1. What aspects of women’s lives does Wollstonecraft seem interested in changing? Why?
2. Wollstonecraft quotes Pope’s famous line “Whatever is, is right.” How does she interpret this line? Does she agree with Pope?
3. Do you think women are still raised to be “pleasing”? Why or why not?
4. What does Wollstonecraft have to say about marriage? In her view, what would allow a woman to be a good wife and mother?
I do not women today are raised to be pleasing. In contrast, I believe women are raised to be independent individuals, just as men are. Women are meant to be equal to men, with different qualities and complements that they have to offer this world. However, back in Wollstonecraft’s day, women were meant to only be pleasing to men. Rather than a woman thinking about how she can better this world, her only thoughts revolve around how she can better her husbands well-being. Obviously, this is a very irrational and ignorant way of thinking, as Wollstonecraft describes. Since the rise of women’s rights, women today are now raised to be an independent individual first, rather than be deprived of their potential by only having thoughts of pleasing their husbands.
2. Wollstonecraft quotes Pope’s famous line “Whatever is, is right.” How does she interpret this line? Does she agree with Pope?
Wollstonecraft does not agree with Pope in my opinion. It seems like she is actually corrects him by saying, ‘well if you, Pope, are such a strong believer that God made a plan and the plan is perfect, look at me, God created me, I am part of his plan, therefore my wants and needs and thoughts are also part of the plan and have every right to exist’.
Her message to Pope is that even though he thinks he sees the whole picture and knows what god intended to create, in reality he doesn’t have the ability to do so .”He, reverentially I speak, sees the whole at once ..but man, who can only inspect disjointed parts..”(3).
2. Wollstonecraft quotes Pope’s famous line “Whatever is, is right.” How does she interpret this line? Does she agree with Pope?
Wollstonecraft does not agree with Pope. She is using his saying against him and trying to prove that he is wrong. She is saying that if he says what is, is right; then what she is, is right and how she views the world is correct and how God intended her to be.
2. Wollstonecraft quotes Pope’s famous line “Whatever is, is right.” How does she interpret this line? Does she agree with Pope?
Wollstonecraft does not agree with Pope’s famous line, rather she is using it in a sarcastic tone to have it fit her cause. She proceeds to use the same “Whatever is, is right” by stating then that by logic, her actions are right because they always have been. If God had a plan and the world operated as part of that plan then she,too, is simply doing what she was intended to do.
In todays world I do not think women are raised to be pleasing. I say this because many of the girls today are being taught to be independent. In addition I think girls today are taught that they are equal to men and they have the same opportunities as the men do. this is evident in how there are women working in jobs that are traditionally meant for men. One of those jobs is a car mechanic today women also work in this field as opposed to years ago when only men had this job. Women also serve in the military which for a long time was seen as a mans thing. Women today are taught to speak their minds and to not be afraid to speak up for what they think is right.
3. Do you think women are still raised to be “pleasing”? Why or why not?
Women nowadays are not raised to be “pleasing,” at least in the states because women now have more rights and now have an independent outlook in life. Now, women are raised to be leaders, role models, and whatever they truly want to pursue on becoming in society. Women such as Serena Williams, Nancy Pelosi, and Oprah Winfrey are major figures for women to rise up to all occasions and speak up for their rights.
1.What aspects of women’s lives does Wollstonecraft seem interested in changing? Why?
Wollstonecraft is interested in seeing women’s education system change. Her reasoning is that she views women’s education as the key to women reforming their position in society. She acknowledges that the current form in which women are educated leaves them dependent on their husbands and she thinks that if women are given equal education, they will become completely independent from men and hold up more significance and power in society.