove themselves…

    • 472 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Mary Wollstonecraft was a woman who believed that all woman should have their own laws also they should have equal rights. She was also british. One of her quotes is “Make them free,and they will become wise and virtuous”. What she is trying to say if woman had the same freedom as man they would achieve the same as the men do. Woman might just do better than man. All in all,Mary wollstonecraft is main focus is that women should have the same rights as man and should have the opportunity to do the same task.…

    • 563 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Throughout most of history, women had fewer legal rights and career opportunities than men did. Women mostly had jobs as a seamstress or kept boarding houses, some of the women had the same jobs as men. For an example, according to “Women’s History in America” in 1890 a slim amount of the women were doctors, but 95% of doctors were men in the United States. Another example of what women were not allowed to do is vote, married women were not allowed to obtain property rights, if a couple happen to get a divorce woman had no parental rights, and women had to obey laws even though they had no say in the law in the first place. This is just a few of the many unequal things that happened to women. It is a turning point in women’s history…

    • 904 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    In A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, Mary Wollstonecraft presented and developed ideas that were groundbreaking and new for her time. She believed the only way women could view their social roles objectively and differently was through education. Her ideas were “unambiguously feminist, although by modern standards, they may seem outdated” (“History of feminism”). But I believe her ideas and theories have relevance for women today inasmuch as today's woman is not as well educated as she might be and therefore open to being taken advantage of, and that many of the same problems of the past still plague us today.…

    • 1302 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays