At the risk of wearing you out, I'm interested in ALL the women's stories, as I suspect the collective narrative will be powerful, and as they say, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.
I am very interested in your series and look forward to it all as I'm not literate in this area... As a Russian language and literature major I read mostly Russian male authors (except for Anna Akhmatova). I dontend to gravitate to female writers in my progressing middle age. I'm participating in NaNoWriMo and one of my characters is an early 20th century woman whose passion for life frustrated in reality secretly writes of all the places and people she wishes she could see and be.
What a wonderful character Emily! I'm doing NaNoWriMo this year, too, but as a "rebel" as I'm finishing up a nonfiction book. I love the high energy of the event 😊
Don't know if you have a writing group or writing buddies on NaNoWriMo, but if you'd like, look me up, DemianYumei, and I'll be glad to cheer you on ✍️
John, I vote for posts about every one of those women writers, and I’d add Emily Dickinson, George Eliot, Edith Wharton, Ida B. Wells, Ida Tarbell...for me, there are so many amazing women writers and journalists that should never be relegated to the shadows 😉
As for Chaucer, I suspect he was close to women, but marinating in the misogyny of the age - I don’t let him off the hook, but the Wife of Bath is an enduring character, as demonstrated by feminist recreations, such as Zadie Smith’s “The Wife of Willesden.”
Yes, I think I'll be covering all of the ones that I listed, and perhaps a couple more. Others are welcome to pick up the ball with regard to writers I don't know as well!
I don't know that Zadie Smith story, so I'll have to check it out! I admire much of her work.
Yes, please! I am very interested, as well. I'm familiar with a few of the authors you named, but not in great depth. After reading this essay I looked for my copy of "A Vindication of the Rights of Women", I think I had to special order when I was young, but couldn't find it. Might have sadly been among a number of really good books I lost, years ago, in what turned out to be an asbestos filled basement. Tragic loss all around.
Anyway, I loved this essay. Reading about women's lives and women authors saved me when I was little. I find I still hunger for them. Really look forward to your series!
I think Chaucer had to have appreciated women, particularly because he describes the Wife of Bath with affable humor that suggests he might have liked her best of all his pilgrims!
Please do continue this feminist study. It couldn't come at a more appropriate time.
Fantastic, John. I can imagine a similar series for American literature. Many of Washington Irving’s jokes are misogynistic. See Dame Van Winkle. But of course all this proceeds directly from its European background.
At the risk of wearing you out, I'm interested in ALL the women's stories, as I suspect the collective narrative will be powerful, and as they say, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.
I am very interested in your series and look forward to it all as I'm not literate in this area... As a Russian language and literature major I read mostly Russian male authors (except for Anna Akhmatova). I dontend to gravitate to female writers in my progressing middle age. I'm participating in NaNoWriMo and one of my characters is an early 20th century woman whose passion for life frustrated in reality secretly writes of all the places and people she wishes she could see and be.
What a wonderful character Emily! I'm doing NaNoWriMo this year, too, but as a "rebel" as I'm finishing up a nonfiction book. I love the high energy of the event 😊
Wonderful! I've heard of rebels like you; very cool.
Don't know if you have a writing group or writing buddies on NaNoWriMo, but if you'd like, look me up, DemianYumei, and I'll be glad to cheer you on ✍️
Edit: I DO tend to gravitate to female writers... 😀
John, I vote for posts about every one of those women writers, and I’d add Emily Dickinson, George Eliot, Edith Wharton, Ida B. Wells, Ida Tarbell...for me, there are so many amazing women writers and journalists that should never be relegated to the shadows 😉
As for Chaucer, I suspect he was close to women, but marinating in the misogyny of the age - I don’t let him off the hook, but the Wife of Bath is an enduring character, as demonstrated by feminist recreations, such as Zadie Smith’s “The Wife of Willesden.”
Yes, I think I'll be covering all of the ones that I listed, and perhaps a couple more. Others are welcome to pick up the ball with regard to writers I don't know as well!
I don't know that Zadie Smith story, so I'll have to check it out! I admire much of her work.
I saw the Zadie Smith piece as a play - and yes, I’m looking forward to reading Smith’s “Fraud,” a clap-back to Dickens et al.
And you’re giving me an idea about resurrecting a piece I did a long time ago about Emily Dickinson...
Oh, please do!
Yes, please! I am very interested, as well. I'm familiar with a few of the authors you named, but not in great depth. After reading this essay I looked for my copy of "A Vindication of the Rights of Women", I think I had to special order when I was young, but couldn't find it. Might have sadly been among a number of really good books I lost, years ago, in what turned out to be an asbestos filled basement. Tragic loss all around.
Anyway, I loved this essay. Reading about women's lives and women authors saved me when I was little. I find I still hunger for them. Really look forward to your series!
Thanks! The Wollstonecraft is public domain, so you should be able to find an electronic version--which I realize is not the same.
This is a superb idea for a series, and not only that, your article was very well written, it has tantalised me successfully. Subscribed!
Thank you--happy to have you aboard!
I think Chaucer had to have appreciated women, particularly because he describes the Wife of Bath with affable humor that suggests he might have liked her best of all his pilgrims!
Please do continue this feminist study. It couldn't come at a more appropriate time.
I'm inclined to agree with you about Chaucer. The Wife pretty much takes over the pilgrimage as soon as she steps on stage.
All of the above! But the first answer that jumped to mind is Woolf, I’ve got huge gaps in my knowledge of her that I must remedy.
Fantastic, John. I can imagine a similar series for American literature. Many of Washington Irving’s jokes are misogynistic. See Dame Van Winkle. But of course all this proceeds directly from its European background.
Love this John! You keep going in so many exciting directions. Use of the Wife is fantastic.