Topic > Wollstonecraft in the feminist movement - 1285

To ascertain the importance of the role played by Wollstonecraft in the feminist movement, it is necessary to first understand the state of the movement before her arrival, the growth of the movement during her election campaign and, finally , the state of feminism after her death. Only then can you truly understand its impact, its significance and its legacy in the movement. There could be few who would not agree with her importance, her book Vindication of the Rights of Women (1792) was an entirely significant event and initiated the change of pace in the equality debate. Indeed, Duman (2012) suggested that Wollstonecraft formed the foundation of modern feminism, as she applied key Enlightenment arguments to the family, woman, and the private sphere. The Wollstonecraft believed that women's inequality only existed as a result of social foundations, she believed that by giving women an education equal to that of men and allowing them the same job prospects, this problem of inequality could be erased. Taking a different position from the modern male thinkers of his era, he expanded ideas such as “reason”, “natural rights”, “social contract” towards gender relations and the patriarchal authority of the family. (Dumann, 2012). Her work has made a symbolic contribution to political thought and opinion and educational theory, not to mention her work on women's rights, her book A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, and is considered one of the greatest writings of the feminist ideology. . British feminists were very divided in their positions towards Wollstonecraft's ideals, the more extreme ones praising them while others disagreed with disgust. Wollstonecraft's compelling message that with a change in the 'character' of women the social form would be revolutionized for all, nevertheless inspired most 19th century feminists. For example, those socialist and Chartist feminists saw her as a heroic figure for women's suffrage, yet most Victorian activists. His reputation grew, his words found a new audience, but most of all the movement gained traction. It would take generations for her dream to be realized, but it is clear that without her the movement might not have even begun. In the 1840s education began to reform, as there was a widespread belief that mothers should receive a substantial education, as they were the child's primary educators, this was also due to the emphasis the developing feminist movement placed on education, along with a number of other factors. One of the few jobs available to women in the first half of the nineteenth century was the position of governess, however those who were considered respectable enough to fill such a position were more often than not poorly educated and therefore were not prepared to take on such a position. Work. Furthermore, even middle-class women who needed a job did not have the proper education to fill this position, and so colleges were established to train women to become teachers. In fact, even a century after her death, she was still used as a spark in the movement. Wollstonecraft's reputation was re-established by Millicent Fawcett, the leader of the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies who wrote a very sympathetic foreword to Wollstonecraft's book when it was republished in 1891.