Bedtime Biography: Vindication summary

Mary Wollstonecraft’s righteous indignation took root early in her childhood. Her home was a tall brick house on Primrose Street, London. Today, the area is packed with high-rise office buildings and a bustling subway station. But in Mary’s time, it was a quiet, charming residential neighborhood.

Unfortunately, the area’s quaintness wasn’t matched by the environment inside Mary’s home. As the eldest daughter of seven children, Mary bore the brunt of her mother’s discipline. Elizabeth Wollstonecraft “trained” her daughter to be obedient, like a dog. Mary was made to sit silently for long stretches of time – three to four hours – even as a young child.

In 1784, Mary and her sister Bess were two homeless, penniless young women with no work experience to speak of. And yet, they had one unexpected advantage: an old woman named Mrs. Burgh, who appeared in their lives like a wizened fairy godmother. She provided the women with advice on how they could begin a school – despite the gaps in their education – and possibly also financial assistance.

The women took Mrs. Burgh’s advice to heart, and they set up a school two miles north of London, in Newington Green. Success came quickly –⁠ Mary and Bess were able to obtain 20 students in just two or three weeks of opening. Everina, Mary’s other sister, joined them, as did Mary’s dear friend Fanny. 

Mary’s writing career kicked off while she was teaching at Newington Green. After classes finished for the day, Mary would spend her evenings penning her thoughts on education. These were later published in a book called Thoughts on the Education of Daughters. 

Eventually, Mary left the school and worked as a governess until she received a large sum of money from a friend. The money allowed her to begin paying off her debts, move to London, and finally pursue her writing career in earnest.

Mary’s relationship with Imlay would not remain sweet for long. He was an enterprising man with little taste for domesticity, and he soon moved to Le Havre, a shipping port northwest of Paris. The distance between them grated on Mary, and she began to suspect him of having an affair. 

In addition, Mary discovered she was pregnant. On May 10, 1794, she gave birth to a little girl she named after her old, great friend: Fanny Blood. 

You’ve reached the end of this Bedtime Biography. Thank you for listening. Why not pause listening now so you can stay in a relaxed state? And if you’re off to bed now, I wish you a good night’s sleep.