Doing Literary Business: American Women Writers in the Nineteenth Century (Gender and American Culture)

Coultrap-McQuin investigates the reasons for women's unprecedented literary professionalism in the nineteenth century, highlighting the experiences of E.D.E.N. Southworth, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Gail Hamilton, Helen Hunt Jackson, and Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward. She examines the cultural milieu of women writers, the ideals and practices of the literary marketplace, and the characteristics of women's literary activities that brought them success. Originally published in 1990. A UNC Press Enduring Edition -- UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value. This volume presents case studies of five women writers of 19th-century America: E.D.E.N. Southworth, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Mary Abigail Doge (Gail Hamilton), Helen Hunt Jackson, and Elizabeth Stuart Phelps (Ward). Beginning with an analysis of the ambiguities of a cultural context shaped by Victorian gender ideologies, the author describes the subtly gendered continuum of role definitions for publishers: from antebellum gentleman publisher to Edwardian businessman publisher. The case studies place each writer at the intersection of these social prescriptions, which often supported female authorship while simultaneously devaluing female texts. The author develops a detailed composite portrait of women's literary professionalism through each woman's interaction with her publishers. She concludes that, although authorship had its difficulties for these women, anxiety over their right to write was not among them. ISBN 0-8078-1914-X: $29.95 Why Try A Writing Career?: The Ambiguous Cultural Context For Women Writers Of The Mid-nineteenth Century -- Gentlemen And Ladies: Ideals And Economics In The Literary Marketplace -- The Place Of Gender In Business: The Career Of E.d.e.n. Southworth -- The Impact Of Domestic Feminism: Harriet Beecher Stowe's Mature Career -- The Battle For A Fair Marketplace: Mary Abigail Dodge Versus James T. Fields -- Very Serious Literary Labor: The Career Of Helen Hunt Jackson -- The Demise Of Feminine Strength: The Career Of Elizabeth Stuart Phelps (ward) -- A Final Word: Literary Professionalism And Women. Susan Coultrap-mcquin. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [229]-242) And Index. Investigates the reasons for women's literary professionalism in the nineteenth century, highlighting the experiences of E.D.E.N. Southworth, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Gail Hamilton, Helen Hunt Jackson, and Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward. Coultrap-McQuin examines the cultural milieu of women writers, the ideals of the literary marketplace, and the characteristics of women's literary activities.

A UNC Press Enduring Edition — UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.