Introducing Mary Astell: The First English Feminist

Mary Astell was a philosopher, writer, and rhetorician that was most prominent during the Enlightenment period. She is best known for being “the first English feminist” and for criticizing other Enlightenment thinkers.

Mary Astell [Heavy and Gloor Orthodox: Matthew Franklin Cooper]

Astell was born on November 12, 1666, in Newcastle, England. She was raised in an Anglican household and did not attend school, although her Tory family was considered to be middle class. Instead, she was homeschooled by her uncle, Ralph Astell, who greatly inspired his niece through his intelligence and challenges. However, Ralph Astell’s death would leave her on her own for receiving further education and was one of the first setbacks that she faced. Another one of her setbacks was the death of her father, which left her to take care of her mother. Astell had many more unfortunate circumstances that made it less likely for her to become a suitable wife because her chances of receiving a dowry were slim. Fortunately, Astell was able to befriend many other women that would help her to form her feminist thoughts later on.

During the Enlightenment, Astell was one of the women thinkers who added new perspectives to the “woman’s question” by imposing specific suggestions for improving the conditions of women. Throughout her writings, Astell expresses that women should receive higher education and disproves the stereotype that women are intellectually inferior to men. While many historians used outstanding women to challenge the idea that women are intellectually inferior, Astell appealed only to the mind to challenge the stereotype. From her perspective, a woman has to realize within herself that she can be clever. Additionally, Astell exemplifies that it only requires the space to discover one’s intelligence and the open-mindedness to confirm or reject their ideas.

In 1694 and 1695, Astell wrote some of her most well-known proses A Serious Proposal to the Ladies and A Serious Proposal to the Ladies, Part II, respectively. These proses address the lack of educational opportunities available to women, which is also expanded upon in more of Astell’s works. She also reconstructs her ideas that knowledge and belief are differentiated by clarity, origin, distinctness, and the ways they are affirmed. Astell also directly addresses the audience by encouraging them to become educated for their friends, God, and families in her first book. In the second part, Astell states specific directions for how to develop logic and clear thoughts. In Some Reflections upon Marriage, written later in 1700, Astell argued for the equality of sexes in marriage and argues that education is necessary for any woman hoping to be wed into a happy marriage. Additionally, Astell never published her works under her name; instead, she was left either anonymous or under pseudonyms, such as Tom Single or Mr. Wooton.

Astell (1666-1731) [https://projectvox.org/astell-1666-1731/]

Astell also incorporated religion and philosophy into her feminist ideology, as seen in her works and her religious background. Her stubbornness and confidence in her ideas kept her persistent in her thought and critiquing other male thinkers, many of who would criticize her works. Considered one of the pioneers of feminism in Europe, Astell opened doors for feminist thought in the Western world with her rational thinking.

Author Harin Chung, Grade 10

Troy High School

Editor Suhh Yeon Kim

Source List:

“." Encyclopedia of World Biography. . Encyclopedia.com. 22 Feb. 2023 .” Encyclopedia.com, Encyclopedia.com, 14 May 2018, www.encyclopedia.com/people/social-sciences-and-law/social-reformers/mary-astell.

Broad, Jacqueline. “Mary Astell (1666-1731).” Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, iep.utm.edu/mary-astell/.