Mary Wollstonecraft: Life, Legacy, and A Vindication of the Rights of Woman
Mary Wollstonecraft: Pioneer of Feminist Philosophy
Mary Wollstonecraft is recognized as one of the first feminist philosophers in history.
She is most famous for writing the book titled A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. She was also associated with figures representing the Enlightenment, a period that emphasized the power of human reason and science over religion. (The text notes her connection to Voltaire, a French writer, historian, philosopher, and lawyer, and a main representative of the Enlightenment.)
Early Life and Family Hardship (1759–1780)
Mary was born on April 27, 1759, in London. Her childhood was marked by hardship, stemming from an abusive, alcoholic father and a submissive, cold mother. Her father squandered a somewhat sizable fortune on a series of unsuccessful farming ventures.
Establishing Independence and Early Career
When her mother died in 1780, Mary left home and her abusive father behind. She convinced her sister Eliza to leave her abusive husband and join her and her dear friend, Fanny Blood, to live an independent life.
The School for Girls and Tragedy
Together, they opened a school for girls. This venture forwarded their mission of female empowerment and provided a modest income. They continued this arrangement for five years, but in 1785, Fanny married, became pregnant, and subsequently died. Consequently, the school closed due to financial hardship.
Transition to Authorship
Heartbroken, Mary moved to Ireland to work as a governess. Unsurprisingly, she disliked domestic work intensely. She decided she must dedicate her life to writing and authorship. In 1787, she moved back to London, working as a translator and advisor for Joseph Johnson, a publisher of radical texts.
Drawing from her experience as a teacher, Mary wrote Thoughts on the Education of Daughters. Shortly after, she published her most famous work, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, in 1792.
Literary Legacy and Revolutionary Ideas
The Argument for Female Education
A Vindication of the Rights of Woman argued strongly for women to be educated. At this stage in history, the only education most women received was domestic, focusing solely on fulfilling their tasks as wives and mothers. Beyond the sphere of their home life, women typically received no formal education.
The book pushed against many commonly held notions of womanhood. Wollstonecraft argued that when women were confined to the home and lacked mental occupation, they often became “domestic tyrants,” taking out their frustrations on their children and servants.
She proposed that this cycle could be broken if women were:
- Given the same educational opportunities as men.
- Treated as rational beings.
- Given the chance to develop their own character.
The ideas presented in her book were truly revolutionary at the time and caused tremendous controversy.
Other Major Works
Wollstonecraft also wrote Maria, or The Wrongs of Woman, which asserted that women had strong sexual desires and that it was degrading and immoral to pretend otherwise.
Personal Life, Love, and Loss
The French Revolution and Gilbert Imlay
After publishing her major work, she moved to Paris to write during the French Revolution. In 1793, Mary met the handsome and charming American Captain Gilbert Imlay, and they began a relationship. She soon became pregnant with her first child, whom she named Fanny, after her dear friend.
While nursing her firstborn, Wollstonecraft wrote a conservative critique of the French Revolution in An Historical and Moral View of the Origin and Progress of the French Revolution. She also wrote a deeply personal travel narrative, Letters Written During a Short Residence in Sweden, Norway and Denmark, which became her most popular book in the 1790s. After their travels to Scandinavia, Imlay left her, and Mary reacted poorly to the separation.
Suicide Attempts and Recovery
Heartbroken by Imlay’s departure, she attempted suicide twice:
- First, by taking Laudanum (an opium-based tincture).
- Second, by throwing herself into the River Thames.
Mary recovered, finding new hope in a relationship with the reserved and kind philosopher, William Godwin. Despite both of them holding reservations about the institution of marriage, they married when Mary became pregnant. She found the arrangement tolerable, famously stating: “A husband is a convenient part of the furniture of the house, unless you be a clumsy fixture.”
Marriage to William Godwin and Final Years
On August 30, 1797, Mary gave birth to a girl whom she also named Mary—Mary Godwin. This daughter is better known by her married name, Mary Shelley, author of the novel Frankenstein. Tragically, Mary Wollstonecraft died 10 days after giving birth due to complications. Her last words affirmed that Godwin was the kindest, best man in the world.
Enduring Influence and Legacy
The life and legacy of Mary Wollstonecraft have been the subject of several biographies, beginning with her husband’s controversial Memoirs of the Author of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman.
For many years, the scandalous aspects of her life (such as having two children born out of wedlock) overshadowed her works. However, the beginning of the 20th century brought renewed interest in her writings, cementing her status as a foundational feminist thinker. In 2011, her image was projected onto the Palace of Westminster to raise support for a permanent statue of the author.