Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication Of The Rights Of Women

Caitlin Parrott

Dr. Radeva-Costello

English 232

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Mary Wollstonecraft’s Value of Reason

Mary Wollstonecraft’s A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, was written to advance the rights of woman and national education in 1792. The essay is a philosophical feminist work that was highly controversial during this time. The mission of Wollstonecraft’s essay was to further the notion that men and woman are equal. Interestingly, Wollstonecraft as well wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Men. Through her writings, Wollstonecraft sought to enforce the idea of equal opportunity for women to close-minded thinkers. A major issue of the eighteenth century was that women were greatly oppressed, with no political rights and were limited to few occupations.

. .” (Wollstonecraft, 215). Wollstonecraft does not want the reader to feel pity for her, nor does she want to appear one-sided to her sex. Wollstonecraft does not proclaim that men and women are completely equal beings to further her notion of women’s education. Rather, Wollstonecraft proposes a valid point, stating that “In the government of the physical world it is observable that the female in point of strength is, in general, inferior to the male. This is the law of nature . . .” and “a degree of physical superiority cannot, therefore be denied . . .” (Wollstonecraft, 214). Therefore, Wollstonecraft is valid in asserting her arguments for a more rigorous education for women by confirming that fact that men are superior physically. However, Wollstonecraft points that women are treated as subordinate beings because of this fact by nature. Nevertheless, women can be made useful to society by promoting their thoughts, intellect, skills, and abilities. For example, a mother who is highly educated will raise virtuous children. Wollstonecraft validates this statement by proclaiming that “if children are to be educated to understand the true