Figure It Out: Mary Wollstonecraft and the Courage to Write Against the World

When you think of the late 1700s, you probably think of powdered wigs, revolutions, and men writing the rules of society. What you don’t picture is a young woman, sitting by candlelight, scratching words onto paper that would shake the foundations of how we think about equality.

Mary Wollstonecraft didn’t have the luxury of status. She was born into poverty, the daughter of an abusive father who drank away what little money the family had. In 18th-century England, women had few rights, fewer opportunities, and virtually no voice. Education for girls was considered unnecessary—at best. For Mary, doors weren’t just closed; they were locked, bolted, and guarded.

The Problem

Her world told her she was powerless. A poor woman in her time wasn’t expected to rise above servitude. She was supposed to endure.

But enduring wasn’t in Mary’s nature.

The Pivot

Denied a real education, she educated herself. She read relentlessly, taught herself philosophy, and practiced her writing. With almost no resources, she carved out a life as a governess, supporting herself when society expected dependence. From there, she transitioned into writing, pouring her frustration and vision onto the page.

In 1792, she published A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. It was bold, unapologetic, and radical. At a time when women were treated as ornamental or secondary, she demanded equality in education and opportunity. She wasn’t just writing for her survival—she was writing for every woman who would come after her.

The Lesson

Mary Wollstonecraft figured it out by using the tools available, however limited, to crack the system open. She didn’t wait for permission. She didn’t wait for someone to hand her a platform. She built her own.

That’s the core of figuring it out: not the absence of obstacles, but the refusal to accept them as final.

We often convince ourselves that we need the “perfect” situation to succeed—more money, more connections, more time. Mary had none of those things. What she had was conviction, self-education, and the courage to act. And that was enough to light a fuse that still burns centuries later in every fight for equality.

Takeaway for Today

The next time you catch yourself saying, “I don’t have the resources,” or “I can’t because the system’s against me,” remember Mary. She had less than almost anyone reading this today—and she still wrote words strong enough to echo across history.

Figure it out with what you have, where you are. That’s how doors get opened—not just for you, but for the ones coming after.