Mary Wollstonecraft

Birth: April 27, 1759

Date of Birth:
Place of Birth: Spitalfields, London

Nationality: British
Occupation: Philosopher
Writer

Most Famous Works:

A Vindication of the Rights of Man (1790)

- A response and criticism of the French Revolution
A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792)
- Early feminist work
- Asserted that women should have the same rights as
men,
gender equality
Mary: A Fiction and Maria: The Wrongs of Women
- Both novels criticize what Wollstonecraft saw and
referred
to as “the patriarchal institution of marriage and its
deleterious effects on women”
- Maria: The Wrongs of Women was Wollstonecraft’s most
radical feminist work, but was unfinished at the time
of
publishing
Rights of Woman
- Wollstonecraft denies the sexual components of
relationships
Thoughts on the Education of Daughters
- Wollstonecraft discussed her frustration with the limited
career options available to women
Original Stories from Real Life (1788)
- Her only children’s book based on her experiences as
an instructor of children in Ireland

Life and
Influence: During the modern move towards advocacy for
women’s rights, the feminist movement, at the turn
of the 20th century, Wollstonecraft’s works became
increasingly important. Feminists often cite her
works and life. Wollstonecraft’s life is analyzed far
closer than her writings alone for this reason.
 She spent time in France and London forming
opinions about the unfair treatment of women in the
world. Her time travelling resulted in 2 affairs with
married men, an illegitimate child, and multiple
suicide attempts.

Writers at the time of Godwin’s publishing of

Memoirs based characters off of Wollstonecraft, often
these characters were insane or otherwise odd.
Memoirs revealed much about Wollstonecraft that
shocked her audience, the stories of her love affairs,
illegitimate children, and suicide attempts.

Love Interests: Henry Fuseli (He was

married)
Gilbert Imlay (He was
married)
William Godwin (philosopher, forefather of the
anarchist movement)

Children: Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin (AKA Mary Shelly,

author of Frankenstein)
Frankenstein)

Fanny Imlay ( illegitimate )

Date of Death: September 10, 1797

Death: Mary Wollstonecraft died at the early age of 38. She

died as a result of giving birth to her second
daughter, Mary Shelly, following a common infection.

Legacy: Wollstonecraft left a strange legacy behind, mainly

due to the publishing of Memoirs.
Memoirs.

"I firmly believe there does not exist her equal in the world. I know
from experience we were formed to make each other happy. I have not
the least expectation that I can now ever know happiness again."

-William Godwin, husband