Mary Wollstonecraft - Biography.

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Mary Wollstonecraft

1759-1797

Mary Wollstonecraft was born on April 27, 1759 in Spitalfields, London. She was the second of six children. Her father, Edward John Wollstonecraft, was a fairly wealthy man. However, his profits declined in silk weaving due to a depression that set in after the Seven Years War, which caused master weavers to leave London and pursue other professions. Due to this burden, Mary and her family moved to several different areas throughout her childhood. Mary was neglected by her father and mother as a child. She was not the favorite of either parent. Mary was motivated to become an activist of equal rights for women from her resentment of her unfortunate family experience. This encouraged her to be independent and have a sense of freedom.

When Mary reached age 19, she left her family to become a lady's companion of Widow Dawson of Bath. However, she only spent two years in Bath until Widow Dawson passed away.

Then in 1784, Mary moved in with her sister Eliza, and opened a school in Islignton, England. Later that year, her best friend Fanny Blood sent for Mary to help with her difficult pregnancy. Fanny ended up dying in Mary's arms due to her premature birth causing Mary to return to England. When she returned, Mary discovered her school had suffered when she was away. She then was forced to shut it down and wrote her first pamphlet entitled Thoughts on the Education of Daughters. She then accepted the position of governess to the daughters of Lord Viscount Kingsborough and moved to Ireland to fulfill her duties. In 1787, Mary was dismissed from her position with the Kingsborough family and was determined to peruse her literary career.

After publishing several literary works, Mary's career flourished. In 1792, she was able...