According to Wollstonecraft, parents hold a position over their children similar to that of a tyrannous ruler. As described early on in the chapter, parental affection acts as an excuse for parents to "tyranize"their children, "convinced that they have a right to what they insist on, they do not fear reason, or dread the sifting of subjects that recur to natural justice. . ." (289). Though both parents may be at fault in the eye of Wollstonecraft, women receive a harsher criticism. Said criticism states that "women, however, a slave in every situation to prejudice, seldom exerts enlightened maternal affection; for she either neglects her children, or spoils them by improper indulgence". (290) A woman without reason will only raise children who also lack reason; an assertion that is especially true when it comes to a mother raising a daughter. As children model themselves after their parents an insipid and frivolous mother will raise an insipid and frivolous daughter. As stated in Wollstonecraft's work "unless the understanding of women be enlarged, and her character rendered more firm, by being allowed to govern her own conduct, she will never have sufficient sense or command of temper to manage children properly." (291) While chapter 10 mainly focuses on the role that women play when raising a child, chapter 11 goes on to include a critique of men as father figures as well.
Chapter 11's main focus is to provide a strong argument supporting raising children up to be reasonable human beings (though she does also mention the effect bad parenting has on girls specifically). An argument that Wollstonecraft reiterates throughout the chapter is that parents should earn the respect of their children instead of expecting unearned and unquestioned dedication. She often comments that children are expected to be "blindly obedient" and to"make allowance for the faults of their parents" (292,296). Children's "slavish" bonds to their parents damage their minds and make them unable to stand on their own; as a result they more willing to submit to the will of others (294). According to Wollstonecraft, "children cannot be taught too early to submit to reason. . . for to submit to reason is to submit to the nature of things, and to God, who formed them so, to promote our real interest." (295). To raise strong children who can further the entire society, parents need to stop trying to rule over their children and start paying attention to them. One last point important point that was made about daughters was the same argument made much earlier about wives. It sates that " the consequence (of indolent parenting) is notorious; these dutiful daughters become adulteresses, and neglect the education of their children, from whom they, in their turn, exact the same kind of obedience" (294). From this line one can only imagine the abusive continuous circle that moves from a mother to a daughter and so on down many generations.
My link is to an interesting article about old baby raising techniques: Bad Baby Advice
"I decided to survey the worst advice given to parents, going back to the 1700s. What stands out most in these books is the chiding tone espoused by the mostly male physicians writing them. From the 1700s until the mid-20th century,"
What does Wollstonecraft hope to accomplish by addressing the influence of both parents in chapter 11 vs mainly addressing mothers in chapter 10?
Many of her arguments have been previously made, especially those in chapter 10, why do you think she continues to touch on them?
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