Stereotypes of Women in a Patriarchal Society
“She was created to be the toy of man, his rattle; it must jingle in his ears for whenever he chooses to be amused”. Mary Wollstonecraft http://womenshistory.about.com/library/etext/bl_vindication000.htm
Mary Wollstonecraft was a prominent feminist writer of the 17th Century that challenged the ignorance of a male-dominated culture, which depicted women as objects and playthings for masculine desire. Wollstonecraft confronted the superiority and arrogance of a prejudiced and tyrannical society that believed women should be controlled and dominated for their own good. Considered inferior human beings, women were viewed as emotional, frivolous, weak, and lacking intelligence. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Wollstonecraft
Wollstonecraft had good cause for attacking the masculine perspective that a woman’s worth was based on the quality of beauty and “softness of temper”. Without realizing the fallout from strict obedience to cultural norms, a woman’s essence was reduced to forms of depression and brokenness of spirit.
The Fading of Women's Beauty and Charm
Outraged, Mary Wollstonecraft wrote of male conceit that a woman should be subservient to their lust and to their love. The feminist writer alluded to the disrespect of love in man’s false sentiments towards women as a lead to sensuality. Often referring to male writers in society as “brutes” and “witlings”, Wollstonecraft pointed to their pride and haughtiness in suggesting that women needed to be controlled by fear and made a slave to “ make her a more alluring object of desire” for man.
From birth, women were told that to secure a man’s approval and affection they needed to be voluptuous, beautiful, and exhibit great charm. Seeing through this hypocritical attitude, Wollstonecraft wrote,
"Woman who has been only taught to please a man will find that when her beauty and charm fades, she will no longer have an effect on a man’s sentiments. And once cast out, will she seek to please other men betraying her own emotions and denying the high price that was paid for her love".
Although a male society expressed amusement at feminine coquettishness, underneath, they held deep contempt and disrespect for women. Subsequently, women often suffered countless experiences with emotional and physical abuse from male dominance.
Taken from the Rib of Adam: The Subjugation of Eve
In the biblical story of the Creation, Mary Wollstonecraft questioned whether Eve was actually created from the rib of Adam or whether this was man’s attempt in subjugating woman for his convenience and pleasure. From the biblical perspective, Eve was characterized as the seducer, defective, cunning, and responsible for the “fall of man”. Due to Eve’s “so-called” grievous error, women were assigned the life roles of regaining their virtue through self-sacrifice, good works, and subservience to man. Wollstonecraft believed this was man’s attempt in having a woman’s “neck bent under a yoke”, meaning, woman was created from man for man.
Although deeply respectful of Providential design, Wollstonecraft combated the Pope’s own words “because of the touch of the evil fruit in the Garden, women are obligated to subdue to the passions of men” by writing, “women are accountable only to God”, not to man.
Portrayal of an Accomplished Woman
“Submissive demeanor of dependence, the weakness in women who love a man for protection, silently enduring injuries, smiling under the words that dare not snarl”.
Wollstonecraft’s words revealed a realistic image of the cruel treatments women suffered living in a patriarchal society in the 17th Century. Masking layers of pain, women buried their true feelings in order to survive.
Building Self-Confidence
Wollstonecraft referred to the importance of education in building a healthier self-image and establishing a secure position in life apart form male dependency.
