From the 17th through the 18th centuries, the rules, rights, and roles of women were clearly affirmed in society. Women of these centuries were all viewed as inferior to their male superiors. They did not have the same opportunity to expand their educational, political, or philosophical knowledge as the male population. Instead, the women were left at home to tend to their domestic duties and care for the children. This separation became the stage on which many female writers of the 17th and 18th centuries wrote. A few of these authors include Mary Astell, Lady Mary Wortley Montague, and Mary Wollstonecraft. In addition to all having the same first name, these women also had the same motivation for the improvement of the lives of women in …show more content…
In Astell’s A Serious Proposal to the Ladies, she focuses on establishing a retreat for women for religious and philosophical training. This retreat provides an environment in which they can focus on improving themselves and their knowledge of religious ideologies, in hopes of improving others as well. Montague, in the letter she wrote To the Countess Bute, Lady Montague’s Daughter, strived to imprint ideals about the importance of education for women on her daughter, so that one day the Countess may impart them upon her own daughter. A Vindication of the Rights of Women argues Wollstonecraft’s beliefs of female equality, especially in education, while instructing women to become thoughtful and educated. Rossetti’s so-called fairytale, The Goblin Market, represents feminism in its lack of a male hero, portrayal of a resilient female relationship, and a strong female protagonist. Religion, philosophy, education, marriage, and social interaction are all characteristics depicted in these woman-centered works of literature. These aspects provided a strong backbone for the relentless climb to the equality of knowledge and opportunity for women in the 17th, 18th, and 19th