The time of Romanticism is historically regarded as a masculine
phenomenon. As Anne K. Mellor pointed out, Romanticism as a literary
movement was constructed and defined by a masculine discourse and
ideology, a “masculine Romanticism”. This masculine Romanticism is the
traditional understanding of the literary movement – based on the
writings and thoughts of the five canonical writers Wordsworth,
Coleridge, Byron, Shelley, and Keats. Mellor suggests that “feminine
Romanticism” occurs to recover the erased and neglected voices of women
writers within this movement. To understand these differences of
masculine and feminine Romanticism, one has to realize that both terms
serve as an ideological gender construction, not in terms of the author´s
sex. To analyse female romantic literature also means to consider the
division of ´private´ and ´public´ sphere occuring in the eighteenth
century, a phenomenon that should be discussed in the following
chapter.
This paper aims to show how women writers could made a career in the
male-dominated time of Romanticism. In order to show the problems they
experienced within a patriarchal society, I will explore the subordination
of women by a construction of femininity which did not grant them the
status of rational thinking subjects. For this purpose I have chosen the
example of Mary Wollstonecraft, the revolutionary founder of feminism.
Wollstonecraft was not only a writer herself, but she was also the wife of
the well-known political philosopher, William Godwin, and she gave birth
to Mary Godwin Shelley, the famous author of Frankenstein. As a member
of the literary circle around Joseph Johnson, she was surrounded by famous contemporary writers and was involved in literary relationships
within her own family circle.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Norms, conventions and the problem of female authorship
3. Mary Wollstonecraft
3.1. Early Life and Works
3.2. “The First of a New Genus”
3.3. The Two Vindications
3.4. France and Gilbert Imlay
3.5. William Godwin
4. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines how female authors navigated and established professional identities within the male-dominated literary landscape of the Romantic era, using Mary Wollstonecraft as the primary case study to illustrate the challenges of patriarchal societal structures and the pursuit of gender equality.
- Analysis of the gendered division between the public and private spheres.
- Exploration of Wollstonecraft’s personal background and its impact on her philosophical development.
- Investigation of the societal barriers and patriarchal norms faced by female writers.
- Evaluation of Wollstonecraft’s political and educational tracts as instruments for emancipation.
- Discussion of Wollstonecraft's struggle to define herself as a rational thinking being.
Excerpt from the Book
1. Introduction
The time of Romanticism is historically regarded as a masculine phenomenon. As Anne K. Mellor pointed out, Romanticism as a literary movement was constructed and defined by a masculine discourse and ideology, a “masculine Romanticism”. This masculine Romanticism is the traditional understanding of the literary movement – based on the writings and thoughts of the five canonical writers Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Shelley, and Keats. Mellor suggests that “feminine Romanticism” occurs to recover the erased and neglected voices of women writers within this movement. To understand these differences of masculine and feminine Romanticism, one has to realize that both terms serve as an ideological gender construction, not in terms of the author´s sex. To analyse female romantic literature also means to consider the division of ´private´ and ´public´ sphere occuring in the eighteenth century, a phenomenon that should be discussed in the following chapter.
This paper aims to show how women writers could made a career in the male-dominated time of Romanticism. In order to show the problems they experienced within a patriarchal society, I will explore the subordination of women by a construction of femininity which did not grant them the status of rational thinking subjects. For this purpose I have chosen the example of Mary Wollstonecraft, the revolutionary founder of feminism. Wollstonecraft was not only a writer herself, but she was also the wife of the well-known political philosopher, William Godwin, and she gave birth to Mary Godwin Shelley, the famous author of Frankenstein. As a member of the literary circle around Joseph Johnson, she was surrounded by famous contemporary writers and was involved in literary relationships within her own family circle.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the research focus on feminine Romanticism and the intent to analyze Mary Wollstonecraft's career as a case study for women writers in a patriarchal society.
2. Norms, conventions and the problem of female authorship: Explores the societal constraints, domestic expectations, and the "double bind" women faced when attempting to enter the public literary sphere.
3. Mary Wollstonecraft: Provides a comprehensive biographical and analytical overview of her life, works, and intellectual evolution.
3.1. Early Life and Works: Details her upbringing, early challenges in finding professional footing, and her initial development as a writer.
3.2. “The First of a New Genus”: Focuses on her transition to professional writing and her experiences as a governess that shaped her critiques of social hierarchy.
3.3. The Two Vindications: Analyzes her defense of the French Revolution and her landmark feminist work, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman.
3.4. France and Gilbert Imlay: Examines her time in revolutionary France and the tumultuous personal relationship that influenced her later writings.
3.5. William Godwin: Discusses her final years and her intellectual and personal partnership with William Godwin.
4. Conclusion: Summarizes Wollstonecraft's enduring legacy as a feminist pioneer who challenged the male-dominated institution of literature.
Keywords
Mary Wollstonecraft, Romanticism, Feminism, Female Authorship, Patriarchal Society, Gender Equality, Public Sphere, Private Sphere, Enlightenment, Political Philosophy, Education, Rationality, William Godwin, Literary Identity, Social Reform.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper examines the literary career of Mary Wollstonecraft and how she defied the patriarchal conventions of the Romantic era to establish herself as a professional writer and social critic.
What are the primary themes discussed?
Key themes include the construction of femininity, the division of public and private spheres, the struggle for female education, and the impact of political revolutions on gender identity.
What is the main objective of the author?
The primary goal is to show how women navigated the male-dominated literary culture and to analyze how Wollstonecraft specifically used her writing to achieve emancipation and assert herself as a rational subject.
Which scientific approach is utilized?
The paper employs a cultural-historical analysis, drawing on biographies and primary texts of the period to contextualize Wollstonecraft's life and works within the broader bourgeois ideology of the eighteenth century.
What does the main body cover?
The main body covers her early life, her professional struggles, her response to the French Revolution and contemporary political discourse, her personal relationships, and the development of her major tracts.
Which keywords define this work?
The work is characterized by terms such as feminism, Romanticism, patriarchal society, female authorship, social reform, and rationality.
How did Wollstonecraft challenge Rousseau's ideas?
Wollstonecraft challenged Rousseau's view that women should receive a different, submissive education, arguing instead for the equality of the sexes based on their shared rational capacity.
What role did the French Revolution play in her life?
The revolution served as a catalyst for her political engagement, prompting her to defend natural rights and extend those arguments to the rights of women.
Why was the publication of her life by William Godwin controversial?
Godwin's "Memoirs" was unusually frank about her suicide attempts, irregular relationships, and illegitimate child, which led to significant public ridicule and damaged her reputation in the following century.
What did Wollstonecraft mean by a "revolution in female manners"?
It refers to her attempt to reshape the societal expectations and habits of women, urging them to develop their minds and independence rather than relying solely on sensibility and attractiveness.
- Quote paper
- Liwanag Hüttenmüller (Author), 2008, Women Writers in the Romantic Age, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/136398
