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18th Century Women

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During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, literature from both East Asia and Europe expose the role of popular culture, public performance, sex, education, and the different modes of expression of suppressing the oppressed. Kong Shangren’s Chinese drama, The Peach Blossom Fan, the famous work of traditional Korean drama, The Song of Ch-un Hyang, Ihara Saikaku’s vernacular fiction Asian novel, Life of a Sensuous Woman, and Mary Wollstonecraft’s radical essay, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, all share experiences of East Asian and European cultures from seventeenth-century modern philosophy to the age of Enlightenment. Although both regions stood worlds apart, the literature during these eras shares themes and ideas that are interrelated …show more content…

Wollstonecraft’s powerful literary work presents rational principles so women can liberate themselves from oppression. Specifically, a social construct in which women were second tier to men in every aspect of their lives. Wollstonecraft argues that both men and women were born with the right to reason, and that women should have access to the same education, power, and influence in society as men do. During this time period, education played a strong role in women appearing unintelligent due to their lack of proper education. Wollstonecraft believes that if women have the same opportunities as men and proper training in math, philosophy, and science, then they could become productive and influential members of society. Additionally, Wollstonecraft argues that marriage is no better than prostitution. In fact, women should not just marry and be slaves to their husbands, whether it is mentally, emotionally, or sexually. Wollstonecraft’s insightful diction signifies that sex meant physical attraction, and she argues that physical attraction could never sustain a marriage. In her mind, a thriving marriage is one where a man admires a woman’s mind and supports her individualistic morals. Wollstonecraft’s essay promotes individualistic philosophy and presents revolutionary ways that women can embrace the universal principles of equality and

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