caris96's review against another edition
5.0
“Asserting the rights which women in common with men ought to contend for, I have not attempted to extenuate her faults; but to prove them to be the natural consequence of their education and station in society” (242).
One of Wollstonecraft’s central theses is that the “nature” of gender that society appeals to when prescribing gender roles is only created by these prescriptions, and thus by removing them, we uncover that human nature is not at all what we’ve assumed. Some of the gender norms that we still find necessary to deconstruct, from the taught behaviour of children to the position of women relative to men, were voiced more than 200 years ago by Wollstonecraft. It is a polemic critique of social and material conditions of the time and region (the religious and cultural institutions of which are still present in Wollstonecraft’s own perspective), and took to task turning the work of other intellectuals of the time on their heads. Overall, it’s a call for equality for women especially in institutions which, even to this day, impose double standards on gender.
One of Wollstonecraft’s central theses is that the “nature” of gender that society appeals to when prescribing gender roles is only created by these prescriptions, and thus by removing them, we uncover that human nature is not at all what we’ve assumed. Some of the gender norms that we still find necessary to deconstruct, from the taught behaviour of children to the position of women relative to men, were voiced more than 200 years ago by Wollstonecraft. It is a polemic critique of social and material conditions of the time and region (the religious and cultural institutions of which are still present in Wollstonecraft’s own perspective), and took to task turning the work of other intellectuals of the time on their heads. Overall, it’s a call for equality for women especially in institutions which, even to this day, impose double standards on gender.
theobscurereader_7's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
4.0
cayleigh's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
I've read excerpts of this for my degree but finally got around to reading it in full. I don't agree with everything and some other things didn't age well, but I have to respect the sheer significance of this piece and how revolutionary it was for its time.
misspalah's review against another edition
4.0
“Strengthen the female mind by enlarging it, and there will be an end to blind obedience.”
.
.
This is one of the first Feminist text and Mary Wollstonecraft is truly ahead of her time. However, I struggled to finish the book. The idea of DNF crossed my mind so many times while reading this book. When I finally finished it, I literally muttered to myself "the writing was so dry". Some of the prose are repetitive and some of her ideas are outdated. I did some summary on what I could comprehend from the book :
1. She just wanted men during her time to treat women as fellow humans.
2. She hated Rousseau's takes on women. Most of her rebuttal literally a direct reply to whatever nonsense spouted by Roosseau. (Pretty sure whatever Roosseau wrote about women is pretty much the same with those INCELS in the internet).
3. She stresses that education is a powerful tool to elevate women. She also added that while education is important, society also should play the part to change the women's roles.
.
.
The only uncomfortable thing I find in this book is Wollstonecraft's is a classist (the assumption of upper class women enjoy more pleasure and will not learn for virtue and most lower class women usually uneducated thus they are not fit to educate their kids which not necessarily true). Hence, some of her statements did come out condescending. Be that as it may, this is a truly a great piece of Feminist literature. Mary Wollstonecraft will be shocked to find that after 2 centuries later, women around the globe are still fighting for gender equality.
.
.
This is one of the first Feminist text and Mary Wollstonecraft is truly ahead of her time. However, I struggled to finish the book. The idea of DNF crossed my mind so many times while reading this book. When I finally finished it, I literally muttered to myself "the writing was so dry". Some of the prose are repetitive and some of her ideas are outdated. I did some summary on what I could comprehend from the book :
1. She just wanted men during her time to treat women as fellow humans.
2. She hated Rousseau's takes on women. Most of her rebuttal literally a direct reply to whatever nonsense spouted by Roosseau. (Pretty sure whatever Roosseau wrote about women is pretty much the same with those INCELS in the internet).
3. She stresses that education is a powerful tool to elevate women. She also added that while education is important, society also should play the part to change the women's roles.
.
.
The only uncomfortable thing I find in this book is Wollstonecraft's is a classist (the assumption of upper class women enjoy more pleasure and will not learn for virtue and most lower class women usually uneducated thus they are not fit to educate their kids which not necessarily true). Hence, some of her statements did come out condescending. Be that as it may, this is a truly a great piece of Feminist literature. Mary Wollstonecraft will be shocked to find that after 2 centuries later, women around the globe are still fighting for gender equality.
scholastic_squid's review against another edition
5.0
Great feminist piece for the time period. Radical viewpoint, but still completely and utterly relevant today.
To bring about complete change, the system requires restructuring to weave women in to the fibers of society and economics. The system, created by men for men, is flawed due to the lack of diversity - colour, genders, and age. We are trying to fit in to a world which is, quite honestly, not made for anyone except men. Let us break some ceilings and walls and restructure.
To bring about complete change, the system requires restructuring to weave women in to the fibers of society and economics. The system, created by men for men, is flawed due to the lack of diversity - colour, genders, and age. We are trying to fit in to a world which is, quite honestly, not made for anyone except men. Let us break some ceilings and walls and restructure.
faeriewolfe's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
leonor88's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
3.5
reindeerbandit's review against another edition
3.0
This was a v hard book to read. On the one hand, I understand how revolutionary it would have been at the time, and I recognize so many of her core principles in the rights of women today and those that we're still fighting for. On the other hand, she is extremely of her time and so much of what she's saying isn't relevant, or we've just moved so far past it that her arguments seem to not give women nearly enough credit or freedom. Plus, the writing style is tough, again because she was writing for an audience in 1792.
It was an Important read, but not a particularly good one, all in all.
It was an Important read, but not a particularly good one, all in all.