On the Equality of the Sexes

The overarching theme of “On the Equality of the Sexes” is that women are just as intellectually capable as men. Prompted by the inequality women experienced during the Revolutionary Age and the Revolutionary War itself, “On the Equality of the Sexes” is in large part a response to equality as it was addressed in the political field during this period. Murray wrote this argument as an appeal to men and in support of women of the 18th century. Specifically, Murray argues that women are equally intelligent to men and that any deficits in this area are caused by the suppression of women.

The idea of equal intelligence is introduced in the poem that acts as a preface and carries through both parts of the essay. Murray writes: “Is it upon mature consideration we adopt the idea, that nature is thus partial in her distributions? Is it indeed a fact, that she hath yielded to one half of the human species so unquestionable a mental superiority?” (2).

Here, Murray builds her argument for equal intelligence by discussing the natural order of the world and argues that nature would not have created two sexes with one sex being so completely superior to the other.