Paper Topic:

feminism enlightenment

Feminism Enlightenment

In two centuries where women have very little or no rights at all , Mary Wollstonecraft appeared as a claiming voice of feminism . In these male- dominated societies Wollstonecraft educated women and tried to vindicate their rights through one of the few areas where they could show their intelligence : literature . Scorned in her own day and for generations afterward due to the illegitimacy of her daughter , her free lifestyle and her unorthodox opinions , Vindication of the Rights of Women (1792 is today a feminist classic and she is honoured as an

early English feminist foremother . In Vindication Wollstonecraft applied the language of the French Revolution to women , scorned the inconsequential training of women common in her time , and advocated a real education for women she applied radical principles of liberty and equality to sexual politics (Tomalin , 94

Mary Wollstonecraft was a radical in the sense that she desired to bridge the gap between mankind 's present circumstances and ultimate perfection . She was truly a child of the French Revolution and saw a new age of reason and benevolence close at hand . Mary undertook the task of helping women to achieve a better life , not only for themselves and for their children , but also for their husbands . Through her many struggles within society , Wollstonecraft would most definitely be regarded as the founder of feminist thinking . Mary Wollstonecraft deserves the title of enlightened despot ' because of her ability to promote women 's rights through the use of her critical understanding of society , and writings which used enlightenment ideas stressing progress , new values of freedom , individual rights and equality (Wardle , 43 ) During the 18th century there was little argument for civil and educational rights for women . There was more concern about racial matters than about women status and rights . When Mary Wollstonecraft wrote Vindication of the Right of Woman , she tried to fulfil this lack of civil and educational rights for women this was a plea to give equality of opportunity to women . The education she promoted was a mixture of information and rational skills . She stressed the importance of educating both sexes together , something that was nearly impossible for that era : My observation on national education are obviously hits but I principally wish to enforce the necessity of educating the sexes together , to perfect both (Wollstonecraft 293

She thought that men and women should be educated to a great degree by the opinions and manners of the society in which they live . Men and women were educated by their mother so the concession made in favour of education was not a privilege afforded to women but a way of control Education was not intended to prepare women for professional and public life but it was meant to give children a good base for life . This was one of the best arguments to Wollstonecraft for educating women . She looked for educated woman who would not be humble and dependent of their husbands but friends , better educators , wives , mothers and individuals if...

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