Feminism theorized by Mary Wollstonecraft in her work “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman”

 

Feminism theorized by Mary Wollstonecraft in her work “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman”

In chapter 2 of this work of criticism, Mary discussed the prevailing Opinion of a sexual Character and defend the ingenious argument that the two sexes in attainment of virtue ought to aim at different character.

Following are the matters discussed in this work

Strength of Mind:

Mary present his vindication against those men who don’t think that the women have enough strength of mind in attaining a virtue

Men ignorance:

According to men, women should be remained innocent in the rest of their lives. Men satirizes the women of their follies because they could not hold the passion of women. She called those men having unstable mind.

Education of women from infancy:

Women are being taught from infancy a very little knowledge and what the knowledge is about? It’s about the behavior for temptation of men. This includes cunning, softness of temper, and outward obedience. They are being taught that if they follow it then they will get the protection of men

Individual education:

Mary focuses on the individual education that a child should be given attention to his senses, so that the passion started to generate in him. According to Mary “important task of learning is to think and reason”

Private Education:

Mary was against the private education because it is like spoon feeding. One cannot build his thinking ability. According to her “men and women must be educated, in a great degree, by the opinion and manners of society they live”. She was in favor of both sexes education in a way that the society in which they live, they must be educated about their society. She presents her purpose that only by reasoning, one can become virtuous. So the question arises that how one can become virtuous by reasoning. The fact is, when you are blindly doing things which are not right, then your acts are not virtuous. You are not doing things by rational decisions. It’s also possible that your virtuous act with one can harm the other. And that what private education does, it’s damage your thinking abilities.

Perfect education:

Mary gives her opinion on perfect education. The education makes you independent by the exercise of understanding is perfect. She asserts that the women didn’t endeavor to attain the qualities that men have. Women who got education of temptation is so intoxicating. It’s the curse for women that they degrade themselves for the illegitimate power.

Criticism on writers:

Mary criticizes the writers like Rousseau who wrote on the subject of female education of manners and portray them a weak character. She condemns that type of writers as the useless members of society.

Causes contribute to enslave the mind of women:

Mary raised a voice for women. She discussed the causes which spoil the understanding of women. Women who don’t raise their voice for injustice and equality. Women were supposed to do everything in orderly manners which is the result of disorderly education. They were not supposed to educate equally with men. The only method and education they got is to observe. So, the knowledge gained by observing is lacking in purpose than the knowledge men got.

Where women are lacking?

According to Mary,

                        “women do not pursue any one branch”

Pursuing one branch gives vigor to faculty and clarity of judgement. Then they can see thing clearly and judge well.

Present state of society

Mary draw the comparison between the education of boys and girls. Boys were obliged to spent few years in discipline to be a gentleman while girls are only educated about bodily accomplishment which shows their modesty. If the women were wise intelligent, they had ignored and their faculty is swapped by learning manners. A strong faculty is substituted by weak exercises for simple and so called principles.

Comparison of women with military men:

She cites the example of military men to prove that the education women got is useless. Soldier like women got the knowledge about the world. They both practices the little virtues by showing great attention to politeness. Mary questions the sexual difference, if the education is same why men consider superior. She discerns that the only difference is liberty which men enjoy.

Political remark:

Mary gives her remark by observation on officers. She compared standing armies with the machines who are devoid of depth of understanding. She ridiculed them that they only show gallantry. Just like a woman, they are subjected to please and only live to please.

Misfortunes and consequences faced by both women and military men:

Mary discussed two misfortunes faced by both sexes. Firstly, before acquiring the morals, they got education of manners. Secondly, in spite of getting deep into human nature, they got knowledge of life through observation. Consequences of these misfortunes is that, people got prejudices about them. Authority use them according to their purposes and they blindly obey them without analyzing the problem beyond the surface.

Devaluing the women:

She still carries the argument by blaming the riches and hereditary who makes the women value zero through despotism. She also condemned the men who tyrannize their women like wife, mother, daughter in order to keep their mistress happy.

She gives the solution to end blind obedience which is only achieved by strengthening female mind.

Criticism on the work of Rousseau:

Mary condemn Rousseau by alluding the example of Sophia who is the character of Rousseau work Emile. He portrays the woman as dependent and seductive slave. For Rousseau, woman is the object of desire. And for man, woman is no more than obedient companion. Mary disparages his conception about women by saying that “virtues must be same in quality”. As virtuous are same for both, their conduct should be founded on same principles. Men should not consider women to be inferior. She asserts that if anyone acquire the dignity of conscious virtue, they will be satisfied by their true self. Because life did not provide intense happiness to immortal soul.

Female are subservient to love:

Mary questions that why female always be ready to obey unquestioningly to lust whenever male want? Where is the feeling and desires of women? She said “youth is the season of love”. But after marriage, her charm doesn’t affect the husband. The only education of pleasing is not useful anymore after youth has gone. She said “love, perhaps, the most evanescent of all passions, give place to jealousy and vanity”

Conclusion:

She concludes her work of criticism by saying, it is worthless to learn the art of pleasing. Women should make herself respectable. Only in this way she can live a happy life instead of taking difficulties in order to make others happy.