Mary Wollstonecraft

Mary Wollstonecraft (1759–1797) was an English writer, philosopher, and advocate of women's rights. During her brief career, she wrote novels, treatises, a travel narrative, a history of the French Revolution, a conduct book, and a children's book. Her most famous work is 'A Vindication of the Rights of Woman' (1792), wherein she argues that women are not naturally inferior to men but appear to be only because they lack education. She posits that both men and women should be treated as rational beings and imagines a social order founded on reason. Her novel 'Mary: A Fiction' (1788) is a lesser-known, yet noteworthy book that intertwines issues of female independence and education reflective of her philosophical ideals. Remarkably, Wollstonecraft's passionate advocacy for equality has been recognized posthumously, as her early demise hindered her receiving the recognition she deserved during her lifetime. In her personal life, she married philosopher William Godwin, and their daughter, Mary Shelley, became a respected writer as well, famously authoring 'Frankenstein'. Wollstonecraft's works have continued to inspire the feminist movement centuries after her time, and her literary contributions are celebrated for their foresight, depth, and influence on social thought and the persistent pursuit of gender equality.