Attention Quote by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
“Women are told from their infancy, and taught by the example of their mothers, that a little knowledge of human weakness, justly termed cunning, softness of temper, outward obedience and a scrupulous attention to a puerile kind of propriety, will obtain for them the protection of man.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Frankenstein (Preface) by Mary Shelley, 1818
The passage argues that women are taught to be modest and obedient, believing that such traits will protect them, but this limits their agency.
In simple terms: Women are conditioned to be obedient, thinking it offers safety.
Key Takeaway
Challenge obedience and seek genuine empowerment.
Themes
gender
education
power dynamics
social conditioning
Mood
critical
hopeful
Type
feminist
philosophical
When to use this quote
- parenting
- education reform
- workplace policies
- personal development
Key Concepts
feminism
psychology
cultural norms
Questions to Reflect On
- What alternatives to obedience can women pursue?
- How can societies value strength over compliance?
A Different Perspective
It may oversimplify complex gender relations and ignore individual agency.
![“I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with [my wife] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and I just had such a strong reaction to the prayer. And I was really emotionally - I felt really grounded at that time. And so to be in this prayer and the imam is doing the prayer in…” quote by Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d31/mahershala-ali-6687_attention_i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with_3083.jpg)
