Philosophy

Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) is regarded as a pioneer feminist, who unfortunately died in childbirth at the early age of 38. In her work, Wollstonecraft argued at that time that slavery and the treatment of the poor were immoral, and British people had the right to remove a bad king. She was not merely for women's rights, but in effect, wanted equal rights for everyone. For Wollstonecraft, the evil of her days and the means by which to put them right, lay in education as she echoed this in the introduction to the //vindication of the right of women.// She claimed that since the good of society proceeds from the increase of reason, knowledge and virtue, it can only be to the benefit of both sexes to maximize these qualities. Further, that to treat women as mere trifles encouraged them to be cunning, and therefore debases their natural talents and fosters discord in the home that can be perpetuated in the children.

Her habits were suspicious to the upper class women in which she worked and observed. Rather than chat about current fashion or make up, Wollstonecraft preferred privacy and her books. Societally, reading alone was seen as selfish and antisocial, a sign of self-indulgence that bordered on moral danger of excess. Her life has held such a fascination over the centuries that more biographies have been written about wollstonecraft than any other figure. Henry Fuseli said she was a 'philosophical sloven.' Horace Walpole referred to wollstonecraft as 'a hyena in petticoats.' John Adams called her 'a mad woman.' The //New York Times Literary Supplement// stated she was 'little short of monstrous' at the turn of the 21st century.' Of her work, Benjamin Silliman, urged that her words be kept secret lest they promote in women the idea of independence from man. Some have gone great lengths to ridicule her ideas about equality while others take courage in her words and measure the mental engagement with the prominent minds of the day. Mary Wollstonecraft's //Vindication of the Rights of Woman// was the first for women's transformation to enter mainstream British and American politics. Wollstonecraft applied principles of liberty and equality to sexual politics. The topic of women's education had been ongoing for approximately a century, so the publication of Wollstonecraft's //Vindication// brought respect rather than criticism. Wollstonecraft also comments on the unlikelihood of her being pleased by fuseli's eves and in doing so offers a stinging criticism of the painter's avowed intentions. Wollstonecraft believes in the case with 'moses's poetical story' the book of genesis.

5 Key Points: She was not merely for women's rights, but in effect, wanted equal rights for everyone. Her life has held such a fascination over the centuries that more biographies have been written about wollstonecraft than any other figure. Wollstonecraft argued at that time that slavery and the treatment of the poor were immoral, and British people had the right to remove a bad king. Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) is regarded as a pioneer feminist Some have gone great lengths to ridicule her ideas about equality while others take courage in her words and measure the mental engagement with the prominent minds of the day.

Sources: Asiado, Tel. "Mary Wollstonecraft Philosophy." //greatthinkers.suite101.// 26 Oct 2008. Web. 8 Nov 2009. <[|http://greatthinkers.suite101.com/article.cfm/marry wollstonecraft philosophy]>.

DeVito, Denise. "Mary Wollstonecraft: An 18th century thinker with revolutionary ideas for the 21st." //Reading Revolutions: Intellectual History.// 9 November 2005. Marilyn Shea, Web. Nov 8 2009. <[|http://hua.umf.maine.edu/Reading Revolutions/Wollstonecraft.html]>.

Bahar, Saba. //Mary Wollstonecrafts's Social And Aesthetic Philosophy: An Eve to Please Me.// Palgrave Macmillan, April 20, 2002. 2-230. Print