Analysis of Mary Wollstonecraft’s Place in the Canon

Mary Wollstonecraft, often known as the mother of women's rights, published her greatest work, "Vindication of the Rights of Woman" in 1792. She is considered one of the earliest feminist writers. The book is a work of non-fiction and tackles political and moral problems in relation to women in her time. At the time she was born, London grew in literature and science through many published works. This literary and scientific growth was called the Age of Enlightenment. Other famous writers during this time were Alexander Pope and Jonathan Swift. Better scientific learning became capable due to new inventions such as the microscope. When Mary was a child, she enjoyed nature, and when she grew older she believed nature was a source of “resourcefulness” and “intelligence” for women. In her writing as an adult, she praised nature rather than the domestic homes where women often stayed. She believed that experiencing nature was more enriching than traditional household work that society expected women to know, such as sewing, piano, or dance. She believed that nature contained more wisdom than what could be learnt inside the house. Even though girls had little schooling, she attended school in Beverly. Because of her formal education, she was widely read by the time she published her greatest work. The knowledge she had to write the book was attained on her own and by other friends of hers who also read a great amount. In her family life, as a child she grew up with an abusive father who took advantage towards her mother and mistreated household pets. This caused her to question the role of masculine authority which she thought as unfair due to her father's abuse. It is believed that Mary's moody nature derived from her father. As a c...

... middle of paper ...

...ace the same notion that they are inferior towards men. Her work reaches a vast audience of women, as well as men who also believe in the equality of women. The problem she tackles is not only universal, but it also endures over time as male and female equality is an issue even today. There is much progress as well with a female today being able to run for the presidential office in America. However, women in other countries are still viewed as inferior towards men. For the women still seeking equal rights today, her work is still as valuable to them as it was to women in the eighteenth century. In her work, she addresses every "human being" which reaches out to even men. Today, the number of men pushing for women's rights increases, unlike in the past when mostly women and less man fought for women’s rights. She has become an important voice for both men and women.