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12.2 A Vindication of Rights of Women Wkst.

Mary Wollstonecraft's 1792 work A Vindication of the Rights of Women was one of the early feminist documents of the Enlightenment period. In it, she argues that women are told from a young age that superficial behaviors like "gentleness" and "docility" will attract male protection, but this leaves them ignorant. She asserts that women are advised to provide only for the present, while men are prepared for the future. Additionally, Wollstonecraft claims that women's limited social roles and "trifling employments" render them objects without meaningful occupations or abilities, wasting their potential. She advocates for expanding women's access to roles like physicians and farmers in order to empower

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372 views2 pages

12.2 A Vindication of Rights of Women Wkst.

Mary Wollstonecraft's 1792 work A Vindication of the Rights of Women was one of the early feminist documents of the Enlightenment period. In it, she argues that women are told from a young age that superficial behaviors like "gentleness" and "docility" will attract male protection, but this leaves them ignorant. She asserts that women are advised to provide only for the present, while men are prepared for the future. Additionally, Wollstonecraft claims that women's limited social roles and "trifling employments" render them objects without meaningful occupations or abilities, wasting their potential. She advocates for expanding women's access to roles like physicians and farmers in order to empower

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sahilbansal103
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Name__________________________________________ Period/#____________

A Vindication of the Rights of Women


The question of women’s rights was raised in the reform environment of the Enlightenment. One of the
most important early feminist documents is Mary Wollstonecraft’s A Vindication of the Rights of Women,
completed in 1792. A brilliant and talented women, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin (1759-1797) posed
questions that are still discussed today. Read the excerpt below and answer the questions that follow.

Men complain, and with reason, of the follies employments open to women are menial [basic]…
{irrationalities] and caprices [foolish ideas] of our Women have seldom sufficient serious
sex…Behold, I should answer, the natural effect of employment to silence their feelings; a round of
ignorance!... little cares, or vain pursuits frittering [wasting]
Women are told from their infancy, and taught away all strength of mind and organs, they become
by the example of their mothers, that a little naturally only objects of sense. In short the whole
knowledge of human weakness, justly termed tenor of female education (the education of
cunning, softness of temper, outward obedience, society) tends to render the best disposed
and … propriety [respectability], will obtain for romantic and inconstant; and the remainder vain
them the protection of man; and should they be and mean…
beautiful everything else is needless, for, at least With respect to virtue, to use the word in a
twenty years of their live… comprehensive sense, I have seen most in low life.
Though moralists have agreed that the tenor Many poor women maintain their children by the
[intention] of life seems to prove that man is sweat of their brow, and keep together families
prepared by various circumstances for a future that the vices of the fathers would have scattered
state, they constantly concur in advising woman abroad; but gentlewomen are too indolent
only to provide for the present. Gentleness, [inactive] to be actively virtuous, and are softened
docility [compliance], and a spaniel-like affection rather than refined by civilization. Indeed, the
are, on this ground, consistently recommended as good sense which I have met among the poor
the cardinal virtues of the sex; and…one writer has women who have had few advantages of
declared that it is masculine for a woman to be education, and yet have acted heroically, strongly
melancholy [sad]. She was created to be the toy of confirmed me in the opinion that trifling
man, his rattle, and it must jingle in his ears employments have rendered woman a trifler [not
whenever…he chooses to be amused. How many valued].
women thus wasted life away…who might have
practiced as physicians, regulated a farm, managed
a shop, and stood erect, supported by their own Adapted from A Vindication of the Rights of
industry, instead of hanging their heads… Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft
How much more respectable is the woman who
earns her own bread by fulfilling her duty than the
most accomplished beauty! Yet the few

Comprehension
1. According to Wollstonecraft, what are women told from their infancy?

2. While men are prepared for the future, what does the author say women are advised to provide
for?

3. Why, according to Wollstonecraft, is it “masculine for a woman to be melancholy?”

4. What does she say keeps women from working at meaningful jobs? What results from this fact?

Critical Thinking

1. In the first paragraph, Wollstonecraft writes the “outward obedience” helps women to win the
protection of men. What can you infer from her emphasis on outward?

2. What can you infer about Wollstonecraft’s attitude towards feminine beauty?

3. Based on class discussions, what influences do you think the Enlightenment had on
Wollstonecraft’s views?

4. In your opinion, which issues that Wollstonecraft raises are still important today?

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