Insulting his intelligence in her essay, A Vindication of the Rights of Men, Mary Wollstonecraft responds belligerently to Edmund Burke’s Reflections on the Revolution in France. She solidifies her counterargument against Burke, by building upon the ideas of Thomas Paine, while adding her own criticisms of Burke’s writing. Wollstonecraft does not respond directly to all of Burke’s ideas, naming them incomplete, and criticizing his intellect and writing skills. In the Reflections on the Revolution in France, Burke argues that “by preserving the method of nature in the conduct of the state, in what we improve we are never wholly new; in what we retain we are never wholly obsolete” (4). His belief is that complying with past traditions is the
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She lures the reader’s attention to her own discipline, by critiquing Burke's sensitiveness. She writes that she must "pause to recollect [herself]; and smother the contempt [she] feel[s] rising for [Burke’s] rhetorical flourishes and infantine sensibility" (96). Evidently, Burke’s ideas are indeed incomplete, lacking support and reason. Burke argues that “If it should ever be totally extinguished, the loss I fear will be great”, referring to the olden principle of government. Burke fails to support his idea, allowing readers to question his reasoning. Wollstonecraft uses this to her advantage, arguing that she respects her opponents, but when they begin to use “opinions which are empty rhetorical flourishes”, her respect turns to pity (29). She later indirectly humiliates him writing that he “reminds [her] of the ass in the lion’s skin.” (29). Calling him an imposter and a fake writer, she responds to his text by arguing that her level of writing is well above his capabilities and therefore they should not be …show more content…
Inadequate in explaining the claim of this practice, his only reason becomes: it is natural to be affected by the power of the kings and parliaments, and “all other feelings are false and spurious, and tend to corrupt our minds, to vitiate our primary morals, to render unfit for rational liberty.”(4). Wollstonecraft’s responds mockingly, arguing that she “reverence[s] the rights of men. […] and Fear[s] God!” (33). Unappreciative of his opinions on God, she ridicules his pomposity by using God against him. She counteracts by repeating that “[she] [does] not fear God’s power”, but alternatively she succumbs to His moral laws and her dependence on Him
She lures the reader’s attention to her own discipline, by critiquing Burke's sensitiveness. She writes that she must "pause to recollect [herself]; and smother the contempt [she] feel[s] rising for [Burke’s] rhetorical flourishes and infantine sensibility" (96). Evidently, Burke’s ideas are indeed incomplete, lacking support and reason. Burke argues that “If it should ever be totally extinguished, the loss I fear will be great”, referring to the olden principle of government. Burke fails to support his idea, allowing readers to question his reasoning. Wollstonecraft uses this to her advantage, arguing that she respects her opponents, but when they begin to use “opinions which are empty rhetorical flourishes”, her respect turns to pity (29). She later indirectly humiliates him writing that he “reminds [her] of the ass in the lion’s skin.” (29). Calling him an imposter and a fake writer, she responds to his text by arguing that her level of writing is well above his capabilities and therefore they should not be …show more content…
Inadequate in explaining the claim of this practice, his only reason becomes: it is natural to be affected by the power of the kings and parliaments, and “all other feelings are false and spurious, and tend to corrupt our minds, to vitiate our primary morals, to render unfit for rational liberty.”(4). Wollstonecraft’s responds mockingly, arguing that she “reverence[s] the rights of men. […] and Fear[s] God!” (33). Unappreciative of his opinions on God, she ridicules his pomposity by using God against him. She counteracts by repeating that “[she] [does] not fear God’s power”, but alternatively she succumbs to His moral laws and her dependence on Him