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How Does Mary Wollstonecraft Use Of Ethos In The Rights Of Women

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Mary Wollstonecraft's "The Rights of Women," published in 1792, is a groundbreaking feminist masterpiece that challenges the surrounding societal norms and advocates for the rights and education of women. Through her skillful use of rhetoric, Wollstonecraft eloquently uses the three classical appeals—ethos, logos, and pathos—to persuade her audience and stimulate discussions on gender equality, women's liberation, and overall education. “The Rights of Women” is an iconic feminist piece that sparked controversy and calls for a change of misogyny. This essay will dive into Wollstonecraft's adept use of ethos, logos, and pathos, thoroughly analyzing how she effectively communicates her argument and establishes herself as a credible, logical, and …show more content…

Throughout "The Rights of Women," Mary Wollstonecraft carefully constructs her ethos to convince her readers of her authority on the subject matter. She begins by acknowledging her limitations, stating that she is not seeking to establish herself as an extraordinary writer but as a rational thinker with a genuine concern for the welfare of her fellow women. This humility allows her to connect with the reader and establish a shared humanity. Wollstonecraft also draws on her life experiences and intellectual capabilities to emphasize her understanding of the challenges faced by women. Her struggles with limited educational opportunities and societal expectations of women inform her arguments, making her advocacy personal and relatable. As a woman striving for intellectual and philosophical pursuits, she challenges the stereotype of women as intellectually “inferior” to men. Moreover, Wollstonecraft strategically employs references to other influential thinkers and philosophers of her time, such as John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. By aligning herself with prominent intellectuals, she positions her ideas within a broader philosophical context, making her arguments appear well-grounded and respected by her peers. This tactic further enhances her ethos and enhances the credibility of her

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She understands that women feel weak and are bullied by men, so she targets the female audience’s delicate emotions toward male oppression to enhance her argument for gender equality. In her introduction, the author employs pathos to engage women’s feelings into her argument, and she uses these emotions to call for women to gain ambition and strength to fight for civil rights. Wollstonecraft tells women that “men endeavor to sink us lower, merely rendering us as alluring objects for a moment” (307). She claims men treat women as “alluring objects,” which expresses her point that men treat women as inferior creatures (307). Also, she directly relates to the female audience when she uses the first person pronoun “us” (307), for she “acknowledges that she too is a victim of oppression” (Smith 559).

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Philosophers believed that men act like tyrants and act immature so they need to change their ways. In Document F-1 Mary Wollstonecraft says “But if women are to be excluded, without having a voice, from participation of the natural rights of mankind, prove first, to ward of the charge… there is not a shadow of justification for not admitting women under the same.” Wollstonecraft is fighting for equality, believes the only reason women are not equal is based off of old tradition, and it is time for change.

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Marry Wollstonecraft a woman born in 1759 in London, United Kingdom. Mary had grown up in a time where men and women were very unequal especially when it came to education. Throughout Mary’s adult life she worked as a teacher and as a governes, these had intergrated her more into the world of education and in her beliefs regarding it. Mary was very radical when it came to her beliefs during her time; she was a philosopher who focused on moral and political issues especially ones regarding womens’ education. Mary Wollstonecraft had spread her ideas regarding this using writing her most famous was published in 1792 and was called A Vindication of the Rights of Women this piece of literature talked about the belief that mean and women should have equal education, and many similar ideas about the oppression of women inteluctually.

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Mary Wollstonecraft wrote in rebellion against the traditional strictures of the behavior of women, recoiling from the traditional social hierarchy that determined the roles of lives and rejected ideas that she felt confined women. She rejected the notion that women were to bow down to men, questioning “who made man the exclusive judge?” and why it was that “the men stand up for the dignity of man, by oppressing the women.” (Letters Written in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark: 1796 Letter 3). By looking to the state to reform education and believing that legislation would end women’s subordination, Wollstonecraft initiated a new era in feminist discourse.

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A Vindication of Woman's Rights by Mary Wollstonecraft (1792) addresses reason and human rights for women. Wollstonecraft early feminist essay argues for equal education between the genders. Her agreement addresses her political and philosophical thoughts on women's rights through the lens of enlightenment ideals. She addresses enlightenment philosophies as rationalism and human freedom. Mary Wollstonecraft advocates for the rights of humankind.

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In the 18th century Wollstonecraft changed Women's rights forever when she published “ A Vindication of the Rights of Woman”. During the 18th century women were supposed to stay at home and cook, clean, and take care of their family. Therefore, women were not allowed to vote or study history, art, geography, etc. Wollstonecraft believed that both men and women had equal abilities, and they should both have equal rights. Wollstonecraft says, “ Reason and experience convince me that the only method of leading women to fulfill their peculiar duties is to free them from all restraint by allowing them to participate in the inherent right of mankind.

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The book discusses issues that mainly affects women such as men, education, marriage and societal pressures during her time. These issues mold and influence Mary Wollstonecraft to someone who we respect today as one of the pioneers fighting for women rights. This response paper focuses mainly on the women aspect and factors surrounding it. Knowledge is a key factor in her fight for women rights. Unfortunately, women were only provided with early education that educates the women to be “ladylike” and be desirable for men to marry.

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Mary Wollstonecraft was an English writer, philosopher and advocate of women’s rights. Mary was born into a large middle classed family, her father, John Edward Wollstonecraft handled the very little money they had poorly which led to a high financial strain on the family, because of the financial strain Mary wasn’t able to have a good education, this was one of the many adversities Ms Wollstonecraft faced. Mary’s father, John, also had an alcohol addiction, when Mr Wollstonecraft would drink, he would become violent, Mary had to act as the protector of her mother as well as her younger siblings of whom she had bad relations with. When her mother died, Mary became responsible of caring for both her bipolar father and her five younger siblings.

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Out of all the readings from weeks 6-10, Mary Wollstonecraft’s A vindication of the Rights of Women spoke to me the most. Specifically, I found chapter 6 very insightful. I interpreted the chapter to focus mainly on Wollstonecraft’s observance that women view love as a duty because that mindset is embedded in them, therefore, the way women act with regard to dealing with men is simply all they know. She goes on to make many valid points as to why providing women with a better education could lead to a solution. To further analyze the theme of chapter 6, I will be elaborating on this quote: “…till women are led to exercise their understandings, they should not be satirized for their attachment to rakes: or even for being rakes at heart, when it appears to be the inevitable consequence of their education.”

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She informs the readers that many women in the society do not have a voice, it makes them not ranked and made inferior by ignorance and low desires. In A Vindication of the Rights of Women, by Mary Wollstonecraft, stresses the importance of the rights of women and be free from their restraints. Wollstonecraft writes, “Make them free, and they will quickly become wise and virtuous”(Wollstonecraft,1792) Wollstonecraft describes the outcome of making women independent and free will make them wise and moral, enabling them to be able to provide for themselves. Women being granted the equality of all sexes will make them more moral and become educated to enable them to make their own decisions in their life and have

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In the book of vindication of the right of a woman, Wollstonecraft brings out clearly the roles of a woman in her society and how it has led to oppression of women (Wollstonecraft 22). Wollstonecraft believes that men and women are equal given the same environment and empowerment, women can do anything a man can do. In her society, education for women is only aimed at making her look pleasing to men. Women are treated as inferior being and used by men as sex objects. Wollstonecraft believed that the quality of mind of women is the same with that of men, and therefore women should not be denied a chance for formal education that will empower them to be equal with men.

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Mary Wollstonecraft’s A vindication of the rights of women written in 1792 can be considered one of the first feminist documents, although the term appeared much later in history. In this essay, Wollstonecraft debates the role of women and their education. Having read different thinkers of the Enlightenment, as Milton, Lord Bacon, Rousseau, John Gregory and others, she finds their points of view interesting and at the same time contrary to values of the Enlightenment when they deal with women’s place. Mary Wollstonecraft uses the ideas of the Enlightenment to demand equal education for men and women. I will mention how ideals of the Enlightenment are used in favor of men but not of women and explain how Wollstonecraft support her “vindication” of the rights of women using those contradictions.

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An early feminist and human right’s activist, Mary Wollstonecraft was a trailblazer who believed that it was worth fighting for equality and liberty for women during the Enlightenment. Throughout her life, Wollstonecraft made significant contributions in the fight for women's rights. Her beliefs were heavily influenced by the Enlightenment values of reason, rationality, and individualism. In her books, such as "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman", she articulated her opinions on the role of women in society, and her ideas have had a lasting impact on feminist thought. Through her writings and activism, Wollstonecraft fought for the equality of women in education, society, and marriage.

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The inequality of women has been a long-lasting issue since its existence, with the issue still persisting today. Women have gained more rights over time in great part to efforts made by feminists, however, much progress still needs to be made. Mary Wollstonecraft, often cited as one of the founding feminist philosophers, is a notable feminist whose advocacy and ideas on femininity have acted as a strong influence for the modern conception of feminism. One of Wollstonecraft’s most prominent works in regards to feminism is A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. In the piece, Wollstonecraft uses and critiques philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s work titled Discourse on the Origin of Inequality, in order to build a case in defense of a woman’s

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Wollstonecraft wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Woman in response to a report to the French National Assembly, which stated that women should only receive a domestic education (Johnson Lewis). She believed that women needed to be educated in order to find their way to equality with men. Wollstonecraft writes in the introduction: “The education of women has, of late, been more attended to than formerly; yet they are still reckoned a frivolous sex, and ridiculed or pitied by the writers who endeavor by satire or instruction to improve

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