Writing in an age when the call for the rights of man had brought revolution to America and France, Mary Wollstonecraft produced her own declaration of female independence in 1792. Passionate and forthright, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman attacked the prevailing view of docile, decorative femininity and instead laid out the principles of emancipation: an equal education for girls and boys, an end to prejudice, and the call for women to become defined by their profession, not their partner. Mary Wollstonecrafts work was received with a mixture of admiration and outrageWalpole called her a hyena in petticoatsyet it established her as the mother of modern feminism.

This seven-volume collection brings together the known works of Mary Wollstonecraft, the eighteenth-century philosopher, writer and women’s rights advocate. Condemned by her contemporaries for her unconventional lifestyle, Wollstonecraft was later recognised as a founding figure of the feminist movement. She was also an acute observer of the political upheavals of the French revolution and advocated educational reform. Wollstonecraft’s writings, which include A Vindication of the Rights of Woman and Thoughts on the Education of Daughters, are recognised as cornerstone texts in the development of feminist thought. This book is therefore a vital reference to the student of feminist history, and will also be of value to any reader interested in the origins of feminism.

A collected volume which addresses all aspects of Wollstonecraft's momentous and tragically brief career.

Reproduction of the original. The publishing house Megali specialises in reproducing historical works in large print to make reading easier for people with impaired vision.