Mary Wollstonecraft 
Thoughts on the Education of Daughters 

‘Thoughts on the Education of Daughters’ by Mary Wollstonecraft is a groundbreaking feminist work published in 1787. In this essay, Wollstonecraft argues that women should receive the same education as men in order to become rational and virtuous members of society. She critiques the prevailing attitudes toward women’s education at the time, which emphasized accomplishments such as music, dance, and needlework, as well as a superficial focus on beauty and marriageability. Wollstonecraft advocates for women to receive a rigorous education in literature, philosophy, and science, arguing that this will enable them to participate fully in society and to be better wives, mothers, and citizens.