Literature and the politics of the family in seventeenth-century England

A common literary language linked royal absolutism to radical religion and republicanism in seventeenth-century England. Authors from both sides of the Civil Wars, including Milton, Hobbes, Margaret Cavendish, and the Quakers, adapted the analogy between family and state to support radically different visions of political community. They used family metaphors to debate the limits of political authority, rethink gender roles, and imagine community in a period of social and political upheaval. While critical attention has focused on how the common analogy linking father and king, family and state, bolstered royal and paternal claims to authority and obedience, its meaning was in fact intensely contested. In this wide-ranging study, Su Fang Ng analyses the language and metaphors used to describe the relationship between politics and the family in both literary and political writings and offers a fresh perspective on how seventeenth-century literature reflected as well as influenced political thought. Cover......Page 1 Half-title......Page 3 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Contents......Page 7 Acknowledgments......Page 8 Introduction: strange bedfellows – patriarchalism and revolutionary thought......Page 11 PART I Revolutionary debates......Page 29 Father-kings......Page 31 James and the contradictions of family roles......Page 38 Amazon queens......Page 44 Interpreting subjects......Page 55 Christian fraternity......Page 59 Republican liberty......Page 68 Fathers and citizens......Page 79 CHAPTER 3 Hobbes and the absent family......Page 86 Hobbes and patriarchalism......Page 89 From family analogy to body politic......Page 95 The civil state of christian community......Page 105 Conclusion......Page 109 CHAPTER 4 Cromwellian fatherhood and its discontents......Page 113 Reforming cromwell: Winstanley, Sexby, and Harrington......Page 116 “A Cromwell in an houre a prince will grow”: Richard the protector......Page 128 Ghostly Cromwells: anti-cromwellian satire......Page 134 PART II Restoration imaginings......Page 141 Interchapter: revolutionary legacies......Page 143 Genesis, paradise lost, and patriarchal theories of the state......Page 153 The divine family circle......Page 155 Family hierarchy in the state of nature......Page 165 New monarchy, old cavaliers......Page 179 Heroic queens: Figurations of Henrietta Maria......Page 187 The monarch’s two bodies......Page 196 Nostalgia and the context of restoration immorality......Page 202 Rival state......Page 205 Family and marriage......Page 211 Gender and schism......Page 221 Epilogue: the family-state analogy’s eighteenth-century afterlife......Page 232 Index......Page 240 Cover 1 Half-title 3 Title 5 Copyright 6 Contents 7 Acknowledgments 8 Introduction: strange bedfellows – patriarchalism and revolutionary thought 11 PART I Revolutionary debates 29 CHAPTER 1 Father-kings and Amazon queens 31 Father-kings 31 James and the contradictions of family roles 38 Amazon queens 44 Interpreting subjects 55 CHAPTER 2 Milton’s band of brothers 59 Christian fraternity 59 Republican liberty 68 Fathers and citizens 79 CHAPTER 3 Hobbes and the absent family 86 Hobbes and patriarchalism 89 From family analogy to body politic 95 The civil state of christian community 105 Conclusion 109 CHAPTER 4 Cromwellian fatherhood and its discontents 113 Reforming cromwell: Winstanley, Sexby, and Harrington 116 “A Cromwell in an houre a prince will grow”: Richard the protector 128 Ghostly Cromwells: anti-cromwellian satire 134 PART II Restoration imaginings 141 Interchapter: revolutionary legacies 143 CHAPTER 5 Execrable sons and second Adams: family politics in Paradise Lost 153 Genesis, paradise lost, and patriarchal theories of the state 153 The divine family circle 155 Family hierarchy in the state of nature 165 CHAPTER 6 Marriage and monarchy: Margaret Cavendish’s Blazing World and the fictions of queenly rule 179 New monarchy, old cavaliers 179 Heroic queens: Figurations of Henrietta Maria 187 The monarch’s two bodies 196 Nostalgia and the context of restoration immorality 202 CHAPTER 7 Marriage and discipline in early Quakerism 205 Rival state 205 Family and marriage 211 Gender and schism 221 Epilogue: the family-state analogy’s eighteenth-century afterlife 232 Index 240 While Critical Attention Has Focused On How The Common Analogy Linking Father And King, Family And State, Bolstered Royal And Paternal Claims To Authority And Obedience, Its Meaning Was In Fact Intensely Contested. In This Study, Su Fang Ng Analyzes The Language And Metaphors Used To Describe The Relationship Between Politics And The Family In Both Literary And Political Writings And Offers A New Perspective On How Seventeenth-century Literature Reflected As Well As Influenced Political Thought.--jacket. Introduction: Strange Bedfellows: Patriarchalism And Revolutionary Thought; Part I. Revolutionary Debates: 1. Father-kings And Amazon Queens; 2. Milton's Band Of Brothers; 3. Hobbes And The Absent Family; 4. Cromwellian Fatherhood And Its Discontents; Part Ii. Restoration Imaginings: Interchapter: Revolutionary Legacies; 5. Execrable Sons And Second Adams: Family Politics In Paradise Lost; 6. Marriage And Monarchy: Margaret Cavendish's Blazing World And The Fictions Of Queenly Rule; 7. Marriage And Discipline In Early Quakerism; Epilogue: The Family-state Analogy's Eighteenth-century Afterlife. Su Fang Ng. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.