Women: Rhetoric and Daniel Defoe

Romela Deguzman Women back then were seen inferior to men. They were labeled delicate, dependent, ignorant, or weak. Their central position was only marriage but most intriguingly, education was deprived from women because of their sex. Mary Wollstonecraft and Daniel Defoe, both renowned writers wrote essays that pick out justice and fight for the education of women. They believed they were capable and as intelligent as men. Wollstonecraft and Defoe created outstanding pieces known for its attitude and most importantly its effectiveness to deliver their message across.Mary Wollstonecraft wrote the essay A Vindication of the Rights of Woman on 1792. She employ rhetorical devices such as counterargument and analogy to prove her bit. For example, one of the counterargument she uses is the female in point of strength isinferior to the maleThis is the law of nature pg. 640. She agrees that women are non as physically impregnable as men but argues that they could still be as educate d and talented as them. She excessively employ analogy such as like the flowers which are planted in too full a soil, strength and usefulness are sacrificed to beauty pg. 639.In this analogy, she is trying to express that women are being used for adornments just like flowers but they shouldnt allow themselves to be objects of adoration but use their moral philosophy and intelligence to match men. With the help of rhetoric, her message about women was effectively delivered. Daniel Defoe, the author of The Education of Women also used rhetoric to convey his message about giving women equal education as men. One of the devices he employed was analogy. The soul is placed in the body like a rough diamond and moldiness be polished, or the luster of it will never appear pg. 48. He is trying to say that everyone is invaluable and unique just like a diamond, but we need education to rise or bear out the best of us.Also you so-and-so read rhetorical Devices in Night Walker by Brent Sta plesWomen need education to polish their souls. Defoe also used rhetorical questions such as what they can see in ignorance, that they should think it a necessary ornament to a woman? pg. 648. Defoe engages the reader by means of this question by letting them understand that there is nothing to be proud of about ignorance and should not be given to omen. He clearly points out that education is crucial for both men and women. Rhetorical devices such as analogies, rhetorical questions, or counterarguments strengthen Defoe and Wollstonecrafts essay by engaging readers. It successfully allows readers to see their point of view in different images they could relate to, and openly addressing arguments. Rhetoric made their talking to effective and most importantly persuasive, invoking action and change.