Melissa CordoniEssay 1History 101Tuesdays/FridaysProf. SmithA Vindication of Women's RightsA Vindication of Women's Rights by Mary Wollstonecraft is one of the first published works of a feminist writer. In her novel, Wollstonecraft expresses the need for women to improve upon themselves and suggests that men should not only be accepting of this but also aid them in becoming viable and productive members of society. This novel is a direct examination of the condition of women, in relationship to some very basic rights, and is also a very enlightening look at how short a distance we really have come, as a society, in relationship to our perceptions of women. Wollstonecraft presents herself as an incredibly enlightened individual who embraces her gender as a subject, which should be seen as reasonable, rather than the unreasonable slaves that society portrays them as.In the 18th century when this book was written and published, women were weak and loyal to their husband's wishes. Witnessing this in her everyday life she decided it was time to speak out about the issue.Her comparisons range from their physical nature to their intelligence, and even down to the education that each sex receives. Wollstonecraft states, "In the government of the physical world it is observable that the female in point of strength is, in general, inferior to the male." This shows that women are inferior to men in physicality, and a number of areas throughout the essay, yet through it all she voices her concerns for the rights of women and how well deserved they are. [1: Wollstonecraft, Mary. A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1992, 10]Throughout mankind's history there has been an obvious bias towards men. Men have always been deemed superior to women, whether it is physical or intellectual. When Wollstonecraft says, "…I presume that rational men will excuse me for endeavoring to persuade them to become more masculine and respectable." In this statement she tells her fellow women to fight for equality, while flattering the opposite sex. Her statement tells women that in order to get what they want [equality] they must change their daily routines and habits. There is just one thing holding women from their full potential-men. Wollstonecraft states, "…men who, considering females rather as women than human creatures, have been more anxious to make them alluring mistresses than affectionate wives and rational mothers…" Regardless of what women do there will always be men who will continue to degrade and discourage rational, intelligent, and free-thinking women.[2: Ibid. 13][3: Ibid.134]Men and women have been coexisting for more than a century now, yet men still degrade women and undermine them. "…Men endeavor to sink us still lower merely to render us alluring objects for a moment…" This statement that she makes is 100% accurate. Men find women "alluring objects for a moment." When this moment is gone, they...
