Mary Wollstonecraft

Date of Birth: April 27, 1759

Zodiac Sign: Taurus

Date of Death: September 10, 1797

Biography

Mary Wollstonecraft was an English writer, philosopher, and advocate of women’s rights. Born on April 27, 1759, in Spitalfields, London, she is best known for her work “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman” (1792), which is one of the earliest works of feminist philosophy. Wollstonecraft argued that women are not naturally inferior to men but appear to be only because they lack education. She suggested that both men and women should be treated as rational beings and imagined a social order founded on reason. Wollstonecraft’s life was marked by personal struggles and intellectual pursuits. She had a tumultuous childhood with an abusive father and a mother who died early. She left home at the age of 19 to earn her own living, working as a lady’s companion, schoolteacher, and governess. Her experiences in these roles inspired her to write educational and social treatises. In her lifetime, Wollstonecraft published several significant works that contributed to political and feminist thought. Besides “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman,” her notable works include “Thoughts on the Education of Daughters” (1787), “Original Stories from Real Life” (1788), and “A Vindication of the Rights of Men” (1790). Wollstonecraft had a complicated personal life, including affairs and an illegitimate child. She married the philosopher William Godwin in 1797, but tragically, she died of puerperal fever on September 10, 1797, shortly after giving birth to her second daughter, Mary Shelley, who would later become famous as the author of “Frankenstein.”

5 Interesting Facts about Mary Wollstonecraft

1. Mary Wollstonecraft is considered one of the founding feminist philosophers.

2. She had a tumultuous relationship with the painter Henry Fuseli and later with the American adventurer Gilbert Imlay, with whom she had her first daughter, Fanny.

3. Her second daughter, Mary Shelley, became a renowned author and wrote the famous novel “Frankenstein.”

4. Wollstonecraft’s “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman” was a revolutionary text that laid the groundwork for modern feminism.

5. She was largely self-educated and taught herself several languages, including French and German.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Mary Wollstonecraft

1. “I do not wish them [women] to have power over men; but over themselves.”

2. “Virtue can only flourish among equals.”

3. “Strengthen the female mind by enlarging it, and there will be an end to blind obedience.”

4. “The mind will ever be unstable that has only prejudices to rest on.”

5. “I am the first of a new genus!”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Mary Wollstonecraft did not achieve significant wealth in her lifetime. Her financial struggles were well-documented, and she often lived modestly. Therefore, the concept of net worth as it is used today does not apply to her historical context.

Children

Mary Wollstonecraft had two daughters: 1. Fanny Imlay, born in 1794 from her relationship with Gilbert Imlay. 2. Mary Shelley, born in 1797 from her marriage to William Godwin. Mary Shelley went on to become a famous writer, best known for “Frankenstein.”