Discuss Wollstonecraft’s thoughts on the education of women and the impact that can have on relationships. What does she envision the future to be like? Are we there yet? If not, why not?
Wollstonecraft was a passionate advocate for education reform, and this was one of her best-received ideas. Indeed, many critics focused on the Vindication as primarily significant for its writing on education. Wollstonecraft saw the need for co-education; boys and girls would be improved by attending school together. She believed they needed to attend school together from the earliest age, despite gender or class, and have time to develop their bodily and mental strengths. She did advocate a later stratification based upon social class, however. Education reform was particularly important for women since their lack of continuous and substantive education was the most salient reason for what Wollstonecraft identified as their ignorance, indolence, and subordination. Instead, women should be able to study serious subjects and even enter into some professions. Education would allow women to learn how to exercise reason and perfect their virtue. It would result in their becoming better wives and mothers, which would redound to the benefit of society.
