John Stuart Mill: The Subjection of Women

John Mill main theme out of this essay was equality between men and women, no special powers or previlages.  As we have so far studied, this is a very more modern view and issue for people at that time.  Women were always seen as inferior and "weak" to men; therefore men got more special previlages.  "It arose simply from the fact that from the very earliest twilight of human society, every women (owing to the value attached to her by men, combined with her inferiority in muscular strength) was found in state of bondage to some man.***" (pg. 522). 



 Mill points out a very important point that people of England does not condemn for a female ruler, but why do they condemn women to have equal rights."Nothing so much astonishes the people of distant parts of the world, when they first learn anything about England, as to be told that it is under a queen: the thing seems to them so unnatural as to be almost incredible" (pg. 522). 

Mill then reiterates the old views for women: "All women are brought up from the very earliest years in belief that their ideal of character was the very opposite to that of men; not self-will, and government by self-control, but submission, and yeilding to the control of others"(pg.523). Women were seen to be the child-bearing person and a stay at home wife.  She is not allowed to be ambitious nor seek for education. Men were allowed to be educated and work for the family.  Women must be submissive. 

 Mill then points out 3 important things between men and women: "When we put together three things- first, the natural attraction between opposite sexes; secondly, the wife's entire dependence on the husband, or depending entirely on his will; and lastly, that the principal object of human pursuit, consideration, and all objects of social ambition, can be sought or obtained by her only through him---" (pg.523). These are important points between men and women because they stronger together than separate. 


Mill concludes this essay that women should not be obligated to just be a child-bearer and run a family.  She should be allowed to seek her ambitions and desires. "And it was wrong to bring women up with any acquirements but those of an odalisque, or of a domestic servant" (pg.527).   This view that women should be house servants are absolutely against the now modern day views of the role of women.  IN all, women and men should be treated equally regardless of gender.