from A Vindication of the Rights of Woman

By: Mary Wollstonecraft

Cornell Notes
SOAPStone

Questions and Key Points Notes

Background:
In the eighteenth century, the
daughters of English
gentlemen were mostly taught
reading, languages, playing the
piano, singing, drawing, and
How where women viewed in the needlework. This was thought
18th century? to be adequate preparation for
their lives as wives, mothers,
governesses, or companions to
wealthy ladies

Women at that time had no

What is a political argument?
political or legal rights. In fact,
upon marriage they lost their
property to their husbands.
They could not vote or bring a
case to court. If a husband did
not financially support his
wife, she could only support
herself by becoming a nurse,
governess, shopkeeper, or
servant
 Questions and Key Points
Why is Wollstonecraft considered to
be the mother of feminism?
What is a rhetorical question and an
what is an example of one?
Summary: In the eighteenth
century, women were
viewed as beautiful
objects men possessed.
Since birth, women were
taught wife work such as Analogy: a comparison between two
singing, drawing, and
needlework while the
men were taught
different languages, how a chalkboard
to read, and how to play
A Vindication of the Rights of
Women(1792) was the first text
to catalogue the injustices
suffered by women of
Wollstonecrafts time. It is
considered a POLITICAL
ARGUMENT
A political argument is an instance of
a logical argument applied to
politics
Mary Wollstonecraft is Mary
Shelleys mother
Wollstonecraft is considered by
many to be the mother of
feminism
Inspired by the ideas of liberal
reformers, she wrote about the
rights of women and others.
Her 1790 book, A Vindication
of the Rights of Man, attached
class and privilege; she
followed that with A
vindication of the Rights of
Women in 1792
Important Terminology:
things, typically for the purpose of
explanation of clarification
EX: They are as annoying as nails on
the piano. Women at the
time had no political or
legal rights. The only jobs
they were able to attain if
their husbands did not
financially support them
included becoming a
nurse, governess,
shopkeeper, or servant.
Due to these 18th century
ideals, female individuals
began to stand up for
what they believed in
and Mary Wollstone was
one of them. Wollstone is
considered by many to be
the mother of feminism.
She wrote books about
the rights of women and
others that were first
inspired by the ideas of
liberal reformers. effect
Repetition: the action of repeating
something that has already been said
or written
EX: I felt happy because the others
were happy which made me feel
happy because they were happy
Rhetorical Question: a rhetorical
question is a question that you ask
without expecting an answer. The
question might be one that does not
have an answer. It might also be one
that has an, obvious answer, but you
have asked the question to make a
point, to persuade or for literary effect
EX: How many times do I have to tell
you not to play ball in the house?
Antithesis: meaning opposite, is a
rhetorical device in which two
opposite ideas are put together in a
sentence to achieve a contrasting
EX: Speech is silver, but silence is
gold
 Answer the SOAPSTone questions to annotate and comprehend the
text. Cite textual evidence.

When it states, A Vindication of the Rights of Women by Mary

Speaker
Who is the Wollstonecraft(Wollstonecraft), readers can infer the author is Mary

speaker/ Wollstonecraft.

narrator ?

Occasion When it states, Background In the late 18th

What is the time century..(Wallstone), readers can infer that the setting in the
and the place of
story will take place in the 18th Century.
the piece?

Audience When it states, The conduct of and manners of

Who is the piece women(Wollstone), readers can infer that the author is directing
meant for or
her piece towards women.
directed at?

Purpose When it states, like the flowers which are planted in too rich a
What is the soil, strength and usefulness are sacrificed to beauty; and the
authors reason
flaunting leaves, after having pleased a fastidious eye, fade,
behind this text?
disregarded on the stalk(Wollstonecraft), Wollstonecraft wanted
to tell women to strengthen their minds and their bodies.

Subject When it states, Liberty is the mother of virtue, and if women

What is the be, by their very constitution, slaves and not allowed to breathe
subject of this
the sharp invigorating air of freedom, they must..languish like
text?
exotics, and be reckoned beautiful flaws in
nature(Wollstonecraft), readers can infer the overall subject of
the author's pieces about women empowerment.
Tone When Wollstonecraft states, the most melancholy emotions of
What is the sorrowful indignation have depressed my spirits, and I have
authors attitude sighed when obliged to confess, that either nature has made a
in the piece? great difference between man and man, or that the civilization
which has hitherto taken place in the world has been very
partial(Wollstonecraft), I think she demonstrates a resentful
tone because she is frustrated with the natural difference men
and women were born with.

from A Vindication of the Rights of Woman

By: Mary Wollstonecraft

TDQs
Reread lines 16 Wollstone uses an antithesis when she states, my spirits, and I
and identify have sighed when obliged to confess, that either nature has made
where a great difference between man and man, or that the civilization
Wollstonecraft which has hitherto taken place in the world has been very
uses antithesis. partial(Wollstone 3). Her purpose in using an antithesis is for
What is her readers to grasp that nature and civilization are two contrasting
purpose in using things that both put an emphasis on the rate of women
antithesis in this education.
passage?

Summarize the When Wollstonecraft states The understanding of the sex has
claim been so bubbled by this specious homage that the civilized
Wollstonecraft women of the present century..are only anxious to inspire love,
asserts and when they ought to cherish a nobler ambition(Wollstone 20)
supports in lines she claims and supports that women are faulty educated for the
1837. benefit of men right.
Cite the opposing When Wollstonecraft states, I am aware of an obvious
viewpoint that interference: from every quarter have I heard exclamations
Wollstonecraft against masculine women; but where are they to be found? If by
identifies in lines this appellation men mean to inveigh against their ardor in
4349. How does hunting, shooting, and gaming, I shall most..join in the cry..but if
she concede, or it be against the imitation of manly virtues, or, more properly
admit, this speaking (Wollstonecraft 45) readers infer that she admits that
viewpoint and there should be a manly line that women should not cross,
how does she such as going shooting, but she then goes on to argue that
argue against it? although there are some things women should not do, being able
to speak up, voice their opinion, or educate themselves, should
not be part of that restriction.

What is the The purpose of the rhetorical question in lines 54-57 is for
purpose of the readers to understand that women shouldnt have to have their
rhetorical hand held, they should already be able to make their own
question in lines decisions instead of a man making it for them.
5457?

Reread lines 65 When it states , The education of women has, of late, been
75 and interpret more attended to than formerly; yet they are still reckoned a
what frivolous sex, and ridiculed or pitied by the writers who
Wollstonecraft endeavor by satire or instruction to improve
really means in themselves(Wollstonecraft 63) readers can infer that this
the first sentence sentence speaks of the ridicule women who try to educate
of the paragraph. themselves, receive from men.
At whom
Wollstonecraft
directs this
sarcastic remark.
Why does she do
so?
Identify the claim Wollstonecraft states, The woman who has only been taught to
in lines 7699 and please will soon find that her charms are oblique sunbeams, and
the reasons and that they cannot have much effect on her husband's heart when
evidence that they are seen every day, when the summer is passed and hone.
Wollstonecraft Will she then have sufficient native energy to look into herself
uses to support it. for comfort (Wollstonecraft 95). She relates women to beautiful
How women flowers and claims that a flowers beauty does not last long.
might exhibit Additionally, she believes women exhibit susceptibility of heart
susceptibility of which can be seen as a weakness because it can affect what a
heart and why it women thinks about herself.
might be seen as
a weakness.

Reread lines 106 Wollstonecraft states, I now speak of women who are
111 and restate restrained by principle or prejudice; such
the opposing woman(Wollstonecraft 106). She is claiming that women
claim that believe they have no other choice than to obey the other gender
Wollstonecraft and conform to the roles they were given, when in reality, they
identifies in this do have a choice but they fear taking it.
paragraph

Reread lines 114 When Wollstonecraft states, The heart should be made clean..it
136 and identify is not very difficult to fulfil with scrupulous exactness when vice
an example of reins in the heart(Wollstonecraft 129) and it is only useful to a
analogy and an mistress; the chaste wife, and serious mother, should only
example of consider her power to please as the opolis of her
antithesis. Then virtues(Wollstonecraft 114), she gives an example of an
explain how each antithesis and an analogy. By using an analogy helps clarify to
device reader the difference between a strong woman and a weak one.
strengthens By using a antithesis, she helps readers understand the choices
Wollstonecrafts women have, and the choices they instead choose.
counterargument.
Reread lines 162 The author states, frailties of her companion, but to bear with
163 and them:his character may be a trial, but not an impediment to
explain the virtue (Wollstonecraft 162). Affection means a feeling of
meaning of fondness while affectation means behavior designed to impress.
affection and These words strengthen the authors writing because by using
affectation. these specific two words, she can describe her argument which
Explain how is for women to defer the correct, and incorrect, way to show
these word their affection.
choices
strengthen
Wollstonecrafts
writing.

Reread lines 163 Wollstonecraft states men are stronger than women. She
172 and identify continues to states that if women want to close the gap between
the earlier the two genders, the they need to strengthen their mind and their
opposing bodies.
viewpoint that is
restated here. If
students are
unsure, suggest
that they reread
lines 43-45.
Summarize
Wollstonecrafts
counterargument
s in one-two
sentences.
Reread lines 179 When Wollstone states, In fact, the conduct of an accountable
202 and identify being must be regulated by the operations of its own reason; or
the places where on what foundation rests the throne of God? (Wollstonecraft
Wollstonecraft 170) she appeals to logic and reason. She places emphasis on
appeals to logic reason and appeals to rational people in her argument about
and reason. education for women because she wants women to know that
Discuss why she reason is not limited to only man. She states it extends to
placed such everyone and not just the gender that controlled how women
emphasis on were to be educated.
reason and
an appeal to
rational people in
her argument
about
education for
women.

Identify and Wollstonecraft compares monarchy and slaves, to love. This

explain two reflects an analogy and she uses this so readers can understand
examples of that just like a slave is not free under a monarchy, women cannot
analogies in lines be free under love. She continues to explain that if women do
207213. How do not strengthen themselves, they will continue to be seen as only
these analogies flowers that will soon lose their beauty and never grow.
add to the
persuasiveness of
Wollstonecrafts
argument.