Intro:
Women were never invisible in the Enlightenment, but their participation was constrained by gender (Carr 2014; 73) This essay will be an analysis of chapter 5 Animadversions of Some of the Writers Who Have Rendered Women Objects of Pity, Bordering on Contempt of Mary Wollstonecraft’s A vindication of the Rights of Woman. Chapter 5 is Wollstonecraft’s analysis and arguments against the opinions of Enlightenment philosophers surrounding the female character and education. Chapter 5 will explore the opinions of Jean- Jacques Rousseau, Dr Fordyce, Dr Gregory, and Baroness de Staël.
This paragraph will set out to analyse the arguments made by Jean- Jacques Rousseau alongside Mary Wollstonecraft.
Many opinions of Rousseau in regards to …show more content…
Wollstonecraft objects to Fordyce’s sermons, arguing she would advise girls against reading them ‘unless I designed to hunt out every spark of nature out of their composition, melting every human quality into female meekness and artificial grace (1982; 194). In one of his sermons, Fordyce stated it was the duty of the wife to maintain the relationship, and if their partners left, it was their own fault. ‘Had you behaved to them with a more respectful observance, equal tenderness and submitted to their opinions… you home might at this day have been the abode of domestic bliss’ (Wollstonecraft 1982; 198). Following this extract, Wollstonecraft argues a female whom is to be assigned with all these roles could not contain any trace of human character, reason nor passion (1982; 198). It is respect for an individual’s virtue supported by reason, which will prolong the …show more content…
However, Wollstonecraft to an extent defends these women claiming they cannot attain greatness of the mind, thus women are easily subjugated by the feelings of others (1982; 205).
Baroness de Staël’s eulogy for Rousseau faces critique by Wollstonecraft, surrounding Staël’s depiction of Rousseau. The eulogy portrays Rousseau as a defender of women’s rights, praising his attempts to remove women from the public sphere for their greater good (Wollstonecraft 1982; 207).
In aiding them he has firmly seated them upon that to which they were destined by nature; and though he be full of indignation against them … when they come before him with all the, charms, weaknesses, and errors of their sex, his respect amounts almost to admiration’ (Wollstonecraft 1982;
Women were never invisible in the Enlightenment, but their participation was constrained by gender (Carr 2014; 73) This essay will be an analysis of chapter 5 Animadversions of Some of the Writers Who Have Rendered Women Objects of Pity, Bordering on Contempt of Mary Wollstonecraft’s A vindication of the Rights of Woman. Chapter 5 is Wollstonecraft’s analysis and arguments against the opinions of Enlightenment philosophers surrounding the female character and education. Chapter 5 will explore the opinions of Jean- Jacques Rousseau, Dr Fordyce, Dr Gregory, and Baroness de Staël.
This paragraph will set out to analyse the arguments made by Jean- Jacques Rousseau alongside Mary Wollstonecraft.
Many opinions of Rousseau in regards to …show more content…
Wollstonecraft objects to Fordyce’s sermons, arguing she would advise girls against reading them ‘unless I designed to hunt out every spark of nature out of their composition, melting every human quality into female meekness and artificial grace (1982; 194). In one of his sermons, Fordyce stated it was the duty of the wife to maintain the relationship, and if their partners left, it was their own fault. ‘Had you behaved to them with a more respectful observance, equal tenderness and submitted to their opinions… you home might at this day have been the abode of domestic bliss’ (Wollstonecraft 1982; 198). Following this extract, Wollstonecraft argues a female whom is to be assigned with all these roles could not contain any trace of human character, reason nor passion (1982; 198). It is respect for an individual’s virtue supported by reason, which will prolong the …show more content…
However, Wollstonecraft to an extent defends these women claiming they cannot attain greatness of the mind, thus women are easily subjugated by the feelings of others (1982; 205).
Baroness de Staël’s eulogy for Rousseau faces critique by Wollstonecraft, surrounding Staël’s depiction of Rousseau. The eulogy portrays Rousseau as a defender of women’s rights, praising his attempts to remove women from the public sphere for their greater good (Wollstonecraft 1982; 207).
In aiding them he has firmly seated them upon that to which they were destined by nature; and though he be full of indignation against them … when they come before him with all the, charms, weaknesses, and errors of their sex, his respect amounts almost to admiration’ (Wollstonecraft 1982;