Comparing Wollstonecraft And Declaration Of The Rights Of Women

Prior to the Enlightenment the majority of European countries were under the rule of monarchies and countrymen had very little say on how their lives were spent. However, thinkers like John Locke began to challenge traditional governments and to inspire people to view themselves as key players in the world they lived in. In his treatise “Of Civil Government”, Lock describes man as “the absolute lord of his own person and possessions, equal to the greatest and subject to nobody” (Fiero, 101). This new way of thinking helped establish a foundation for self-understanding from which people could begin to analyze and critique their present circumstances and begin to advocate for change. Two examples of self-examination that resulted in a call for change are “A Vindication of the Rights of Women.” by Mary Wollstonecraft and “Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.” by the National Assembly of France. The two works demonstrate self-understanding by presenting a problem they have noticed in their society, proposing a solution, and by addressing the role that individuals play in bringing about change. In “A Vindication of the Rights of …show more content…
The ideal education that Wollstonecraft envisions is not one that would reverse gender roles; in fact, she announces that it should “not be concluded that [she] wishes to invert the order of things” (Mapping the Modern Mind: Readings for World Cultures III 64), but rather that she only hopes for an education that would allow women to have virtue just as men do. Her proposal is presented logically and appeals to the desires of both sexes. While she does advocate for change, she maintains her argument within accepted norms by portraying an educated woman as a valued, useful, and loyal wife. In contrast, the National Assembly of France attempts to change the country’s entire social structure with their