Wollstonecraft Procures Employment as a Governess

In 1786, Wollstonecraft become the governess to Viscount Kingsborough in Ireland (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). Though Stanford does not offer specifics, they note that Wollstonecraft was unsatisfied with her employment and left; shortly thereafter, she published Original Stories from Real Life... her children's book. Importantly, Stnadford does note that Wollstonecraft was frustrated with the lack of reputable employment opportunities available for women which in the period were "...a lady’s companion, a schoolteacher, and a governess," and this impediment to financial stability and intellectual discouse was the impetus for her to start a serious writing career (Standford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). Systemic sexism and misogyny with Britain would prompt Wollstonecraft to write her, arguably, most well-known work A Vindication of the Rights of Woman... in 1792.