-
Sister's marriage (1782)
Mary realized that her sister Eliza was becoming depressed and was unhappy with her marriage. Upon realizing this as well as the inability for her sister to legally and easily leave her husband, Mary helped her sister flee from her marriage and consequently her child. This distressing experience fueled Mary's passion for advocating women's rights and reforming the institution of marriage. https://eastendwomensmuseum.org/blog/2021/4/30/the-early-life-of-mary-wollstonecraft -
Governess in Ireland (1786)
Wollstonecraft took a job as a governess to a an Irish family, the Kingsboroughs, in Cork. It was here that Mary came to notice aspects of traditional femininity that she was not fond of. This job also exposed Mary to the limitations and inequalities that women of her social class faced. This experience influence Mary's views on women's education and their societal roles. https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/mary-wollstonecraft-britains-first-feminist/zkpk382 -
"A Vindication of the Rights of Men" (1790)
Wollstonecraft published "A Vindication of the Rights of Men" in response to Edmund Burke's writing on the French revolution. This started Mary's emergence as a writer. Her critique of Burke's views set the stage for her to write, "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman", as well as for future contributions to the Revolution Controversy by authors such as Thomas Pain. https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/mary-wollstonecraft-britains-first-feminist/zkpk382 -
"A Vindication of the Rights of Woman" (1792)
Wollstonecraft's most significant contribution to the advocacy of gender equality was her, "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman" published in 1792. Mary argued that women were not inherently inferior to men but were made so due to their limited education. She called for equal educational opportunities for women, writing that with such opportunities, women would be seen as capable of contributing to society. https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/mary-wollstonecraft-britains-first-feminist/zkpk382