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.

Well. Wollstonecraft was truly a genius. Yes she dwells only on middle-class problems and yes the last few chapters are a little bit all over the place but nonetheless the people of her time were very lucky to be witnessing the birth of feminism through her book.

3.5

There were some truly brilliant lines in this, that still ring true centuries later. But there was a bit of shaming and criticism directed to the authors own sex which I found not as rewarding.

“What can be more disgusting than the impudent dross of gallantry thought so manly, which makes many men stare insultingly at every female they meet? Can it be termed respect for the sex?”

An astonishing book given the time it was published. Not an easy read - I actually listened to the audio book which involved lots of rewinding as opposed to re-reading of key passages. As if to thwart her detractors from the outset she presents her arguments in a very dispassionate and well-reasoned way showing herself to be an example of what a woman can be if raised and educated to be something - anything - other than a masseuse to the male ego. I will return to it in years to come I am sure.

Read it for a class, however I really enjoyed it - Wollstonecraft keeps it short and consist and never loose focus of the books message!