DOZ Inspirational Biography
Mercy James
do not wish them to have power over men
but over themselves. This is a famous
contradictory quote to what modern life is
preaching by one of the immortalized icons (Mary
Wollstonecraft) in the world of women. Mary
Wollstonecraft was born into a financially stable
family on 27 April 1759 in Spitalfields, London
but never enjoyed the luxury of comfort for too
long before the table was turned around by her
drunkard and abusive father.
In the struggle to live a more
comfortable life, her father
decided to satisfy himself by
jeopardizing her future. He
turned in all the saving meant
for her in her youthful days
and squandered them all.
Men are expected to protect
and provide for the family
but in a situation where they
become the source of disaster,
what will be the fate of the
crumbling home. In Mary’s
case, she demonstrated
an extraordinary woman
strength by standing to save
her mother and two sisters from the ruthlessness
of her father. She made herself their guard by
sleeping at their doorstep so they could have a
good sleep without the fear of being terrorized
by their father and husband. Two of her friends
(Jane Arden and Fanny Blood) that became a
significant part of her life influenced her
with their behavior and contributions.
In 1778, the situation of the house grew
worst, and Mary could no longer derive
any happiness from the place, so she
decided to take a new step by accepting
a job as a lady’s companion to Sarah
Dawson. After several hustles, Mary had
no choice than to return home
in 1780 to take care of her
DOZ Magazine | January 2019
dying mother whom she eventually lost to the
cold hands of death. Despite the pain, anguish,
and frustration of not having any support from
her father, Mary picked herself up and worked
on herself to become a better person instead of
embracing self-pity. Mary turned out to be an
English writer, an advocate of women’s right and
a philosopher. She believed that women are not
naturally inferior to men, but they appear so
because they lack education. This
became a motivation and driving
force to her success because she
understood that gender is never a
barrier to greatness but the mindset
of every individual. Mary wrote
several books, which include novels,
a travel narrative, a conduct book,
treatises, history of the French
revolution and a children’s book.
Mary got married to a philosopher
named William Godwin after two
failed relationships with Henry
Fuseli and Gilbert Imlay but
never lived to see her daughter
grow into a beautiful woman that
would continue to advocate for the
freedom of women to live as freeborn and not
slaves. She died eleven days after the birth of
her second child in 1792 leaving behind several
unfinished and unpublished works.
In death, Mary almost lost all her good
reputations following the publication
of a Memoir by her husband in 1798,
but her relevance and the relevance
of her philosophy became profound and
undeniable years after her death.
Do that which is right, stand for what
you believe. In no time, even critics will
end up singing your praise. Being a
woman is not a limitation. Liberate
yourself from every barrier and
gain your freedom.
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Mary Wollstonecraft