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 of Women,” is a way for Wollstonecraft to respond to the degrading of women. She opens her argument by apologizing to women at first because some may find what she has to say as inexcusable behavior. She immediately goes on explaining how women need to not be thought of as less than men. Wollstonecraft stated that: ….
susceptibility of heart, delicacy of sentiment, and refinement of taste, are almost synonymous with epithets of weakness, and that those begins who are only the objects of pity and that kind of love, which has been termed its sister, will soon become objects of contempt. (204) By saying this, she is telling women that they need not to rely greatly on men; they are able to stand on their own two feet and do something in the world. Some key topics Wollstonecraft stressed in her argument were education and the inferiority that women have towards men. 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 205). Though there were many key points in Wollstonecraft’s writing, there were also some faults. One thing she never stated was that “ men and women are equal. ” One reason Wollstonecraft did not state this in her article is that she could have been afraid of saying something with such power.
During the 1800’s men, were the dominant figure in marriages and in life in general. Women were brought up with the mindset that men were always greater than them and they should cater to their every need. Being educated, Wollstonecraft attempted to put a stop to this perspective. Though she was somewhat successful, there were still many women who doubted her authority; but many who came out on top. The rights of women have come a long way.
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 society. By giving women the new perspective that they could do and say anything a man could or would, Wollstonecraft changed many lives. By giving women the courage and education, women had become successful in becoming something of society, instead of just an “ uneducated housewife. She told women that they had a voice; all they had to do was find it and use it.
When using that voice, new ideas and thoughts started to come about. Women started making their mark in history. They started coming out of their shell and using their voice to stand up for their rights and even claim new rights. Overall, Wollstonecraft was successful in her writing. She put across the right message to women telling them that they are just as powerful and can be just as educated as men, by doing this, she made herself an influential character in history and is still not forgotten about today.
