The Rhetoric of Mary Wollstonecraft

Mary Wollstonecraft has been hailed by many within British feminist circles as revolutionary. Wollstonecraft's "Vindication on the Rights of Woman" was the first major theoretical feminist work in history. However, although Wollstonecraft is largely praised as a pioneer by most British feminists, her critics still persist. Because rhetoric is a vital tool for reflecting and influencing cultural norms and values, any efforts to suppress Wollstonecraft's rhetoric stand to teach us some important lessons regarding what British culture values and condemns. When viewed through the lens of contemporary British culture, the rhetoric of Mary Wollstonecraft illuminates many of the continued gender inequities confronting British women today.