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Vindication of the Rights of Women

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12 questions
Student Instructions: Read the introduction to Mary Wollstonecraft’s "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman" provided. Answer each question carefully, citing specific lines or phrases when asked. Work independently and submit when finished. You have 30 minutes.

Primary Sources: Introduction to “The Vindication of the Rights of Woman”

By Mary Wollstonecraft, Public Domain

Editor’s Note: British writer Mary Wollstonecraft was born in 1759 and died in 1797. She was a teacher who advocated for women to be educated. But her best-known writing is the treatise “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman,” published in 1792, in which Wollstonecraft argues that women should be educated and treated equally with men. It is considered a trailblazing essay that influenced the feminist movement, especially in the United States.

The Introduction


After considering the historic page, and viewing the living world with anxious solicitude, the most melancholy emotions of sorrowful indignation have depressed my spirits, and I have sighed when obliged to confess, that either nature has made a great difference between man and man, or that the civilization, which has hitherto taken place in the world, has been very partial. I have turned over various books written on the subject of education, and patiently observed the conduct of parents and the management of schools; but what has been the result? A profound conviction, that the neglected education of my fellow creatures is the grand source of the misery I deplore; and that women in particular, are rendered weak and wretched by a variety of concurring causes, originating from one hasty conclusion. The conduct and manners of women, in fact, evidently prove, that their minds are not in a healthy state; for, like the flowers that are planted in too rich a soil, strength and usefulness are sacrificed to beauty; and the flaunting leaves, after having pleased a fastidious eye, fade, disregarded on the stalk, long before the season when they ought to have arrived at maturity. One cause of this barren blooming I attribute to a false system of education, gathered from the books written on this subject by men, who, considering females rather as women than human creatures, have been more anxious to make them alluring mistresses than rational wives; and the understanding of the sex has been so bubbled by this specious homage, that the civilized women of the present century, with a few exceptions, are only anxious to inspire love, when they ought to cherish a nobler ambition, and by their abilities and virtues exact respect.

In a treatise, therefore, on female rights and manners, the works which have been particularly written for their improvement must not be overlooked; especially when it is asserted, in direct terms, that the minds of women are enfeebled by false refinement; that the books of instruction, written by men of genius, have had the same tendency as more frivolous productions; and that, in the true style of Mahometanism, they are only considered as females, and not as a part of the human species, when improvable reason is allowed to be the dignified distinction, which raises men above the brute creation, and puts a natural sceptre in a feeble hand.

Yet, because I am a woman, I would not lead my readers to suppose, that I mean violently to agitate the contested question respecting the equality and inferiority of the sex; but as the subject lies in my way, and I cannot pass it over without subjecting the main tendency of my reasoning to misconstruction, I shall stop a moment to deliver, in a few words, my opinion. In the government of the physical world, it is observable that the female, in general, is inferior to the male. The male pursues, the female yields — this is the law of nature; and it does not appear to be suspended or abrogated in favour of woman. This physical superiority cannot be denied — and it is a noble prerogative! But not content with this natural pre-eminence, men endeavour to sink us still lower, merely to render us alluring objects for a moment; and women, intoxicated by the adoration which men, under the influence of their senses, pay them, do not seek to obtain a durable interest in their hearts, or to become the friends of the fellow creatures who find amusement in their society.

I am aware of an obvious inference: From every quarter have I heard exclamations against masculine women; but where are they to be found? If, by this appellation, men mean to inveigh against their ardour in hunting, shooting and gaming, I shall most cordially join in the cry; but if it be, against the imitation of manly virtues, or, more properly speaking, the attainment of those talents and virtues, the exercise of which ennobles the human character, and which raise females in the scale of animal being, when they are comprehensively termed mankind — all those who view them with a philosophical eye must, I should think, wish with me, that they may every day grow more and more masculine.

This discussion naturally divides the subject. I shall first consider women in the grand light of human creatures, who, in common with men, are placed on this earth to unfold their faculties; and afterward, I shall more particularly point out their peculiar designation.

I wish also to steer clear of an error, which many respectable writers have fallen into; for the instruction which has hitherto been addressed to women, has rather been applicable to LADIES, if the little indirect advice, that is scattered through Sandford and Merton, be excepted; but, addressing my sex in a firmer tone, I pay particular attention to those in the middle class, because they appear to be in the most natural state. Perhaps the seeds of false refinement, immorality and vanity have ever been shed by the great. Weak, artificial beings raised above the common wants and affections of their race, in a premature unnatural manner, undermine the very foundation of virtue, and spread corruption through the whole mass of society! As a class of mankind, they have the strongest claim to pity! The education of the rich tends to render them vain and helpless, and the unfolding mind is not strengthened by the practice of those duties which dignify the human character. They only live to amuse themselves, and by the same law which in nature invariably produces certain effects, they soon only afford barren amusement.

But as I purpose taking a separate view of the different ranks of society, and of the moral character of women, in each, this hint is, for the present, sufficient; and I have only alluded to the subject, because it appears to me to be the very essence of an introduction to give a cursory account of the contents of the work it introduces.

My own sex, I hope, will excuse me, if I treat them like rational creatures, instead of flattering their FASCINATING graces, and viewing them as if they were in a state of perpetual childhood, unable to stand alone. I earnestly wish to point out in what true dignity and human happiness consists — I wish to persuade women to endeavour to acquire strength, both of mind and body, and to convince them, that the soft phrases, susceptibility of heart, delicacy of sentiment and refinement of taste, are almost synonymous with epithets of weakness, and that those beings who are only the objects of pity and that kind of love, which has been termed its sister, will soon become objects of contempt.

Dismissing then those pretty feminine phrases, which the men condescendingly use to soften our slavish dependence, and despising that weak elegancy of mind, exquisite sensibility and sweet docility of manners, supposed to be the sexual characteristics of the weaker vessel, I wish to show that elegance is inferior to virtue, that the first object of laudable ambition is to obtain a character as a human being, regardless of the distinction of sex; and that secondary views should be brought to this simple touchstone.

This is a rough sketch of my plan; and should I express my conviction with the energetic emotions that I feel whenever I think of the subject, the dictates of experience and reflection will be felt by some of my readers. Animated by this important object, I shall disdain to cull my phrases or polish my style — I aim at being useful, and sincerity will render me unaffected; for wishing rather to persuade by the force of my arguments, than dazzle by the elegance of my language, I shall not waste my time in rounding periods, nor in fabricating the turgid bombast of artificial feelings, which, coming from the head, never reach the heart. I shall be employed about things, not words! And, anxious to render my sex more respectable members of society, I shall try to avoid that flowery diction, which has slided from essays into novels, and from novels into familiar letters and conversation.

These pretty nothings, these caricatures of the real beauty of sensibility, dropping glibly from the tongue, vitiate the taste, and create a kind of sickly delicacy that turns away from simple unadorned truth; and a deluge of false sentiments and over-stretched feelings, stifling the natural emotions of the heart, render the domestic pleasures insipid, that ought to sweeten the exercise of those severe duties, which educate a rational and immortal being for a nobler field of action.

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 endeavour by satire or instruction to improve them. It is acknowledged that they spend many of the first years of their lives in acquiring a smattering of accomplishments; meanwhile, strength of body and mind are sacrificed to libertine notions of beauty, to the desire of establishing themselves, the only way women can rise in the world — by marriage. And this desire making mere animals of them, when they marry, they act as such children may be expected to act: They dress; they paint, and nickname God's creatures. Surely these weak beings are only fit for the seraglio! Can they govern a family, or take care of the poor babes whom they bring into the world?

If then it can be fairly deduced from the present conduct of the sex, from the prevalent fondness for pleasure, which takes place of ambition and those nobler passions that open and enlarge the soul; that the instruction which women have received has only tended, with the constitution of civil society, to render them insignificant objects of desire; mere propagators of fools! If it can be proved, that in aiming to accomplish them, without cultivating their understandings, they are taken out of their sphere of duties, and made ridiculous and useless when the short-lived bloom of beauty is over*, I presume that RATIONAL men will excuse me for endeavouring to persuade them to become more masculine and respectable.

(*Footnote. A lively writer, I cannot recollect his name, asks what business women turned of 40 have to do in the world.)

Indeed the word “masculine” is only a bugbear: There is little reason to fear that women will acquire too much courage or fortitude; for their apparent inferiority with respect to bodily strength, must render them, in some degree, dependent on men in the various relations of life; but why should it be increased by prejudices that give a sex to virtue, and confound simple truths with sensual reveries?

Women are, in fact, so much degraded by mistaken notions of female excellence, that I do not mean to add a paradox when I assert, that this artificial weakness produces a propensity to tyrannize, and gives birth to cunning, the natural opponent of strength, which leads them to play off those contemptible infantile airs that undermine esteem even whilst they excite desire. Do not foster these prejudices, and they will naturally fall into their subordinate yet respectable station in life.

It seems scarcely necessary to say, that I now speak of the sex in general. Many individuals have more sense than their male relatives; and, as nothing preponderates where there is a constant struggle for an equilibrium, without it has naturally more gravity, some women govern their husbands without degrading themselves, because intellect will always govern.
1

Read the two selections from the article. The conduct and manners of women, in fact, evidently prove, that their minds are not in a healthy state; for, like the flowers that are planted in too rich a soil, strength and usefulness are sacrificed to beauty; and the flaunting leaves, after having pleased a fastidious eye, fade, disregarded on the stalk, long before the season when they ought to have arrived at maturity. If it can be proved, that in aiming to accomplish them, without cultivating their understandings, they are taken out of their sphere of duties, and made ridiculous and useless when the short-lived bloom of beauty is over*, I presume that RATIONAL men will excuse me for endeavouring to persuade them to become more masculine and respectable. (*Footnote. A lively writer, I cannot recollect his name, asks what business women turned of 40 have to do in the world.) How do these two selections contribute to the effectiveness of the author's argument?

1

Which option provides the BEST analysis of the introduction of “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman”?

1

Read the paragraph from the article. Yet, because I am a woman, I would not lead my readers to suppose, that I mean violently to agitate the contested question respecting the equality and inferiority of the sex; but as the subject lies in my way, and I cannot pass it over without subjecting the main tendency of my reasoning to misconstruction, I shall stop a moment to deliver, in a few words, my opinion. In the government of the physical world, it is observable that the female, in general, is inferior to the male. The male pursues, the female yields — this is the law of nature; and it does not appear to be suspended or abrogated in favour of woman. This physical superiority cannot be denied — and it is a noble prerogative! But not content with this natural pre-eminence, men endeavour to sink us still lower, merely to render us alluring objects for a moment; and women, intoxicated by the adoration which men, under the influence of their senses, pay them, do not seek to obtain a durable interest in their hearts, or to become the friends of the fellow creatures who find amusement in their society. How does this paragraph contribute to the author's argument?

1

What purpose is served by including examples in the article of how women are treated differently in education?

1

Which answer choice includes the use of anecdotal evidence to support an argument the author makes?

Primary Sources: Introduction to “The Vindication of the Rights of Woman”

By Mary Wollstonecraft, Public Domain, adapted by Newsela staff

Editor’s Note: Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) was a prominent 18th century British writer and a teacher. Her best-known work is “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman,” published in 1792, in which she argues that women and men should be treated equally and that women should receive the same education as men. Wollstonecraft’s trailblazing essay influenced the feminist movement, especially in the United States. Its introduction is below.

The Introduction


When I consider the world around me, and look back at the past, I am forced to admit, with great sadness, that one of two things must be true: Either people are born with very different capacities, or all civilizations that have existed so far have been very biased. After studying the matter for years, I have become convinced that the seeming difference in people’s intelligence and abilities is largely due to the fact that many people receive little or no education. Women in particular suffer from this lack of a proper education. In addition, they are raised not to think, or to be useful, but to devote themselves to being beautiful. Their minds are not in a healthy state, for, like flowers that are planted in too rich a soil, their possible strength and usefulness are sacrificed to beauty. One major cause of this sad situation is our false system of education, which was designed by men more interested in making women attractive rather than intelligent. As a result of this miseducation, the civilized women of the present century, with a few exceptions, are only anxious to inspire love, when they ought to have nobler ambitions.

Now, in the physical realm, it is observable that the female, in general, is inferior to the male. This physical superiority of the male over the female cannot be denied, as most men clearly are stronger and faster than most women. But not being content with this natural pre-eminence, men endeavor to sink us still lower, and try to make us into nothing more than attractive objects. Women, in turn, are thrilled by the adoration men show them for their beauty, and do not seek to obtain more durable connections or interests.

I am aware that many protest against the idea of masculinized women. Now, if you are talking about women learning to love hunting and shooting, I will join in these protests. But if you are talking about women attaining the talents and virtues that ennoble the human character, then I must say I wish for them to grow more and more masculine every day.

“The Rich Are Weak, Artificial Beings”


Until now, much of the instruction that has been aimed at women has really only been applicable to “ladies” — that is, members of the upper classes. I, however, propose to pay particular attention to those in the middle class, because they appear to be in the most natural state. Perhaps the seeds of false refinement, immorality and vanity have ever been present in the upper classes. The rich are weak, artificial beings who have been raised above the common wants and affections of their race. Their education tends to render them vain and helpless, and it makes them live only to amuse themselves.

My own sex, I hope, will excuse me if I treat them like thinking creatures, instead of viewing them as if they were in a state of permanent childhood, unable to stand alone. I very much wish to persuade women to try to acquire strength of mind and body.

I dismiss, then, that sweet docility of manner and those pretty feminine phrases which are thought to be the sexual characteristics of women. The most important object of worthwhile ambition is to obtain a virtuous character as a human being, regardless of sex.

“Once The Short-Lived Bloom Of Beauty Is Over”


Recently, more attention has been given to the education of women than was the case in former years. Yet, women are still thought of as an unserious and scatterbrained sex, and are ridiculed or pitied by the writers who try to improve them. It is true that women spend many of the first years of their lives acquiring a few accomplishments. But all the while, strength of body and mind are sacrificed to a focus on beauty, and to women’s desire to establish themselves the only way women can rise in the world — by marriage. And because this desire makes them into nothing more than childish animals, when they marry, women act as such children might be expected to act: They dress up in fancy clothes and paint themselves. Surely these weak beings are only fit for a harem! Can they govern a family, or take care of the poor babes whom they bring into the world?

Today, many women have an overriding fondness for pleasure, which takes the place of ambition and those nobler passions that open and enlarge the soul. I think it is fair to say that the instruction which women have received is largely responsible for this. It has tended to make them into insignificant objects of desire. If it can be proved that such an education leaves women ridiculous and useless once the short-lived bloom of beauty is over, I presume that sensible men will see the value in women becoming more “masculine.”

And no one should worry that women might become overly masculine, and somehow threaten the position of men. After all, there is little reason to fear that women will acquire too much courage or strength. Their inferiority with respect to bodily strength must render them, to some degree, dependent on men. But I very much do not believe that this dependence should be increased unnecessarily, by making women childlike, unthinking and helpless.
1

How do the first two paragraphs and the final two paragraphs of the article relate to each other?

1

Read the sentences from the sections “The Rich Are Weak, Artificial Beings” and “Once The Short-Lived Bloom Of Beauty Is Over.” My own sex, I hope, will excuse me if I treat them like thinking creatures, instead of viewing them as if they were in a state of permanent childhood, unable to stand alone. And because this desire makes them into nothing more than childish animals, when they marry, women act as such children might be expected to act: They dress up in fancy clothes and paint themselves. Which option BEST describes how the sentences help develop a CENTRAL idea of the article?

1

Read the statement.

Mary Wollstonecraft believes women should be better educated.

Which sentence from the article BEST supports the statement?

1

In the article, how does the author’s description of what it means to be masculine support the author's argument?

1

What is one relationship between the section "The Rich Are Weak, Artificial Beings" and the section "Once The Short-Lived Bloom Of Beauty Is Over"?

1

In the section "The Rich Are Weak, Artificial Beings," how does the author’s description of women’s education support her argument that women should be treated equally to men?

1

Read the claim from the article.

Women are not naturally inferior to men; their perceived weaknesses are largely due to a lack of proper education and societal expectations.

Adding which piece of evidence would BEST support the claim?