Analysis Of Wollstonecraft's Vindication Of The Rights Of Women

In Wollstonecraft’s Vindication of the Rights of Women, she questions the place of a woman in society. She writes in the 18th century, at a time of women oppression. Her argument is both passionate and logical, as she persuades the reader to reconsider the role of a woman in society. As a woman herself, she is able to give insight into the thoughts and desires of a woman. However, she is also careful to consider the place of men in society and what their role should be. Specifically, Wollstonecraft argues that women are not inferior to men, but that society has created this dynamic, making women behave as if stuck in their utter submission to men. As Wollstonecraft argues against the inferiority of woman, she is not ignorant and overly prideful.

She emphasizes the numerous roles of a women, beyond just merely being a wife. She identifies women as being, “daughter, wife, and mother.” All of these roles are independent of each other, and she deliberately emphasizes this point. A woman is first a daughter, forced to embrace all these roles and responsibilities. As a daughter, she learned how to be a woman. She is raised up and instilled with the values this title encapsulates. After that, she becomes a wife. In giving this role, Wollstonecraft is identifying the place of a woman as a wife. She is giving this job importance, and showing its relevance in society. She is urging women to be wives, but not at the loss of all else. Just as a woman can be a daughter and still have an identity, so a woman must be a wife with her identity in tact. The last role Wollstonecraft gives is a mother. This is a high calling on the life of a woman, with many things intertwined. As a mother, a woman is expected to raise up and educate her children, teaching them how to behave in society. Being a mother is perhaps the most rigorous of the three titles, but perhaps the most rewarding as well. By giving the woman three different roles and titles, she is showing how a woman is complex, not tied to one title alone. A woman is complicated, with many different talents and expectations. Because of this, Wollstonecraft is urging readers to see women as not merely one thing. Women should not be put in a box, but should be seen as many different things, and Wollstonecraft brings light to this issue. The author ultimately draws attention to the bigger picture of woman inferiority by showing a woman is not limited to one role