A Vindication of the Rights of Women Chapter Summaries - Chapter One: The Rights and Involved Duties of Mankind Considered

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Trevor Kinblom        

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A Vindication of the Rights of Women Chapter Summaries

Chapter One: The Rights and Involved Duties of Mankind Considered

Thesis:

Perfection of our nature and capability of happiness, must be estimated by the degree of reason, virtue, and knowledge, that distinguish the individual, and direct the laws which bind society:  and that from exercise of reason, knowledge and virtue naturally flow, is equally undeniable, if mankind be viewed collectively.

Conclusion:

        It is the pestiferous (dangerous to the morals of society) purple which renders the progress of civilization a curse, and warps the understanding, till men of sensibility doubt whether the expansion of intellect produces a greater portion of happiness or misery.

Chapter Two:  The Prevailing of a Sexual Character Discussed

Thesis:

        To account for, and excuse the tyranny of man, many ingenious arguments have been brought forward to prove, that the two sexes, in the acquirement of virtue, ought to aim at attaining a very different character; or, to speak explicitly, women are not allowed to have sufficient strength of mind to acquire what really deserves the name of virtue.  Yet it should seem, allowing them to have souls, that there is but one way appointed by Providence to lead mankind to either virtue or happiness.

Conclusion:

Men have submitted to superior strength to enjoy with impunity the pleasure of the moment—women have only done the same, and therefore till it is proved that the courtier, who servilely resigns the birthright of a man, is not a moral agent, it cannot be demonstrated that woman is essentially inferior to man because she has always been subjugated.  

Brutal force has hitherto governed the world, and that the science of politics is in its infancy, is evident from philosophers scrupling to give the knowledge most useful to man that determinate distinction.

 I shall not pursue this argument any further than to establish an obvious inference, that as sound politics diffuse liberty, mankind, including woman, will become more wise and virtuous.  Mary Wolfstien also stated that men are bigots but I do not feel that is a true statement, most men are caring and listen to what their woman counterparts have to say and they also

Chapter Three: The Same Subject Continued

Thesis:

        People of genius have, very frequently impaired their constitutions by study or careless inattention to their health, and the violence of their passions bearing a proportion to the vigour of their intellects, the sword's destroying the scabbard has become almost proverbial, and superficial observers have inferred from thence, that men of genius have commonly weak, or, to use a more fashionable phrase, delicate constitutions.  Yet the contrary, I believe, will appear to be the fact; for, on diligent inquiry, I find that strength of mind has, in most cases, been accompanied by superior strength of body,—natural soundness of constitution,—not that robust tone of nerves and vigour of muscles, which arise from bodily labour, when the mind is quiescent, or only directs the hands

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Conclusion:

        The human character has ever been formed by the employments the individual, or class, pursues; and if the faculties are not sharpened by necessity, they must remain obtuse.  The argument may fairly be extended to women; for, seldom occupied by serious business, the pursuit of pleasure gives that insignificancy to their character which renders the society of the great so insipid.

Chapter 4:  Observations on the State of Degradation to Which Woman…

Thesis:

        That woman is naturally weak, or degraded by a concurrence of circumstances, is, I think, clear.  But this position I shall simply contrast with ...

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