“I do not wish them [women] to have power over men; but over themselves.”

“Strengthen the female mind by enlarging it, and there will be an end to blind obedience.”

Mary Wollstonecraft presents a bold and thought-provoking critique of the societal norms and expectations that have long been placed on women. Drawing parallels with Enlightenment thinkers like Kant and Rousseau, Wollstonecraft diverges significantly, offering a sharp and courageous argument that women’s ability to develop critical thinking and reason is stunted by the societal pressures and infantilization they face. Her critique challenges the prevailing notion that women are inherently inferior or suited only for domestic roles, advocating for intellectual and moral development that benefits both women and society as a whole.

What stood out to me most in Wollstonecraft's writing was her unflinching focus on the systemic obstacles faced by women. From the idea that women should prioritize pleasing others over pursuing their own desires to the restrictive gender roles that limit autonomy and agency, she deconstructs the ways in which society discourages women from becoming fully realized individuals. She urges women to reject passive obedience and strive for true virtue, arguing that a society in which women are empowered to reason and make independent choices is ultimately more just and equitable.

Wollstonecraft’s work remains a seminal text in feminist philosophy, continuing to inspire generations of thinkers to challenge the status quo in pursuit of gender equality and women’s rights. Her message is timeless and resonates with a modern audience, calling for both individual empowerment and collective social change.

At the end of the day, she’s just a girl. But she was clearly a girl’s girl <3

YES i am counting the excerpts in my textbook as something for my reading challenge. yes i am. anyway I liked it

I've rated this 5/5 because it such an important book, which still resonates today. However, it is difficult to read, being written in the language of its time. Indeed, I chose not to read it at a pace to take in the intricacies of the language of each sentence, or ever clause and sub-clause, preferring to follow the thrust of her argument: that woman should be allowed to develop their minds and fulfil full roles in society if they are not to remain enslaved by a lack of education and societal expectations. To Wollstonecraft, woman (in late 18th Century Britain) were inferior not because of inherent differences between the sexes but because society made it so.

In places, the references are dated in such a way as would be considered inappropriate now, and there is the occasional word whose modern meaning is almost opposite to the way it used in the text, but it is worth persevering. That said, this was my second attempt at reading it!

Other feminist texts are available but in many ways this is the mother of them all.

Had previously read A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, so I read Maria for the first time. The feminist fervor of Wollstonecraft is palpable.

My only issue with the text is the fact that Darnford really isn't a believable love interest. Sure, he's better than Mr. Venables, but he still doesn't seem genuinely kind or interested in Maria. his story was selfish and showed no character development that Jemima's and Maria's stories did.

I hadn't realized the fragmentary nature of this text, and it was interesting to read Godwin's editorial choices. Super depressing read considering Wollstonecraft dies shortly after giving birth to Mary and the strained relationship between her and her father (see her dedication to Godwin in Frankenstein).

It was revolutionary for her time, but there are particular religious undertones to her arguments. For example, her reasoning that "chastity" (of men and women) being the ultimate virtue irks me a little bit. Otherwise it was eloquently written and (aside from some generalizations of sexes) persuasive.