A Vindication of the Rights of Men Themes

A Vindication of the Rights of Men Themes

Gender Equality

One of the central themes of the pamphlet is gender, specifically as it relates to society's perception of femininity. Wollstonecraft contended that men and women are actually equal, but that women have less education, and fewer opportunities to access it. This makes them seem inferior or weaker than men, when in fact they are not. Burke associates weakness with beauty; he believes that these two elements are the foundations stones of femininity and this also explains why he was so supportive of Marie Antoinette during the French Revolution.

Wollstonecraft has views that totally oppose those of Burke; she believes that to judge a woman based on her beauty is actually harmful because you are are judging them on what Nature gave them, rather than the character they have developed for themselves.

Opposition to the Aristocracy

One of Wollstonecraft's main observations about the aristocracy is that they are, for the most part, morally bankrupt. She does not like rank of privilege based on a person's class, and feels it should be based on a person's moral rectitude instead. She basis this opinion on her own standing as a member of the middle class, but also her belief that she is of far higher moral character than those in the nation's elite, whom she finds to be riddled with vices.

Opposition to the Monarchy

Given that the pamphlet was written against a backdrop of revolution in France, one gets the impression from her writing that Wollstonecraft would rather have liked the revolution to be contagious and reach British shores. She believes that a free society is only achieved when those in power are voted into office. This of course excludes the monarchy, because they are born to rule, rather than elected to do so.

Godliness

Wollstonecraft's ideal society is constructed around the tenets of God and family, and that society should function better when people act in a godly fashion. Her "utopia" is based on a family unit, and where a person does not have family, a family unit should be constructed by those around them. She also feels like the individual is the best barometer of society; if most people are godly, then society has the correct moral sensibilities.

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