Maria Edgeworth was born January 1, 1767 in Oxfordshire, England to her parents, Richard Lovell Edgeworth and Anna Maria. As a young child Maria's personality would be molded from her mother ( and aunt). Although her blood mother did have some effect on who Maria was, after her mother died, it would be through her step mothers that would play a great deal in raising her as mother should. We must consider that Maria Edgeworth is the second born child of 21 children that her father would have between all his wives. Of the several marriages Richard has had his first wife's, Honora Sneyd, who is significant to Maria's life. “In the year 1775, in consequence of Mrs. Honora Edgeworth's failing health, Maria was placed at school at Derby with Mrs. Lataffiere.” (A memior, 2) Her experience at this school would shape her first admiration for education and teaching.
Maria learned how to write with great penmanship, learned grammar, engaged in art, and French and Latin. She received such a good education from Mrs. Lataffiere that when she later attended school in London by Mrs. Davis she would complete lesson well in advance and her work would be selected from the teachers for examples to the class. (10) While this in itself was essential, being she was a girl during this period, the internal things that she took from her experience with her instructors are what she admired most. The things that made the biggest impression was the patients and attention to detail that her teachers had. Ironically they recalled and admired similar things in Maria as well-her telling stories in great detail and spending recess time reading! Unfortunately, in 1781 began to have eye pains which the doctor thought would cause her to become blind. Maria never went blind but during the time in the care of the doctor it would contribute to Maria's education, because she she had full access to his book and she took full advantage.
After recovering from the care for her eyes, Maria was taken from school. She spent a great deal of time working for her dad doing secretarial work. I was during this time that she really began to write. Although she would produce children's literature, which would occur later in her life, Maria would publish many works addressing political and cultural issue, specifically surrounding women. Her first published work would be “Letters for Literary Ladies” in 1795 which focused on social change for women. She would go on to publish many other works, such as Castle Rackrent (her first published novel) in 1800 and again in 1801, and “Essays on Irish Bulls” and Belinda in 1802. (106) It is important to mention that many of her works were edited from her father before publication because he was himself an educator and someone who she looked too for her views. Her works that directly addresses education was focused on on both the parent and for the child. Maria's educationally work included The Parent's Assistant (1796), Practical Education (1798), Early Lessons (1801) and Moral Tales (1801). Many of these works were also edited and published with the help of her father as well. Even though the work went through her father for editing, many of the stories put in these book were already previously written
by Maria and read to her sibling. After her father's in 1817, Maria Edgeworth would continue to write many successful works. Of these were Frank which is a sequel to Frank in Early Lesson as well as the Rosamond, which was also a sequence to Early Lesson-and we will go into further detail of this section throughout the website. Maria Edgeworth died on May 22 1849 are having a heart
attack. Like many other females authors of her time, her literature was well received in the realm of teaching children and parent in the since she too was helping the role of women. Now more than ever, her work is being considered still in very innovative ways to her time.