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Mary Godwin Research Paper

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Mary Shelley

Mary Wollstonecraft died on September 10, 1779. She named her daughter Mary

Wollstonecraft Godwin. She was the child of the most famous literary marriage of the

eighteenth century. She was in good health and three years earlier had gave birth without

complications to a daughter she named Fanny. She decided to have this second baby at

home with just a midwife. Mary had not pushed the placenta out and Mrs. Blenkinsop had

to immediately call the doctor. Doctor Poignard didn’t wash his hands and pulled out the

placenta piece by piece. During this he gave her an infection in her uterus which killed her

ten days later.

Mary Godwin had access to her father’s entire library of old English authors. Her

father taught her to study by reading two or …show more content…

Benson who gave children half-hour lessons in singing

and reading music.

When Mary was thirteen her arm and hand became infected with a skin disease.

Doctor Cline recommended she be sent to Ramsgate. She stayed for six months in the

care of Mrs. Petman. During this time Mr. Godwin had purposely distanced himself from

her. Once married to his new wife, Godwin retired into his study and left the care

of everything in the household including the children to Mrs. Godwin. Mr. Godwin

appeared to really show any special affection to his only biological daughter.

When Mary returned from home at Christmas from Ramsgate the tension

between her and Mrs. Godwin was very high. Mary’s father began trying to find a way to

get her out of the house. On May 25th, 1812, he wrote to a friend, William Baxter, asking

that Mary live with his family for several months. When Baxter approved of her staying

she was sent off on June 7th. Living with the Baxter family Mary experienced complete

happiness she had hardly ever known. “The Baxter family were a large, loving, closely knit

group who provided Mary with both intimate companionship--she quickly became very

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