A review by laurenjpegler
A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft
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