Download - Schopenhauer on Women Quotes
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7/30/2019 Schopenhauer on Women Quotes
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ArthurSchopenhauer "OnWomen"SummaryQuotes
"Youneedonlylookatthewayinwhichsheisformedtoseethatwomanisnotmeanttoundergo
greatlabour,whetherofthemindorofthebody.Shepaysthedebtoflifenotbywhatshedoesbut
bywhatshesuffers;bythepainsofchildbearingandcareforthechild,andbysubmissiontoher
husband,towhomsheshouldbeapatientandcheeringcompanion."
"...justasthefemaleant,afterfecundation,losesherwings,whicharesuperfluous,nay,actually
adangertothebusinessofbreeding;so,aftergivingbirthtooneortwochildren,awomangenerally
losesherbeauty;probably,indeed,forsimilarreasons."
Thenoblerandmoreperfectathingis,thelaterandsloweritisinarrivingatmaturity.Aman
reachesthematurityofhisreasoningpowersandmentalfacultieshardlybeforetheageoftwenty
eight;awoman,ateighteen...womenremainchildrentheirwholelifelong;neverseeinganything
butwhatisquiteclosetothem...Foritisbyvirtueofhisreasoningfacultythatmandoesnotlivein
thepresentonly,likethebrute,butlooksaroundhimandconsidersthepastandthefuture...
Hence
it
will
be
found
that
the
fundamental
fault
of
the
female
character
is
that
it
has
nosense
of
justice.Thisismainlyduetothefact...thatwomenaredefectiveinthepowerofreasoningand
deliberation;butitisalsotraceabletothepositionwhichNaturehasassignedtothemastheweaker
sex.Theyaredependent,notuponstrength,butuponcraft;andhencetheirinstinctivecapacityfor
cunning,andtheirineradicabletendencytosaywhatisnottrue.
... womenexistinthemainsolelyforthepropagationofthespecies,andarenotdestinedfor
anythingelse...
Itisonlythemanwhoseintellectiscloudedbyhissexualimpulsesthatcouldgivethenameofthefairsextothatundersized,narrowshouldered,broadhipped,andshortleggedrace:forthewholebeautyofthesexisboundupwiththisimpulse.Insteadofcallingthembeautiful,therewouldbe
morewarrantfordescribingwomenastheunaestheticsex.
Schopenhauerarguesthatwomenshouldnotbebestowedwithlandorinheritance(thathasbeen
earnedthroughthetoilandhardworkofmen)becauseoftheirinabilitytodoanykindoffinancial
management,andtheirtendenciestofritterawaywealthonmaterialgoods.Womenshouldbe
appointed(male)guardianswhowillmakeproperdecisionsforthem.Aristotlearguedthatthe
SpartanswereaninferiorracebecausetheyconcededtoomanyrightstowomenSchopenhauer
statesthatthisisalsoakeyfactorinwhytheFrenchrevolutionoccurred.
Thefirstloveofamotherforherchildis,withtheloweranimalsaswithmen,ofapurely
instinctivecharacter,andsoitceasestobewhenthechildisnolongerinaphysicallyhelplesscondition
...The
love
of
afather
for
his
child
is
of
adifferent
order,
and
more
likely
to
last;
because
ithasitsfoundationinthefactthatinthechildherecogniseshisowninnerself;thatistosayhis
loveforitismetaphysicalinorigin.
Thatwomanisbynaturemeanttoobeymaybeseenbythefactthateverywomanwhoisplacedin
theunnaturalpositionofcompleteindependence,immediatelyattachesherselftosomeman,by
whomsheallowsherselftobeguidedandruled.Itisbecausesheneedsalordandmaster.Ifsheis
young,itwillbealover;ifsheisold,apriest.