Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) was a British writer, philosopher, and early advocate for women's rights. She is best known for her groundbreaking work "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman" (1792), in which she argued for women's education and equality with men. Wollstonecraft wrote several other influential works, including novels, essays, and a history of the French Revolution, establishing herself as a key figure in early feminist philosophy.