Memoirs of the Author of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman

What it is

This is a biography of Mary Wollstonecraft written by her husband, the philosopher William Godwin, and published in 1798, a few months after her death. Godwin wrote it after rereading her works, speaking to her friends, and organising their letters.

Why it matters

Godwin's book is unusually open for its time, describing Wollstonecraft's love affairs, her illegitimate child, her suicide attempts, and her death after childbirth, as well as praising her character and achievements. It is a key early source of information on her life, but its frankness badly damaged her reputation, as critics attacked her personal conduct rather than her ideas, and this harmed how she was viewed for decades afterward.

Look closer

• Why might Godwin have chosen to include details that he knew would scandalise readers?
• How did the reaction to this book affect how later generations read Wollstonecraft's own writings?
• What are the risks of relying on a grieving husband's account as a historical source?