Mary

About “Mary”

This book brings together three works of fiction by Mary Wollstonecraft and her daughter, Mary Shelley. Wollstonecraft's Mary (1788) explores the challenges faced by an intelligent woman in a restrictive society. It was followed by her Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792), a nonfiction work. Her posthumously published Maria examines the struggles of women through experiences similar to her own. Mary Shelley's Matilda (1819), which was unpublished during her lifetime, deals with themes of incest and personal conflict. It was suppressed for over a century due to its controversial nature. An introduction by Janet Todd connects the works of mother and daughter through themes of self-representation and sexuality.