The Big Idea
Mary Wollstonecraft attacks the 'iron sceptre of tyranny' that keeps women in a state of perpetual childhood. She argues that what men mistake for natural female weakness is actually the result of a neglected intellect and an education focused entirely on 'the art of pleasing.' By treating women as mere ornaments or 'alluring objects,' society ensures they remain stagnant, obsessed with dress, and incapable of true virtue. She calls for a revolution in female manners, insisting that if women are granted the same rights as men, they will naturally emulate the same virtues. The argument rests on the claim that reason is not a sexual characteristic, but a human one bestowed by God.
Who's named
- Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Philosopher who argued women's education should focus on pleasing men.
- M. Talleyrand-Périgord
French politician to whom the work was originally addressed.
- George Washington
Example of a leader who exercised modesty without self-abasement.
- God
The ultimate source of justice and human reason.
What it's really about
- Rationality
- Reason is the distinction that raises humans above other animals.
- Educational Equality
- Neglecting the female mind creates a 'poisoned source' of vice.
- Civil Liberty
- Rights and duties are inseparable and must be applied equally.
Why it's memorable
- The comparison of uneducated women to 'barbarous' men obsessed with tattooing and tawdry finery.
- The sarcastic suggestion that fathers should buy their sons-in-law whips to maintain order.
What it concludes
True virtue cannot exist without understanding, and women will only change their character when they are physically, morally, and civilly free.
For your book club
- Does the emphasis on 'reason' overlook the value of physical or emotional differences?
- How does the critique of 'sensual homage' apply to modern celebrity culture?