Mary Wollstonecraft addresses feminism from a narrow perspective that perpetuates oppressive societal tactics in restraining social equality for all women within Vindication of the Rights of Woman. In order to ensure a firm understanding of some of Mary Wollstonecraft’s arguments, the first half of this article will summarize some of her key theories, while the second half will use the work of Laura Brace, Shelly Ferguson and Carole Pateman to disseminate the patriarchy and classist elements of Wollstonecraft’s arguments, in addition to the limited scope, she presents in order to attain female liberation.
To commence, in Vindication of the Rights of Woman Mary Wollstonecraft discusses various theories that she feels would assist in liberating
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Although Wollstonecraft’s idea of co-educational establishment could foster an equitable society by providing boys and girls with a uniformed curriculum and opportunity to education, within the social institution of a school. There is an accentuated concentration upon preparing women for marriage and modesty. Marriage is considered to be a fundamental aspect within the socialization of women and the vindication of their rights. As identified by Laura Brace within Not Empire, But Equality the natural duty of a woman, according to Wollstonecraft, is closely affiliated with her role within the private sphere, rather than through a woman’s activeness within the public sphere, in contrast to the natural duty of men. The natural duty of a woman is seen within a woman’s ability to act as a rational mother and wife within her household on the basis of virtue and reason. Similarly, within Wollstonecraft’s sexual division of labour, education for women places an heightened emphasis upon the education for women being geared towards training for motherhood. Motherhood is seen by Wollstonecraft to be one of the ultimate goals for women, which once again typecasts the role woman should play within society. It re-affirms gender biases that limit the role of women within society to their domestic duties and preserves limitations of how a woman might interact within the public sphere. Similar to Rousseau, Wollstonecraft also assess the goodness of a women based on her efforts within her domestic