The Romantic Era was a time of unprecedented change that transformed existing ways of thinking about individualism and idealism by working with the problems and potential benefits of the revolutionary spirit. These philosophical paradigms resonate in both Mary Wollstonecraft's essay A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792) and Percy Shelley's poem, “Masque of Anarchy” (1819). Wollstonecraft addresses problems associated with existing social hierarchy and inequality in society to support social change and achieve an egalitarian socio-political system. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Wollstonecraft advocates freedom by challenging existing social hierarchy to achieve social change and to achieve the romantic ideal of an egalitarian socio-political system in which all individuals can equally contribute. The urban lumpenproletariat directly influenced the National Constituent Assembly that was formed after the French Revolution of 1789 and influenced the revolutionary spirit. Wollstonecraft's contempt for aristocracy is demonstrated by her assertive tone: "loving God... seems to be the only useful worship... for acquiring virtue or knowledge." It shows that corrupt power hinders civilization and degrades those who hold power and those subjected to it through the metaphor: “it bends to power; he worships a dark cloud, which might...explode in angry, lawless fury. Wollstonecraft compares corrupt power to the power men exercise over women in the rhetorical question, “Why do they expect virtue from a slave?” She argues that men maintain power over women by denying them effective education through her assertive tone in "women are systematically degraded by receiving trivial attention." Anne Mellor (1997), a contemporary scholar, states that “middle- and upper-class girls…were taught…to seize their husbands, on whom their financial well-being depended,” which reiterates the gender power imbalance created by social hierarchy. Furthermore, his assertive tone in saying “until women are educated more rationally, the advancement of human virtues and the improvement of knowledge must receive continuous scrutiny” reaffirms the need for reforms to create a utopian society in which all individuals contribute. Wollstonecraft embodies the revolutionary spirit of early Romanticism by challenging patriarchal paradigms to uphold freedom. Similarly, Shelley's “Masque of Anarchy” advocates changes in social realities to achieve a society based on equality and freedom to achieve the romantic ideal of egalitarianism. This poem was written in response to the Peterloo Massacre of 1819, which led to the senseless slaughter of fifteen innocent lives under the rule of the oppressive government, run by King George. Shelley describes society as squalid in the accumulation of “loom, plough, sword and spade”. He personifies Anarchy as "a skeleton, on a blood-spattered white horse" to suggest that he is irrational and emotionless. He criticizes the way the aristocracy exploits the working class through the paradox, “what is freedom… what is slavery…” Similarly, Wollstonecraft appeals to reason in the metaphor, “it may be impossible convince them that illegitimate power… is a curse” to show the imbalance of power in society that prevents individuals from pursuing virtue Shelley alludes to the French Revolution in “bound to quench your flame in Gaul” which strengthens freedom,. brotherhood andequality, underlining the need for social change. However, Shelley reveals that society can recover through images of “a flow of light of clouds and splendor, a sense of awakening…” which focuses on idealistic visions. It urges individuals to reject social divisions based on wealth through the biblical allusion, “to the rich man you are a check…that he tramples upon a serpent…”revolution through the eruptive images of “a volcano felt from afar ” which symbolizes the need for social change to achieve an equitable society. Both Shelley and Wollstonecraft advocate the freedom to imagine an ideal egalitarian society, based on morality and equality, in which all individuals can contribute equally to society. Wollstonecraft criticizes inequality in society to inspire social progress and support individuality. The affirmation of universal human rights, supported by Enlightenment thinkers such as Voltaire and Rousseau, is the foundation on which Wollstonecraft argues that women are equal to males. Wollstonecraft supports this liberal way of thinking in the metaphor “every individual is in this respect a world unto himself”. She argues that insidious social conditioning has prevented women from gaining basic rights such as the right to vote and own property through personification in “The mind, naturally weakened by dependence on authority…”. She states how a woman's concern with outward appearance is due to her lack of proper education through her assertive tone, "ignorance... makes women very fond of clothes." The lack of proper education has also taken away their ambition, which prevents them from being functional members of society, suggested by his assertive tone in "producing all vanity... to the exclusion of emulation and magnanimity." However, she argues that educating women will develop self-sufficiency through assertive tone where “the exercise of their understanding is necessary, there is no other foundation for independence and character.” Julia A Monroe (1928), a contemporary scholar, states that "the problem as she saw it was not the system itself, but that those ideals for financial independence and individual fulfillment did not apply to women", the which reveals that the Romantics supported individuality. Wollstonecraft argues for the need for individuality in women to improve society through juxtaposition in “they could not be called the gentle…but…most respectable members of society.” Wollstonecraft appeals to reason and virtue to defend individuality and transform society's thinking so that all individuals are equally active participants in society. Similarly, Shelley's "The Masque of Anarchy" criticizes the current political state and society for supporting a revolt and imagines a strengthening society based on the romantic sentiment of individualism. The abolition of feudalism in 1789, one of the central events of the French Revolution, promoted individualism and egalitarianism. Shelley criticizes the instability of authority in England, stating that “He (anarchy) knew that the place of our kings was rightfully his,” thus undermining royal rule and suggesting that the liberty of the individual triumphs over monarchy. It strengthens the unity between all individuals in the metaphor, "infants of one mighty Mother", which emphasizes that they are equal and therefore have equal rights. Shelley accentuates the importance of knowledge, over wealth, to enable individuals to contribute more effectively to society in the cumulative list, "science, poetry, thought..." This reflects Wollstonecraft's pragmatism as she urges society to exercise reason to achieve ,.