Although, filled with lofty language and filled with metaphors and references to things contemporary of her time, some things in this piece seem to pretty obvious.
“Pernicious Effects Which Arise from the Unnatural Distinctions Established in Society” by Mary Wollstonecraft begins by describing the lifestyles of those who born into wealth and have nothing to do. It seems that their lifestyle had pernicious effects in her eyes, which is one of the things that seemed stand out in this piece.
Pernicious effects of the riches’ lifestyle include loss of virtue and incumbency. She feels that those who are rich tend to lack the need and motivation to be virtuous and carry out their human duties because it is not required of them. She claims people gain respect now out of property value instead of actually earning it through humane means, and still are treated as gods (Jacobus 748). She accuses society of not being “properly organized” because it doesn’t require its people to “respective duties.” She also makes the comment that compliments given to characters because it is appropriate insignia is empty (Jacobus 749).
When it comes down to it Wollstonecraft is basically saying that the wealthy don’t put use to their bodies or minds because it is not required of them . This is supported by the fact that she claims “Heredity property sophisticates the mind” referring to those who it sophisticates as victims then going on to say that they “are unable to discern in what true merit and happiness consist” (Jacobus).
To sum things up, she basically feel that the wealthy allow themselves to waste both their physical capabilities and mental capabilities by not exercising them due to the lack of need to. A good summation of all of this would be the line “For it is in the most polished society that noisome reptiles and venomous serpents lurk under the rank herbage; and there is voluptuousness papered by the still sultry air, which relaxes every good disposition before it ripens into virtue” (Jacobus 748).
Works Cited
Wollstonecraft, Mary. “Pernicious Effects Which Arise from the Unnatural Distinctions Established in Society.” A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers .Ed. Lee A Jacobus. 7th ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2006. pp.448-458.
1 comment:
I felt as though this was by far the most difficult reading we have had so far... but you seemed to understand it very well. It was interesting reading your blog because I understood the text in a whole new way. I agree with you in that when Wollstonecraft speaks of the whealthier class she describes them as wasting all their capabilities for they do not need them any more... they are already rich and successful, so yeah, this makes a lot of sense.
Post a Comment