A Vindication of the Rights of Woman: With Strictures on Political and Moral SubjectsMary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) published A Vindication of the Rights of Woman in 1792. It was written in reaction to Rousseau's Emile (1762), which argued that the purpose of a girl's education was to make her useful to a man. Wollstonecraft offered a defence of woman's ability to reason, given appropriate education. She argued that the limited education given to women made them docile and empty-headed playthings whose supposed fragility and coquetry were constructions that damaged not only the individual but society as a whole. Her radical prescription was for girls to be educated alongside boys and to the same standard, so that they were not left dependent on marriage for financial security. The independence of mind displayed in this polemic has ensured its place as a foundational work in the canon of feminist thought. For more information on this author, see http://orlando.cambridge.org/public/svPeople?person_id=wollma |
Contents
Page | 1 |
The rights and involved duties of mankind | 15 |
1 from bot for infantine read infantile | 24 |
CHAP III | 75 |
CHAP V | 170 |
tfhe effect which an early association | 259 |
CHAP VII | 273 |
CHAP VIII | 298 |
CHAP IX | 320 |
CHAP X | 343 |
Duty to parents 34 9 | 349 |
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Common terms and phrases
acquire affection allowed appears argument attain attention authority beauty become behaviour body called character civilization common conduct consequence consider constitution creatures cultivated dependent desire direct duties endeavour equally exercise exertions expect fact fame fancy fear feelings female fense folly fondness force girls give graces hand happiness heart human husband ideas ignorance imagination kind knowledge lead light live mankind manner married mean merely mind modesty moral mother mould nature necessary never object observe opinion parents passion perfection person pleasure prejudices present principles produce prove rank rational reason reflection render respect seldom sense sensibility sentiments society speak spirit strength sufficient superiority supposed taste termed thing thought tion true truth turn understanding unless vice virtue weak whilst whole wife wish woman women young youth