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Similes
Introduction
Explanation and Analysis:
The style of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman is determined by Wollstonecraft’s desire to be taken seriously. Her attention to detail is a major part of the work. By writing in a highly educated, organized manner, she is also attempting to prove that properly educated women are capable of the kind of reasoning that is customarily reserved for men. Her ability to argue that women deserve a better education is dependent on her reader taking her seriously, and Wollstonecraft understands that many of her male readers might be predisposed to dismiss her simply because she is a female writer and philosopher. Therefore, she ensures that the piece is organized and argued very clearly, emphasizing a sharp, observant style. This strategy is present from the very beginning of the piece. For example, in the introduction, she says:
The discussion naturally divides the subject. I shall first consider women in the grand light of human creatures, who, in common with men, are placed on this earth to unfold their faculties; and afterwards I shall more particularly point out their peculiar destination.
In the above quote, Wollstonecraft outlines the structure of her upcoming argument before she begins it. Her clear organization is enhanced by her arguments themselves; she begins with basic, irrefutable claims, and builds her argument off of fact and reason rather than appealing primarily to emotion. Therefore, Wollstonecraft relies heavily on logos as a method of persuading her reader—a method that her contemporaries wouldn't have expected a woman to use, but which allows her to demonstrate what well-educated women are capable of.
Her emphasis on logic and reason is indicative of the values of her piece, but it also appeals to her readers, many of whom would be very familiar with the tenets of Enlightenment philosophy. However, her emphasis on logos doesn’t preclude instances of pathos or ethos, especially when describing the needless sufferings of women who haven't been trained to think for themselves, or when drawing on her own experiences and feelings as a woman. It is through the weaving of these three strategies that Wollstonecraft constructs a persuasive and sharply written entreaty on behalf of her fellow women.
Related Themes:
