Good Grief Mary, Who Hurt You?

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I tried very hard to read this book with an open mind. I really do think that this theme of the oppression of women not only was but still is a huge issue. But somewhere around chapter 9 or 10 I have a bad taste in my mouth and it gets worse every sentence. I really feel like she makes some incredible points when rebutting Rousseau or speaking on gender inequality when it comes to education. But when you get deeply into the final few parts of the book, it feels like she wrote Vindication because a guy or two, and maybe also her education/educators (or lack thereof), upset her. When she talks about a male student's favorite parts of boarding school, she writes with an attitude of bitterness about the guy getting a snack. But the second half of that sentence is a polar opposite from the first- Wollstonecraft speaks against cruelty to animals seemingly being excused under the premise that high school guys are pretty much allowed to do whatever they want. But then again, I'm not really sure how that theme connects with the rest of the chapter regarding education. Overall, I think very highly of the book and I feel like Wollstonecraft was very bold and intellectual to be able to approach big issues like she did. With that being said, I feel like it would be easier to take this more seriously if it wasn't such a brutal attack on society/man. At the same time, I can't help but feel it's somewhat deserved. Perhaps she could have taken the high road, but it's hard to say what approach would have been right in this situation. Everyone is biased here and it's such a hot-button issue that you have to be very careful when approaching it.

Edit: I commented on Rachael and Gabby's posts.

Comments

Owen said…
This is an interesting position to take on this issue. Are you alluding to the possibility that she may have had some Fiminazi in her? While I do agree that her feelings for men were justified, I don't think she ever felt anger for them but instead either disapointment or sadness, or both.
October 27, 2019 at 4:28 PM
AnnaKate Burleson said…
Mary Wollstonecraft died giving birth to the child of a man that left her for another woman, and this was not the first time that she'd been abandoned. So I think it's fair to say that she does have a chip on her shoulder, because when you study her life you see that there really wasn't a single man in her life that treated her well. I think that does drive her writing a decent bit, but hopefully this context allows you to extend a little grace towards her when she uses words that aren't the kindest. In my opinion, she had every reason to write with bitterness. Also, with the historical context that we have, we know that the society in which she lived very much deserved an attack or two. But, since I'm not a man and didn't read this with the same perspective as you, I understand that we would read her attacks in very different lights, so I understand what you mean!
October 27, 2019 at 7:19 PM
Gabby Strahan said…
Okay I love this post and I think the avenue that you went about it was bold and respectful. I 100% agree that Mary's bitterness that is clearly reflected through her writing is due to pain inflicted on her during her life. This topic is a difficult one and its hard not to provoke people while discussing it, but I want to commend you for the way you went about it. Great post!
October 28, 2019 at 12:18 PM
Stephen Davis said…
I agree with your assessment that by the end of this book it just is not as satisfying as it was when it began. The fact that she seemingly created this novel just to satisfy a lingering bitterness towards the men in her life was an interesting point that might have some credence due to the harsh life she lived as it compares to her vicious attacks for the rights of women so that the things that happened to her are less likely to happen to others.
October 28, 2019 at 1:56 PM
Rachael Gregson said…
Okay, I definitely see where you are coming from now. I am not overlooking or belittling the conditions of Mary Wollstonecraft's life one bit, but I will say that she did let the actions of the few determine the actions of the many. Not all guys are like this and not even all guys back then were like this. I don't support her finger pointing, but I do support her right to say whatever she wants to say. I initially was okay with the book's ending, until you made these very valid points. It feels like she left it unfinished.
October 28, 2019 at 5:36 PM
abbiehedden said…
Drew, to answer your question, men. MEN hurt Mary. Every single one of them. The lack of education for women would anger her, and should anger everyone. It is inherently sexist that men be given the honor of education and women be given the duty of housecleaning. Women leap with joy about these points that you call "a brutal attack".
October 29, 2019 at 7:30 AM
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