Mary Astell was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1666 into a respectable family, and received an early education at the hands of her uncle, Ralph Astell, who was a Cambridge-educated clergyman-poet. This education continued until Ralph Astell passed away, thus ending Mary’s instructed education in subjects like philosophy and mathematics. By virtue of her being a woman, she was not allowed to continue her education in formal institutions like universities, and instead decided to take matters into her own hands and continue learning independently. Astell dove into the works of philosophers like “Milton, Spencer, Cowley, Plato and Descartes”, strongly establishing her philosophical foundations and broadening her intellectual horizons.
However, Astell’s life took a turn for the worse when her father passed away in 1678, plunging her family into dire financial and social circumstances. Six years later, Astell’s mother also died, leaving Astell in a perilous situation as an unmarried 18-year-old with no money of her own. With nothing to lose, Astell decided to move to London by herself. She quickly became acquainted with a community of other women in Chelsea, where she settled, who soon became a source of social and economic support to her. Another important connection Astell made shortly after her move to London was with the Archbishop of Canterbury, William Sancroft, who also assisted her financially and provided her with counsel during this difficult time. To show her appreciation for his support, Astell wrote and dedicated a collection of manuscript poetry to him, which was likely her one of her first forays into the world of formal writing.
FUN FACT: All of Astell’s works were initially published anonymously!
From here, Astell ventured into philosophical writing, and her initial works were supported by her friends, connections, and later patrons. She first explored philosophy in formal writing through a correspondence with John Norris, a theologian and philosopher well known for his Practical Discourses. Soon after, she published her first philosophical work in 1694: A Serious Proposal to the Ladies for the Advancement of their True and Greatest Interest. This was an unconventional work which argued for the “basic intellectual equality of men and women” and encouraged women to seek out education rather than aspiring towards marriage, claiming that education would be more fulfilling and even prepare women much better for successful marriages. As such, Astell’s Proposal brought ideas into the public sphere which would later form the foundations of feminist theory and led to her being referred to by historians as “the first English feminist”, as well as established her in society as a serious philosopher and writer. Astell enjoyed her new elevated position in society, and was publicly praised for her intellectual capabilities by numerous contemporaries. She also amassed a number of new female supporters of high social standings, who would become her benefactors and patrons of her works, thus allowing her to fully sustain herself through her writings.
Astell continued to publish more philosophical writings exploring her views on the burgeoning “feminist” theory (in Some Reflections on Marriage, arguably her most controversial piece), Tory political theory (the pamphlets Moderation Truly Stated, An Impartial Inquiry, and A Fair Way with Dissenters) and also delved into moral philosophy (The Christian Religion, as Profess’d by a Daughter of the Church of England). She continued writing throughout her life, supported by her close network of women. She was also an active participant in public debates and interactions with prominent philosophers and members of the upper echelons of society on political, philosophical, and religious topics. Astell also acted on her deep conviction in the importance of education for women by establishing a charity school for girls in Chelsea in the later years of her life. In 1731, Astell passed away after developing breast cancer and undergoing a mastectomy.
FUN FACT: There are no existing portraits or depictions of Astell; the most popular one used for her is Joshua Reynolds’ study for a portrait of a young woman, which appeared on the cover of a book about Astell published in 2005.
Her legacy is an intriguing one, as she is well remembered and celebrated for being a pioneering figure in the space of feminist analysis, being one of the earliest authors in England to discuss and disseminate ideas on women’s’ education and other feminist ideas, supported by innovative and strong arguments. She also showed her versatility as a philosopher by discussing various philosophical ideas in her works, such as metaphysics, moral and religious philosophy, which she factored into her main arguments for the advancement of women’s’ positions in society. Astell’s influence spread to other female writers of the time, who, inspired by her ideas and works, popularized and cemented these ideas even more firmly in society.
However, many of Astell’s personal beliefs and political views might seem at odds with the progressive ideas put forward in her works; she was a strong Tory and a conservative pamphleteer who seemed to support “traditional” ideas like passive obedience. This reveals her multifaceted nature, and in fact seems to emphasize her philosophical and intellectual prowess, as she was able to put forward her often controversial feminist ideas and argue in favour of them (both in her works and in debates with her contemporaries) in a way that she could reconcile with her personal beliefs while also appealing to the beliefs of others to garner their support.
Sources
“Mary Astell (1666-1731).” Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, iep.utm.edu/astell/.
Dykeman, Therese B. “Mary Astell (1666–1731).” The Neglected Canon: Nine Women Philosophers. Springer, Dordrecht, 1999, pp. 143–165.
Manzanedo, Julia C. The Love of Knowledge: Mary Astell, Duoda, Women Research Center. University of Barcelona., www.ub.edu/duoda/diferencia/html/en/secundario2.html.
Shaw, Will. “Astell (1666-1731).” Project Vox, Duke University Libraries, projectvox.org/astell-1666-1731/.
“Mary Astell.” Project Continua , www.projectcontinua.org/mary-astell/.“Mary Astell.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Mar. 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Astell.
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