Rousseau Vs. Wollstonecraft

1. Rousseau Vs. Wollstonecraft

2. Jean-Jacques Rousseau 1712-1778

3. Rousseau • Was one of the Enlightenment's greatest and most influential thinkers, or philosophes • Believed in popular sovereignty, the idea that the people, rather than rulers, are the real source of state sovereignty • Argues that recognition of childhood is an important era in a person's development • Offered new arguments reaffirming the accepted wisdom of separate male and female spheres (As Shown in his novel, Emile)

4. Emile • A philosophical novel of human nature and development • Written in the form of a fictional father's guide to the education of a fictional son • Rousseau argues that the best upbringing for a young boy must along with developing his intellect and ability to live in a virtuous society, also allow for his masculine drive for independence • Men's natural excellence can only emerge when each man has the right to develop fully, unfettered by artificial restraints, but also educated to get along with other such excellent, educated men • Meaning…if properly educated – men are capable of being all at once passionate, creative and  able to exist within civilized society's restraints. In order to maintain this balance they must be free of Women’s distractions while at work, but also secure that the women are at home safe, and ready to soothe and please the men whenever they return home.

5. Emile Continued… • Women are not viewed with the same dynamics • Rousseau felt that his concerns for male freedom and passions did not need to be applied to women. • Followed viewpoint of Aristotle but a little different • Aristotle saw women as simply imperfect, lesser than men and needing to be kept out of the way • Rousseau felt mostly the same, however he stated women were superior in one form, they were nurturing by nature, and were better suited to raise children. He felt this was a woman’s only good quality and that the only “Good Woman” was a woman who doesn't try to intrude into any areas of life belonging to men, pleasing him whenever he wants, remains faithful to her man no matter what, and bears his children without question. • Men were to be educated in the public world, Women are to stay home and be mothers and wives.

6. Mary Wollstonecraft 1759-1797

7. Wollstonecraft • Was one of the Enlightenment's most famous women • Argued against the revolution not including any women's rights • Saw her era's marriage laws as subjugation for the woman • Had an extremely irregular life for her times. Had a baby with one man, then got married to another after being pregnant with his child. • Called for equal women’s rights in both the public and private spheres • Felt the roles of men and women were very similar and argued against the different education methods. • Stated that the information women received about only needing to decorate and be obedient and pleasing to the husband were “only useful to a mistress” • Believed that if women were given the same education as men, will become the friend and not the humble dependent of her husband

8. Wollstonecraft continued… • Her hopes were not to make women competitive with men outside of the home working for wages, but to give them the education necessary to be rational creatures, and free citizens • The greatest objection to Rousseau’s thinking is the education aspect. Though women would still be mothers, and wives, Wollstonecraft felt that they still needed to be educated to head off any uneducated foolishness.

9. Possible Exam Questions Q: What was one of the main disagreements between Rousseau and Wollstonecraft? A: Education of Male and Females, gender roles Q: How are both views alike? A: Both believe women are best as mothers and doing things in the house.

10. Works Cited • http://www.washburn.edu/cas/history/stucker/Enlightenment.html • The Western Heritage Volume two: Since1648.