Mary Wollstonecraft's views on love and marriage in “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman”

Abstract

Abstract: The article analyzes Mary Wollstonecraft’s perspectives on love, marriage, and gender equality as articulated in A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792). Wollstonecraft critically challenged the ideal of romantic love, advocating instead for reason, friendship, and mutual respect as the foundations of marital relations. The study situates her arguments within the socio-historical context of late eighteenth-century England, elucidating the intellectual and moral constraints she faced in advancing the ideal of an egalitarian marriage. It examines how Wollstonecraft conceptualized the interconnection between love, marriage, personal development, and gender equality and compares her views with those of contemporary feminist theories. Through textual analysis and a historical-interpretive approach, the paper affirms the enduring value of Wollstonecraft’s work in promoting gender equality and envisioning marriage as a site of moral and social transformation.