A vindication of the Rights of Women, a ground-breaking work of literature by Mary Wollstonecraft, continues to have an impact on feminism and human rights. In it, Wollstonecraft addresses the political and educational philosophers of the 18th century who opposed women's education.
She penned a vindication of women's rights at a time when men were thought to be in charge. She contends that the subjugation of women is to blame for men's domination. Women were mistreated because of inadequate education. The disparities between the sexes are significantly influenced by education. Men are not inherently more intelligent than women, she adds.Women were not treated fairly in 1792, the year that Wollstonecraft penned this book, and she argued that they should have the same rights and opportunities as men. The feminist movement officially began at this point. She contends that the roles of gender and wealth in society both lead to serious issues. Women were stigmatized as being weaker due to their "elegancy of intellect." Based on what men are taught, this was said. She was able to convey that women and men were completely equal human beings by using her own emotional state as an example. ‘Should I convey my conviction with the energising feelings I experience’, she asks in her essay. She makes the case that women ought to have access to careers in politics and medicine. Women shouldn't be afraid to express their opinions out loud for fear of coming across as masculine. She contends that moral goodness and virtue are what distinguish one individual from another.
Jean Jacques Rousseau, a philosopher, is criticised by Wollstonecraft because he wants girls to understand that what really matters is how attractive a woman is. Since they lack the capacity for rational thought, truly equal schooling is inappropriate.
Rousseau works hard to show that everything was right at first.She rejects Rousseau's assertion that humans eventually revert to their original nature and resume behaving more like animals. The notion that men and women are one is one that Wollstonecraft consistently pursues. Women were treated as toys and are subject to the laws of subjection that apply to men. She basically said that education is necessary for women to improve their position in society in "A Vindication of the Rights of Women," which was her main motivation for writing it. She opposed a lot of writers who held different philosophical views.
Many authors on women's education, such Rousseau and Dr. Gregory, have a tendency to portray women as artificial and weak. Dr. Gregory believes that women enjoy dressing up naturally, whereas Wollstonecraft claims that women focus on clothing because attractive women attract attention. She claims Gregory advises women to exaggerate the areas in which they differ from the "average" person and that he also advises them never to tell their husbands how much they love them. Wollstonecraft vehemently condemns such deceit. She contends that men shouldn't be held accountable for the moral and intellectual development of women. One need not descend from heaven to tell us what will happen if the blind lead the blind.
Instead of engaging in arguments, she was circumspect in her explanation of her motivation. Most significantly, education for women gave women a sense of independence in the event that their husband died. Women now have the individual freedom to maintain the home and raise children thanks to education. Wollstonecraft’s ideas on equality marked the beginning of the feminist movement, which saw women taking a more active role in societal developments .
By-
Sriparna Mukherjee
Student
Amity University, Kolkata
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