World Book Day: How the Writings of Mary Wollstonecraft and Begum Rokeya Have Influenced My Thoughts

World Book Day is a celebration of literature’s power to shape minds, challenge norms, and inspire change. Throughout history, books have served as catalysts for social reform, intellectual liberation, and gender equality. Among the many works that have left an indelible mark on society, Mary Wollstonecraft’s ‘A Vindication of the Rights of Woman‘ and ‘Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain Rochonaboli ‘ stand out as groundbreaking texts that championed women’s rights and questioned deeply entrenched patriarchal structures.

Published in 1792, Mary Wollstonecraft’s A Vindication of the Rights of Woman is one of the earliest and most influential feminist works. At a time when women were largely denied formal education and confined to the domestic sphere, Wollstonecraft boldly argued that women were not naturally inferior to men but were made so by a lack of educational opportunities.

She called for equal education, asserting that women should be taught rational thinking, logic, and independence rather than merely being trained to be submissive wives and mothers. Her radical ideas challenged the 18th-century notion that women’s primary purpose was to serve men. She believed that both men and women were rational beings and that society would benefit from granting women the same intellectual and moral development as men.

Wollstonecraft’s work laid the foundation for later feminist movements. Her ideas influenced thinkers, activists, and writers who fought for women’s suffrage, education, and social rights. The book remains relevant today as the struggle for gender equality continues across the world.

Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain (1880–1932) was a pioneering feminist, writer, and social reformer from Bengal. Her literary works, compiled in ‘Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain Rochonaboli’, encompass essays, short stories, and the famous novel ‘Sultana’s Dream’, which envisioned a utopian world where women ruled and men were confined to the domestic sphere.

Through her writing, Begum Rokeya criticised the oppression of women in South Asian societies, particularly the restrictions placed on their education and mobility. She argued that women’s progress was crucial for societal advancement and that denying them education only hindered the nation’s development.

Her most famous work, ‘Sultana’s Dream’, presents a feminist utopia where women lead a technologically advanced society while men remain secluded. This imaginative reversal of gender roles highlighted the absurdity of female subjugation and questioned the logic of gender-based discrimination.

Beyond her literary contributions, Begum Rokeya actively worked to uplift women by establishing schools for Muslim girls, breaking barriers in education, and advocating for women’s rights in conservative communities. Her writings continue to inspire feminists, educators, and activists fighting for gender justice today.

Both Wollstonecraft and Begum Rokeya wrote at times when advocating for women’s rights was radical and even dangerous. Their works challenged oppressive traditions and envisioned a world where women had equal access to knowledge, freedom, and opportunities.

On World Book Day, as we celebrate the transformative power of literature, these books remind us that words have the power to ignite revolutions. They encourage us to continue questioning injustices, advocating for equality, and ensuring that education remains a right for all, regardless of gender.

Reading A Vindication of the Rights of Woman and Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain Rochonaboli is not just about understanding history, it is about recognizing how far we have come and how much further we still need to go in the fight for gender equality.