Comparison of Women Authors, Essay Example

The comparison of Mary Wollstonecraft and Virginia Woolf shows how each feminist writer delivered their message concerning women’s rights. Both women have a significant place in feminist history. They are considered two of the most influential women feminist writers of their eras, respectively. Mary used her pamphlets and novels to discuss the male gender perceived dominance over women while Virginia used her characters to discuss the gender differences and women’s contributions. Both women were effective in delivering their message to different people because Mary was writing to the middle-class men and women. In contrast, Virginia was writing to the common people and women that love to read novels.

Mary used a rebuttal writing style to concerning men author’s disagreements and Virginia used her story-telling style to discuss women equal rights. Mary suffered the wrath of men writers who disagreed with her stance concerning the men’s world while Virginia suffered the wrath from her own fellow women writers that believe she did not take a stance against War World I. These women made bold statements during a time in the 1700s, which women were not considered equal to men and it was very dangerous to be women advocates. These women were not only excellent authors but they were brave to take on men and society concerning women’s rights.  The goal of this paper will be to discuss each writing style, feminist’s statements and how they discuss gender in their writings.

Mary Wollstonecraft was an English writer, author, philosopher and advocate for women’s rights in the 1700s.  She gained notoriety discussing the forbidden subject that women were not inferior to men. Mary brought attention to the male gender using politics as a platform to show that women were just as astute as men in politics. In addition, she used education as a platform to bring about equal opportunities for women.

In 1787, Mary wrote a book called “Thoughts of Education of Daughters, which she used this foundation to discuss the emerging middle-class of women that were ready to embrace education while competing with men. The literature concerning education was a clever way for Mary to introduce a women’s voice into politics, social commentary and education. The social commentary by Mary set the groundwork for women discussing business, politics, and family life through the eyes of women. Mary believe that the perceptions of women in literary circles were written by men. The educational arena was chosen because women were making new achievements towards education in the 1700 and Mary wanted the public to hear about it. The book Education of Daughters change many of society perceptions about how women think and feel about life.

The topics discussed by Mary was controversial in the 1700s causing a male author to attack the women gender with many eloquent words. It was Edwards Burke “Reflections of the Revolution of France” that enraged Mary because he attacked women, England and Wollstonecraft’s friends for association with Mary. Mary suffered serious ramifications for being an outspoken women’s advocate with public attacks and literary attacks from Edward Burke.

Mary’s response to Edward Burkes work was one the most influential writing of that time because she exposed Burke’s use of women gender negatively. In response Mary wrote Wollstonecraft’s “A Vindication of the Rights of Men’s, which was a rebuttal to Edwards’s sarcasms and degradation of the women gender.  This was the first public defense of women rights against a well-known and respected male writer Edward Burkes. Mary was so agitated with his openly degradation and cleverly disguised low opinion of women she made this her mission in life to address these myths about women.

Mary’s first pamphlet “Revolution Controversy” was a well-respected literary piece which other male writers adopted her arguments against others who describe women as weak, feeble, and unintelligent. Mary was responsible for leading new frame of thought about women by reformers and radicals that believe in the new movement of women’s feminism. In 1700, Mary was making bold statements about women rights that was not accepted by mainstream. However, her bravery and excellent literary style attracted the attention of male and women readers.

Mary’s literary work is a perfect example of representing ethic feminism in her writing and advocacy. Her works often pointed out that men did not value women’s moral, and ethical points of views. In addition, Mary work discussed how words used by men showed that men were powerful, independent, intelligent and righteous. In her writings she found a listening audience that was attracted to her style of writing that made words come alive.

Mary brought attention to the other gender by comparing how they view women with words and stories that were demeaning and degrading. She was the leader in women rights that believe that men wrote their literature with masculinity without providing any acknowledgement of women’s contributions. This was an intelligent way of bringing attention to the world that men wrote with masculinity and using words to degrade and undervalue women.

Virginia Woolf was a feminist author that was respected around the world. Virginia deliver her position on the male gender differently than Mary Wollstonecraft. Mary deliver her rebuttal in novels in the classic liberal traditions. Mary concentrated on lack of education of women, equal rights and feminist movement. Virginia used a different stage such as novels and letters concerning the double standard for men. In addition, in her novels Virginia used her women characters with traditional feminine thoughts and issues. One of the areas of concertation by Virginia Woolf was equality with salaries for women. In her novel “A Room of One’s Own” she discusses how women can never move forward with equality unless they are allowed the same financial success as men.

The ramifications of criticism of Virginia Woolf came from women who believed she was afraid to discuss issues like politics. The literary community of women believe she was undermining and watering down women’s contributions because she only used women characters to speak for women. They wanted Virginia to speak out more as an individual not a women character as the voice. The argument was during World War I, which feminist authors choose to make a statement by taking about the issues of war and violence. Virginia Woolf choose to remain in character writing about women’s rights, women domestic life and women equality with salaries.  Virginia used her characters to address ethic femininity describing how women are underappreciated in most of her women characters. Also, Mary Wollstonecraft believe women were underappreciated.

Virginia did not let the criticism stop her writing women characters that showed women as smart, intelligent and educated.  Virginia believe women should be educated in order to compete with men in the political and business world. In many of her stories, she portrayed her women characters with the same characteristic describe for men such as bold, intelligent, and educated and innovators. Virginia did not remain one dimensional in her writing because she was often requested to address different issues including the war. She received a request from a man that asked her opinion about war and how it could have been prevented.  Virginia believe this was a victory that a man would ask for her opinion about war which prompted her to write an essay “Three Guineas” written during World War II. She used this platform to address women’s views on politics and why women’s opinions have not been valued by men. In addition, Virginia made it known that her lack of a university degree showed that women are intelligent and smart.

Virginia found a niche with her characters because sometimes men and women can accept an idea that is indirectly suggested while Mary decided to face the issues head on regardless of who was offended. The both were successful in bring women’s rights, thoughts and options to the world through a women eyes. In addition, the both addressed the men’s use of gender in their writing that has changed the world today for the better.