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Search Britannica Click here to search Search Britannica Click here to search Login Subscribe Now Subscribe Home Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture Money Videos A Vindication of the Rights of Woman Table of Contents A Vindication of the Rights of Woman Table of Contents * Introduction * Background * Summary * Reception and influence References & Edit History Related Topics Images & Videos Related Questions * Who were some early feminist thinkers and activists? * What is intersectional feminism? * How have feminist politics changed the world? * What is Mary Wollstonecraft best known for? * When did Mary Wollstonecraft get married? Read Next 12 Novels Considered the “Greatest Book Ever Written” Feminism: From Ancient Rome to the Women’s March Discover The Time Julius Caesar Was Captured by Pirates All 119 References in “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” Explained 26 Decade-Defining Events in U.S. History Why Is Christmas in December? Pro and Con: Lowering the Drinking Age Timeline of the American Revolution The 10 Greatest Basketball Players of All Time Home Literature Nonfiction Arts & Culture A VINDICATION OF THE RIGHTS OF WOMAN work by Wollstonecraft Actions Cite Share Give Feedback Print Cite Share Feedback Also known as: “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman: With Strictures on Political and Moral Subjects” Written by Karen Sottosanti Karen Sottosanti is a writer and editor who works in educational publishing. Karen Sottosanti Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Article History Table of Contents Category: Arts & Culture In full: A Vindication of the Rights of Woman: With Strictures on Political and Moral Subjects (Show more) See all related content → Mary Wollstonecraft Mary Wollstonecraft, oil on canvas by John Opie, c. 1797; in the National Portrait Gallery, London.(more) A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, trailblazing treatise of feminism (1792) written by British writer and women’s activist Mary Wollstonecraft. The work argues for the empowerment of women in education, politics, society, and marriage. BACKGROUND For much of her adult life, the self-educated Wollstonecraft was an advocate for social and educational equality for women. In 1784 she founded a girls’ school in London, though it closed after several years. In Thoughts on the Education of Daughters: With Reflections on Female Conduct, in the More Important Duties of Life (1787), she argued for the importance of educating girls. During this time Wollstonecraft became active with Dissenters (also known as Nonconformists), liberal Protestants who did not conform to the rules of the Church of England. In December 1789 she wrote a positive review of the Reverend Richard Price’s speech “A Discourse on the Love of Our Country” for the periodical Analytical Review. A prominent Dissenter and noted philosopher, Price talked favourably of the ongoing French Revolution. However, British statesman Edmund Burke subsequently criticized Price’s speech and the revolution in his political pamphlet Reflections on the Revolution in France, and on the Proceedings in Certain Societies in London Relative to That Event (1790). Burke also endorsed traditional institutions and inherited positions. In defense of Price, Wollstonecraft wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Men (1790), in which she dismantled Burke’s argument and defended Enlightenment ideals of progress, individualism, and the importance of reason. The work was hugely popular, and Wollstonecraft became well known in both England and France. SUMMARY Mary Wollstonecraft''s A Vindication of the Rights of Woman explained Learn about Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Woman.(more) See all videos for this article In 1791 Wollstonecraft expanded on the themes from that work with A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. In this powerful treatise, which was published the following year, she argued, with both passion and wit, that the education women received was designed to make them merely glittering ornaments in the lives of men—an undignified way to spend one’s life and not conducive to developing critical thinking skills. According to Wollstonecraft, this inadequate education impeded women’s intellectual development, trapped them in limited societal roles, and led to them living constrained, unhappy lives. As an Enlightenment thinker, Wollstonecraft had faith in reason, individualism, self-determination, and the natural rights doctrine, and she thought that women and men were the same intellectually and spiritually. She was angered by how women were educated to believe that the most important thing they could be was beautiful and that the most important thing they could do was marry and serve their husbands. Men, on the other hand, were educated to think and create in their chosen professions, with marriage and family being lesser considerations. She called marriage a “legal prostitution,” since it was only by marriage that women could acquire a secure economic future for themselves and their children, as their inadequate education prepared them for nothing other than being wives. Wollstonecraft’s anger at the unjust treatment of women can be felt in many sections of the work, as in her description of the role women were expected to play in men’s lives: women, she wrote, were “created to be the toy of man, his rattle, and it must jingle in his ears, whenever, dismissing reason, he chooses to be amused.” Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Woman: With Strictures on Political and Moral Subjects Title page of the 1792 American edition of Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Woman: With Strictures on Political and Moral Subjects. The facing page contains an inscription by women's suffragist Susan B. Anthony.(more) With rights come duties, Wollstonecraft argued, but if women’s natural rights were not respected, society could not expect them to fulfill duties in a way that was complementary to living a virtuous life. Instead of education bent on bestowing “charm” and “refinement,” girls should receive an education in critical thinking and reason. According to Wollstonecraft, this would allow them to think rationally, to develop their own interests, and to be less easily fooled into being the playthings of men. It would also enable girls to look after their souls, because with reason they would be able to tell right from wrong instead of having to depend on others to make those determinations. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Subscribe Now Wollstonecraft advocated for an improved educational curriculum and for the government to establish a national educational system that girls and boys would attend together. A proper education would treat women as fully human—the equals of men—and would equip them to be better wives, mothers, and citizens, Wollstonecraft asserted. Women’s sense of self-worth would come from learning and the application of reason, not from their appearance. When women had agency, and were therefore happier, society would improve. Wollstonecraft appealed for the equal treatment of women in other areas besides education. She supported suffrage for women, writing “…for I really think that women ought to have representatives, instead of being arbitrarily governed without having any direct share allowed them in the deliberations of government.” She also advocated for women to be allowed to train for and enter numerous professions, including medicine, nursing, and business. Men, and society at large, would benefit from the full inclusion of women in the public sphere, she maintained. Not only would society have the benefits of women’s contributions, but, since they would now be able to support themselves, women would be able to marry out of true affection rather than for economic interest. Marriage, she said, should be based neither on finances nor on appearances but on friendship. RECEPTION AND INFLUENCE The publication of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman was met with largely favourable reviews, and it became a bestseller. In later years, however, the work drew condemnation. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the radical changes that Wollstonecraft proposed would be a long time coming. However, her work had significant influence on the women’s rights movements in Great Britain and the United States. American women’s rights advocates—notably Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Margaret Fuller—were especially inspired by A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. Karen Sottosanti Mary Wollstonecraft Table of Contents Mary Wollstonecraft Table of Contents Introduction & Top Questions Quotes References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics Images & Videos For Students Mary Wollstonecraft summary Related Questions * What is Mary Wollstonecraft best known for? * When did Mary Wollstonecraft get married? * What did Mary Wollstonecraft do for a living? Read Next Feminism: From Ancient Rome to the Women’s March 12 Novels Considered the “Greatest Book Ever Written” Britannica’s Book Bingo 10 Captivating Contemporary Novels Set in the British Isles 9 American Countercultural Books Discover Was Napoleon Short? 7 Winter Solstice Celebrations From Around the World Why Is Christmas in December? 12 Novels Considered the “Greatest Book Ever Written” The Time Julius Caesar Was Captured by Pirates How Did the Tradition of Christmas Trees Start? All 119 References in “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” Explained Home Literature Novels & Short Stories Novelists L-Z Arts & Culture MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT English author Actions Cite Share Give Feedback External Websites Print Cite Share Feedback External Websites Also known as: Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Nov 25, 2023 • Article History Table of Contents Mary Wollstonecraft See all media Category: Arts & Culture Married name: Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin (Show more) Born: April 27, 1759, London, England (Show more) Died: September 10, 1797, London (aged 38) (Show more) Notable Works: “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman” “Letters Written During a Short Residence in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark” “Maria; or, The Wrongs of Woman” (Show more) Notable Family Members: spouse William Godwin daughter Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (Show more) Subjects Of Study: equality women (Show more) See all related content → RECENT NEWS Nov. 20, 2023, 12:18 AM ET (NBC) Miss Nicaragua Sheynnis Palacios wins Miss Universe crown Top Questions WHY WAS MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT IMPORTANT? Mary Wollstonecraft was an English writer and a passionate advocate of educational and social equality for women. She called for the betterment of women’s status through such political change as the radical reform of national educational systems. Such change, she concluded, would benefit all society. WHAT IS MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT BEST KNOWN FOR? Mary Wollstonecraft wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792), a trailblazing feminist work which argues that the educational system deliberately trained women to be frivolous and incapable and that if girls were allowed the same advantages as boys, women would be not only exceptional wives and mothers but also capable workers in many professions. WHEN DID MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT GET MARRIED? In 1796 Mary Wollstonecraft began a liaison with William Godwin, a social philosopher, and on March 29, 1797, they were married. The marriage was happy but brief; Wollstonecraft died on September 10, 1797, just days after the birth of their daughter, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, who became a novelist best known as the author of Frankenstein (1818). WHAT DID MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT DO FOR A LIVING? The daughter of a farmer, Mary Wollstonecraft taught school and worked as a governess, experiences that inspired her views in Thoughts on the Education of Daughters (1787). In 1788 she began working as a translator for the London publisher James Johnson, who published several of her works, including the novel Mary: A Fiction (1788). Mary Wollstonecraft (born April 27, 1759, London, England—died September 10, 1797, London) English writer and passionate advocate of educational and social equality for women. She outlined her beliefs in A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792), considered a classic of feminism. The daughter of a farmer, Wollstonecraft taught school and worked as a governess, experiences that inspired her views in Thoughts on the Education of Daughters (1787). In 1788 she began working as a translator for the London publisher Joseph Johnson, who published several of her works, including the novel Mary: A Fiction (1788). Her mature work on woman’s place in society is A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792), which calls for women and men to be educated equally. In 1792 Wollstonecraft left England to observe the French Revolution in Paris, where she lived with an American, Captain Gilbert Imlay. In the spring of 1794 she gave birth to a daughter, Fanny. The following year, distraught over the breakdown of her relationship with Imlay, she attempted suicide. Wollstonecraft returned to London to work again for Johnson and joined an influential radical group, which gathered at his home and included William Godwin, Thomas Paine, Thomas Holcroft, William Blake, and, after 1793, William Wordsworth. In 1796 she began a liaison with Godwin, and on March 29, 1797, Mary being pregnant, they were married. The marriage was happy but brief; Mary died 11 days after the birth of her second daughter, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, who became a novelist best known as the author of Frankenstein. Among Wollstonecraft’s late notable works are Letters Written During a Short Residence in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark (1796), a travelogue with a sociological and philosophical bent, and Maria; or, The Wrongs of Woman (1798), a posthumously published unfinished work that is a novelistic sequel to A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Woman: With Strictures on Political and Moral Subjects Title page of the 1792 American edition of Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Woman: With Strictures on Political and Moral Subjects. The facing page contains an inscription by women's suffragist Susan B. Anthony.(more) A Vindication of the Rights of Woman is one of the trailblazing works of feminism. Published in 1792, Wollstonecraft’s work argued that the educational system of her time deliberately trained women to be frivolous and incapable. She posited that an educational system that allowed girls the same advantages as boys would result in women who would be not only exceptional wives and mothers but also capable workers in many professions. Other early feminists had made similar pleas for improved education for women, but Wollstonecraft’s work was unique in suggesting that the betterment of women’s status be effected through such political change as the radical reform of national educational systems. Such change, she concluded, would benefit all society. Mary Wollstonecraft''s A Vindication of the Rights of Woman explained Learn about Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Woman.(more) See all videos for this article The publication of Vindication caused considerable controversy but failed to bring about any immediate reforms. From the 1840s, however, members of the incipient American and European women’s movements resurrected some of the book’s principles. It was a particular influence on American women’s rights pioneers such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Margaret Fuller. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Subscribe Now The life of Wollstonecraft has been the subject of several biographies, beginning with her husband’s Memoirs of the Author of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1798, reissued 2001, in an edition edited by Pamela Clemit and Gina Luria Walker). Those written in the 19th century tended to emphasize the scandalous aspects of her life and not her work. With the renewed interest in women’s rights beginning in the later 20th century, she again became the subject of several books, including The Collected Letters of Mary Wollstonecraft (2003), assembled by Janet Todd, and Romantic Outlaws: The Extraordinary Lives of Mary Wollstonecraft and Mary Shelley (2015), by Charlotte Gordon. The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by J.E. Luebering. Load Next Page Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. verifiedCite While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Select Citation Style MLA APA Chicago Manual of Style Sottosanti, Karen. "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman". Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Feb. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/topic/A-Vindication-of-the-Rights-of-Woman. Accessed 1 December 2023. 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