Mary Wollstonecraft
Q1
Mary Wollstonecraft is a woman’s right advocate. She simply puts it as follows, ” If a woman’s education does not make her fit to be a man’s companion, then her progress for knowledge stops,” and truth must be common and known to all; if it is not, then people’s behaviors would not be influenced by it (Wollstonecraft, 2017). How are women supposed to be cooperative if they know not why she ought to be virtuous in the first place? Freedom is what will give her reasons strength until she can comprehend her duty and the connection it has to the greater good. Men fight for freedom of expression and judge what is good for their happiness. The woman shares the same gift of reasoning, yet, women are held down and consoled with the words, “it is only in your best interests.” Men’s short-term desires sway women, and society’s way of recognizing a woman is when she is someone’s wife (Wollstonecraft, 2017). There is no amount of law that will turn women’s actions to be virtuous unless their morals are grounded on man’s equal immutable principles. They will be convenient slaves, but it will be associated with adverse effects- constantly degrading the master.
Q2.
Some connections that I see between Wollstonecraft’s early feminist agreements compared to those of Abigail Adams is that both of them saw men as a problem. Abigail, in her letters, pleads with John to be friendlier than their ancestors and to remember the ladies who are treated with impunity and cruelty (MHS, 1776). Mary points out men afraid of educated women doubting if it will bring more misery than happiness (Wollstonecraft, 2017).
Mary, Abigail, and Stanton also agree that women have a higher purpose than what is spelled for then by men. They plead for representation rights in the government and administration positions. Women are seen as weak links only to be ruled by the stronger sex (denoted by physical strength) (MHS, 1776; Elizabeth 1854; Wollstonecraft, 2017). According to Stanton, women can be administrators when she is in the place of her deceased husband. In the post office, she will be subordinate, especially in the U.S. Mary and Stanton also highlight how women’s status is raised in society only through marriage.
Q3. Queen Elizabeth I, in her speech, speaks with a rather thankful and admirable tone for men. She spoke of her strong and courageous will to fight for her people, and also thanked her troops, consisting mostly of men and promises to reward them for their undying and relentless wits (RMG, n.d.). Stanton however, speaks in a spiteful and scornful tone about men. Her criticisms about how women are not represented and have no right to a jury of their peers. They also had no right to own property, and the fruits of her toil placed at the disposal of a man justify how women take laws into their hands to escape the absolute power man have over them (Elizabeth, 1854)…