A Vindication of the Rights of Woman

"In the present state of society, it appears necessary to go back to first principles in search of the most simple truths, and to dispute with some prevailing prejudice every inch of ground."

The Vindication of the Rights of Woman: With Strictures on Political and Moral Subjects was written by Mary Wollstonecraft and was first published in January ,1792. 

Mary Wollstonecraft is regarded as one of the founding feminist philosophers. The publication of Vindication caused considerable controversy but failed to bring about any immediate reforms. From the 1840s, however, members of the incipient American and European women’s movements resurrected some of the book’s principles. It was a particular influence on American women’s rights pioneers such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Margaret Fuller.

I came across this book while I was reading “The Idea of Justice" by Amartya Sen; there he talks about her work which has been remarkable in bringing about the perspective on human rights and the injustices in society especially with regards to women. 

The Vindication of the Rights of Woman consists of thirteen chapters. All the chapters cover a wide range of subjects which include education and morality. 

In her work, Wollstonecraft goes to the very basic principles of the education and the bringing up of women. She criticizes the prevailing ideas of that time which reduce the nature of women to a frivolous femininity. 

She criticizes the opinions of the then contemporary writers and philosophers. She goes on to argue that women are, since birth, reduced to objects of superficial aesthetics and decoration. The prevailing education restrains the mind of woman to insignificant pleasures, and they are indoctrinated from childhood to take upon as their sole occupation, to please the man. This creates a community of vain and distracted women who are unable to properly perform their duties as wives and mothers or take care of household. 

One of the things that the book talks about in details is virtue. Wollstonecraft is concerned by the division of sex leading to an unclear understanding of virtue. Women are taught to be obedient and follow rules, they are not veered towards relying on their reason or the pursuit of virtues. She believes that society can progress and work well only when both the sexes work towards becoming virtuous and rely on their reason. The book focuses on highlighting the importance of reason for the female sex. 

The book talks of the various problems that arise out of sexual distinctions in the society. How it affects the domestic and social pursuits of people. 

"Would men but generously snap our chains and be content with rational fellowship instead of slavish obedience, they would find us more observant daughters, more affectionate sisters, more faithful wives, more reasonable mothers-- in a word, better citizens. "

Mary Wollstonecraft in this book has repeatedly analysed the nature of love and affection that exists between men and women and how it is affected by the nature of women. She has highlighted throughout the text the importance of mutual respect and friendship over passionate love. She talks of domestic duties and how harmful passion is for a peaceful household. 

In her book, she goes on to propose a liberal system of education where male and female students are taught together and pursue similar virtues. Where they learn to live with each other without sexual distinctions and build friendship and respect. She speaks with contempt about the system of teaching children at home or boarding schools. She has also criticized the religious education system. 

Looking at it now it seems completely natural, but for a woman to hold such views in the eighteenth century was revolutionary and brave. 

In this book, Mary Wollstonecraft, not only talks of the specific rights of women but she delves into the very nature of women, she criticizes their education and goes on to highlight the way it has affected the nature of women, rendering them weaker and more ignorant than they are. She criticizes, analyses and then proposes her solutions. 

The book jumps from one subject to another and it covers plenty of them. The vocabulary used is according to the time it was written in. I believe that the book has great relevance in the present times. 

Although still relevant, there are some differences in the feminism proposed there and what is accepted in the contemporary. Today, we talk about defying gender roles, but in this book, we find that the writer has given great importance to the role women play in the society as wives and mothers. 

Our problems have changed, so have the ideas. Modern day feminism has evolved and included many new issues that pertain to the current social design. The basic principles , however have remained the same. 

The principal takeaway from this book was the understanding of female nature and the causes that have led to the limitations in it. The writer had very well justified her demand for equality for the female sex. It is always interesting to go back to the foundations and read about the ideas that we support. 

"Be just then, O ye men of understanding! and mark not more severely what women do amiss, than the vicious tricks of the horse or the ass for whom ye provide provender-- and allow her the privileges of ignorance, to whom ye deny the rights of reason, or ye will be worse than Egyptian task masters, expecting virtue where nature has not given understanding."

Interestingly, Mary Wollstonecraft has also written A Vindication of the Rights of Man and I will certainly read it once I get my hands on it.