Taught from infancy that beauty is woman's sceptre, the mind shapes itself to the body, and roaming round its gilt cage, only seeks to adorn its prison.
Mary WollstonecraftRead
Women becoming, consequently, weakerthan they ought to behave not sufficient strength to discharge the first duty of a mother; and sacrificing to lasciviousness the parental affectioneither destroy the embryo in the womb, or cast if off when born. Nature in every thing demands respect, and those who violate her laws seldom violate them with impunity.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the importance of respecting nature and the responsibilities of motherhood.
Mary Wollstonecraft's quote underscores the vital responsibilities that women have as mothers and the consequences of neglecting natural duties. It warns against the dangers of prioritizing base desires over the nurturing role a mother plays, suggesting that failing to honor these responsibilities can lead to dire outcomes, both morally and in terms of the survival of offspring. The quote serves as a reminder of the intrinsic connection between nature and the roles assigned by it, stressing that those who disregard these laws often face serious repercussions.
Themes
WomenMotherhoodResponsibilityNatureRespectConsequences
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion on the importance of parental roles in child development.
More from Mary Wollstonecraft
All quotes βMake women rational creatures, and free citizens, and they will quickly become good wives; - that is, if men do not neglect the duties of husbands and fathers.
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But what a weak barrier is truth when it stands in the way of an hypothesis!
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The divine right of husbands, like the divine right of kings, may, it is hoped, in this enlightened age, be contested without danger.
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Women are degraded by the propensity to enjoy the present moment, and, at last, despise the freedom which they have not sufficient virtue to struggle to attain.
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Perhaps the seeds of false-refinement, immorality, and vanity, have ever been shed by the great. Weak, artificial beings, raised above the common wants and defections of their race, in a premature and unnatural manner, undermine the very foundation of virtue, and spread corruption through the whole mass of society!
Mary WollstonecraftRead
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