The Faulty Rationality Behind the Subordination of Women Maureen Suncrest College

The Victorian Age was a time of great changes in English society, economically, industriously, and intellectually. This era brought about prosperity and growth for some citizens, while bringing severe desolation to others. In the midst of these times, many authors began producing works that provide insight into the conditions of the time period and the effects they had on the citizens of England. Often these writings would criticize the conditions of the time and plead for social reform. John Stuart Mill, known by many critics and historians as an early feminist, is one example of such a Victorian author who challenged the standards and ideals of the time. In his work of non-fiction prose, The Subjection of Women, Mill criticizes the societal standard that placed women as subordinate to men, which traces its roots to the bondage of women to men in early human society. He argues in favor of equal treatment between the sexes, asserting that “the legal subordination of one sex to the other—is wrong in itself and now one of the chief hindrances to human improvement” (Mill 1122). Mills attempts to persuade readers of his ideas by arguing against the automatic assumption of women’s nature, as well as drawing attention to the fact...