When I first realized we would be
reading about women’s rights I was excited; however, this essay did not live up
to the standards I set for it. I do admit Mary Wollstonecraft made some very
good points: points that would go unnoticed in our modern world. Maybe back in
the 1700’s when this essay was written people could have appreciated its beauty
from Wollstonecraft’s style of writing. Her essays are overflowing with rich
vocabulary. It was almost too much at times. I had to stop and look up words,
which made me frustrated. On top of the style of writing that required me to
read some passages more than twice, the intricate wording was a lot for me to
handle.
This
piece is being read by youthful women who are educating themselves by reading a
piece about a woman who thinks females should not just be pretty and have a
fondness for dress, but that they should educate themselves for a better
position in life and for self-worth. I can really relate to the message that
Wollstonecraft is trying to send because I try to strive to educate myself and
be independent. In today’s world, women are being pushed to get a good
education and put themselves out there in the work force. When this piece of
writing was written 400 years ago things were the other way around. Women were
pushed to not speak their mind and just do what they have been taught to do. “Men,
indeed, appear to me to act in a very unphilosophical manner when they try to
secure the good conduct of women by attempting to keep them always in a state
of childhood.” I interpret that line to mean two things. One point being that
they like women to stay young and not grow up to explore different
possibilities. The other point being that men like to rule, and they want women
to have minimal power.
Other
prominent voices in this essay included the ones of Rousseau and Dr. Gregory.
From what I gathered from this essay, they share similar views on topic of
women and power. They both believe men should rule and women should be
inferior. It is hard to wrap my mind around people having that opinion because
of the way we are taught to think now.
Another
strong message I picked up from this essay was that boys were required to
learn, while girls used to do it as a secondary. “In the present state of
society, a little learning is required to support the character of a gentleman;
and boys are obliged to submit to a few years of discipline. But in the
education of women, the cultivation of the understanding is always subordinate
to the acquirement of some corporeal accomplishment…” Those sentences state
that boys have no way around learning, and learning for girls always comes
after other things.
I
would be very offended reading this back when it was written. I have always
been taught that I need to set my goals high and strive to reach them. It would
be very different for me to not be able to learn. Even though I did not enjoy
Wollstonecraft’s style of writing, I found this essay eye opening. It showed me
that I should not take learning for granted, and that I should appreciate that
I have the opportunity to learn.
Hey Ali,
ReplyDeleteI came up with the same kind of feeling when I read this essay. Wollstonecraft's style of writing had a valid point, but maybe not in this era. I enjoyed reading your response, and I hope you have had a good summer after our trip to France. See you soon!
Alex Thomas