kareninoz_reads's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
4.0
Insightful arguments for educating women from a time that would have been thought absurd.
hwks's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
My oh my! I didn't expect to get so wrapped up in a book written over 200 years ago. Wollstonecraft was incredible, sharp, clever, and so brave to put these words to paper at a time when most of these sentiments weren't just against the norm, but outright dangerous to hold. It's a bit repetitive and at times the language drags on, but it's also shocking. It's interesting to gauge progress, and also note the arguments she lays out that we're still debating today.
laurenjpegler's review against another edition
4.0
I will be uploading a more thorough review of this on my blog - I'll update this when it's live
Original rating: 3.5 stars.
I've been meaning to Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Woman for the longest time now. As my dissertation is concerned with marriage from a woman's perspective, I thought now would be a good a time as any.
On the whole, this was a very powerful and thought-provoking book. Wollstonecraft's passionate plea for equality amongst the sexes was extremely wonderful to read about. She would often make little comments about how society should be (according to her anyway); as a modern reader I can see how this is currently underway in society. For example, her plea for a national education where boys and girls are being taught in a classroom together. It was interesting to see Wollstonecraft crave this sort of change when it is so natural for me as a modern reader.
I've rated it down for a few reasons:
- Number one: the language. It's very flowery and sophisticated language, so understanding what she writes can be tricky on the first go. A few paragraphs or sentences I had to read over just to make sure I understood what she was saying. Obviously, this is not her fault. This was how a lot of educated writers wrote back in the eighteenth century, but it is obviously a huge barrier today.
- Number two: despite her pleading for equality amongst the sexes, Wollstonecraft occasionally relied on traditional ideas of womanhood. Although she pleaded for education, professions and no prejudices for/against women, she also allocated women to the domestic sphere. She suggested that for women to do their duties correctly - motherhood, wifehood, etc. - they need to be educated. I just thought this was a little contradictory. She is deemed the 'mother of modern feminism, yet still pushed women into the domestic sphere.
Overall, a really lovely read. As I was going through I was highlighting a lot of quotes that really stood out for me; one's that were empowering or relevant. There were quite a few powerful ones. I'd definitely recommend this
Original rating: 3.5 stars.
I've been meaning to Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Woman for the longest time now. As my dissertation is concerned with marriage from a woman's perspective, I thought now would be a good a time as any.
On the whole, this was a very powerful and thought-provoking book. Wollstonecraft's passionate plea for equality amongst the sexes was extremely wonderful to read about. She would often make little comments about how society should be (according to her anyway); as a modern reader I can see how this is currently underway in society. For example, her plea for a national education where boys and girls are being taught in a classroom together. It was interesting to see Wollstonecraft crave this sort of change when it is so natural for me as a modern reader.
I've rated it down for a few reasons:
- Number one: the language. It's very flowery and sophisticated language, so understanding what she writes can be tricky on the first go. A few paragraphs or sentences I had to read over just to make sure I understood what she was saying. Obviously, this is not her fault. This was how a lot of educated writers wrote back in the eighteenth century, but it is obviously a huge barrier today.
- Number two: despite her pleading for equality amongst the sexes, Wollstonecraft occasionally relied on traditional ideas of womanhood. Although she pleaded for education, professions and no prejudices for/against women, she also allocated women to the domestic sphere. She suggested that for women to do their duties correctly - motherhood, wifehood, etc. - they need to be educated. I just thought this was a little contradictory. She is deemed the 'mother of modern feminism, yet still pushed women into the domestic sphere.
Overall, a really lovely read. As I was going through I was highlighting a lot of quotes that really stood out for me; one's that were empowering or relevant. There were quite a few powerful ones. I'd definitely recommend this
dorothy_gale's review against another edition
5.0
How did this get published in 1792?!?!
This is likely the oldest book on feminism I will read, and it shows up on pretty much every must-read feminist book list. I gave it 5 stars because I'm surprised it exists, and the author Mary Wollstonecraft was clearly an outspoken, articulate rebel. My only regret is not researching her to learn more about her context before starting the book. Was she married? Was she a mother? Was she religious? What was happening at the time? She takes stands on women with regard to education, parenting, wifely duties and more. Education is the strongest though. She spoke of virtues and manners, which you don't hear a lot about today. Her vocabulary was also fairly different; there were a few words I didn't know. She had several great quotes but I was driving so I couldn't write them down. One was: "I do not wish them [women] to have power over men; but over themselves." She also boldly referred to women as slaves. This is the kind of book that wants me to take a class on feminism.
Afterthoughts: She only lived to 38, and died 11 days after her second daughter was born -- and that daughter was Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein! I also forgot to mention that she wrote about how we educate our daughters -- specifically being selective in what they are allowed to read.
This is likely the oldest book on feminism I will read, and it shows up on pretty much every must-read feminist book list. I gave it 5 stars because I'm surprised it exists, and the author Mary Wollstonecraft was clearly an outspoken, articulate rebel. My only regret is not researching her to learn more about her context before starting the book. Was she married? Was she a mother? Was she religious? What was happening at the time? She takes stands on women with regard to education, parenting, wifely duties and more. Education is the strongest though. She spoke of virtues and manners, which you don't hear a lot about today. Her vocabulary was also fairly different; there were a few words I didn't know. She had several great quotes but I was driving so I couldn't write them down. One was: "I do not wish them [women] to have power over men; but over themselves." She also boldly referred to women as slaves. This is the kind of book that wants me to take a class on feminism.
Afterthoughts: She only lived to 38, and died 11 days after her second daughter was born -- and that daughter was Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein! I also forgot to mention that she wrote about how we educate our daughters -- specifically being selective in what they are allowed to read.
gleigh96's review against another edition
challenging
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
Mary Wollstonecraft was truly a woman ahead of her time.
ominousevent's review against another edition
A truly wild read - some fairly modern-sounding feminist ideas juxtaposed with very protestant, gender-essentialist (and misogynistic) ones. Wollstonecraft was so ahead of her time in some ways - e.g. her consistent support of better and broader education for women - that the rest of her opinions seem terribly regressive by comparison. Because, today, they would be! She has little to no concern for anyone who is not white and at least middle-class (although she advocates for the education of even poor children! ... up to the age of nine), assures the reader that none of her suggested improvements need take women out of their proper place in the domestic sphere, and holds virtue and marriage in the highest esteem. But, to use a very imperfect analogy, it would be a mistake to judge an early building block by the standards of a finished house.
The prose is stultifying and Wollstonecraft is intensely moralistic, which can make the book hard to get through, but she also pours scorn on Rousseau, which is a good time.
The prose is stultifying and Wollstonecraft is intensely moralistic, which can make the book hard to get through, but she also pours scorn on Rousseau, which is a good time.