Wollstonecraft versus Rousseau: Early Feminism in the Enlightenment
In the world’s modern discourse, it is nearly impossible to avoid conversations about the nature of contemporary feminism. Despite the notion that feminism and the push for women’s rights is a fairly recent issue, Mary Wollstonecraft is arguably one of the key matriarchs of the modern feminist movement. Wollstonecraft highlights the hateful ideals surrounding women at the time in “A Vindication for Women’s Rights” to respond to the hateful ideals encouraged by Jean-Jacques Rousseau in “Emile.” With her main argument critiquing the fallibility of enlightenment logic, Wollstonecraft effectively mothers the main question surrounding feminist rhetoric: how can society claim to prioritize equality under God, when half of those on the planet are unequal? In focusing on the irony surrounding this backward logic, the argument between Wollstonecraft and Rousseau helps frame feminism today.
HIST 152, History of Western Civilization ll
Stephen Andes
Bucher Room
1 – 4 PM