Reconciliation Between Reason And Sensibility

As a representative of British feminists at the end of the eighteenth century,Mary Wollstonecraft constructed her feminist theory from multiple dimensions such as education,economy and law.The profoundness and innovation of her thought is the starting point and foothold of this thesis.Based on the historical research approach of Cambridge School,this thesis explores the connotation and significance of Mary Wollstonecraft's feminist thought.Mary Wollstonecraft believed that reason was not a man's proprietary belongings and should not be the reason for women's obedience.Instead,reason should be a weapon for women to demand equality.Also,sensibility should not be seen as a weakness of women,but an important way to improve themselves.On the one hand,reason avoided sensibility developing into immoderation,and set rules for the development of sensibility;on the other hand,sensibility made reason closer to the essence of truth and guided people to “the state of the perfect end”.Apart from religious connotation,Mary Wollstonecraft gave a new interpretation to the concept of “perfect God”.She advocated the establishment of principles in the heart in the process of reconciliation and hoped to realise her theory of reconciliation through education.Her theory of reconciliation had a huge impact on the male-dominated world of reason and reinterpreted the meaning of sensibility.It could be concluded that her feminist theory greatly promoted the development of feminist movements in Britain and even the world.