lesson 11: Romantic ideals Wollestonecrraft & Coleridge

Who was Mary Wollstonecraft?

An 18th-century writer and philosopher, considered a foundational figure of modern feminism, who argued for women’s education and equality.

What intellectual movement influenced Wollstonecraft’s thinking?

The Enlightenment, especially its emphasis on reason, education, and human rights.

How does Wollstonecraft’s life reflect her ideas?

She lived independently, pursued a writing career, challenged gender norms, and advocated female autonomy.

What is the central argument of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman?

Women are not naturally inferior to men; their apparent inferiority is due to lack of education.

Why does Wollstonecraft argue that women need education?

To become rational, moral individuals and true companions to men, and to raise future citizens.

What is the “nature vs nurture” argument in A Vindication of the Rights of Woman?

Gender inequality is socially constructed (nurture), not biologically determined (nature).

How does Wollstonecraft criticise traditional femininity?

She argues that women are taught to value beauty and obedience instead of reason and virtue.

What does Wollstonecraft mean by “slavish dependence”?

That women are socially conditioned to be dependent on men, similar to a form of oppression.

How does Wollstonecraft combine ethos, logos, and pathos?

She uses rational arguments, emotional appeals, and claims intellectual authority simultaneously.

What contradiction exists in Wollstonecraft’s rhetorical style?

She rejects “flowery language” but still uses emotional and persuasive rhetoric.

How does Wollstonecraft critique male authority?

She compares it to political tyranny, where power is justified “for others’ good.”

Who was Samuel Taylor Coleridge?

A Romantic poet, critic, and philosopher known for his supernatural poetry and theories of imagination.

What is the basic plot of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner?

A sailor kills an Albatross, brings a curse upon his crew, suffers isolation, and seeks redemption through love of nature.

What literary form is The Rime of the Ancient Mariner?

A ballad (oral, repetitive, musical storytelling form).

What is the significance of the Albatross in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner?

It symbolizes innocence and divine nature; later it represents guilt.

What happens when the Mariner kills the Albatross?

He disrupts the natural and moral order, bringing a curse upon the ship.

How is isolation portrayed in the poem?

The Mariner is left alone among dead sailors, symbolising spiritual and social alienation.

What is the theme of sin and punishment in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner?

The Mariner’s irrational act leads to suffering and ongoing penance.

What is the turning point in the poem?

When the Mariner blesses the water-snakes and reconnects with nature.

What is the role of storytelling in the Mariner’s punishment?

He must retell his story as a form of eternal penance.

What is a religious interpretation of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner?

A moral allegory where sin leads to punishment and redemption through divine order.

What is a psychological interpretation of the poem?

The Mariner may be an unreliable narrator experiencing guilt, trauma, or madness.

How does Wollstonecraft represent Romanticism?

Through focus on individual rights, social reform, and emotional engagement with injustice.

How does Coleridge represent Romanticism?

Through imagination, the supernatural, and emotional/psychological depth.

What is the key difference between Wollstonecraft and Coleridge?

Wollstonecraft uses rational argument for social reform, while

Coleridge explores symbolic and imaginative experiences.