Christian Enlightenment: Martha Laurens Ramsay as a Case Study

Through reading Mary Wollstonecraft’s The Rights of Women, Martha realized the significance of becoming an “obliged and grateful wife.” Moreover, she put them into practice. In order to achieve her goal, according to Ramsay, she made all her-conduct subservient to her husband’s happiness:

To this end she gave up every separate scheme, and identified her views and pursuits with his, and arranged all her domestic concerns, so as most effectually to promote his comfort, anticipated his wishes, alleviated his cares, charged herself with the education of her children, the management of her servants and family affairs, so as to leave for him little else to do than to follow the bent of his own inclinations, with as complete exemption from the burden of domestic cares as was possible.

Mary Wollstonecraft argued that women were not naturally inferior to men and advocated good education for women, because she believed that both men and women should be treated as rational beings and imagined a social order founded on reason. Late scholars treated her as one of the most important predecessors of feminism and her book was greatly appreciated by women who were struggling for more equal rights as men. However, for Martha, she was a perfect model and Martha would like to follow her and became an “obliged and grateful wife.”


She also read Rousseau’s Emile for educating her children. She was well acquainted with the plans of Rousseau, who argued for discarding the rod and substituting confinement, and other visionary projects in its place. Following Rousseau, she considered these methods were inferior in efficacy to the prudent use of the rod. Instead, she “believed that nothing injured the temper less, or more effectually promoted the proper end of punishment in young subjects, than corporal pain, applied judiciously and simultaneously with the offence.” Martha paid attention to educate her children with suitable courses and methods. As her children advanced in years, she conducted her sons through a course of education fitting them to enter college. With the help of her friend Miss Futerell, she carried her daughters at home through the several studies taught in boarding schools.