Narrative in the Professional Age: Transatlantic Readings of Harriet Beecher Stowe, Elizabeth Stuart Phelps, and George Eliot (Literary Criticism and Cultural Theory)

Challenging previous studies that claim anxiety and antagonism between transatlantic Victorian authors, Jennifer Cognard-Black uncovers a model of reciprocal influence among three of the most popular women writers of the era. Combining analyses of personal correspondence and print culture with close readings of key narratives, this study presents an original history of transatlantic authorship that examines how these writers invented a collaborative aesthetics both within and against the dominant discourse of professionalism. Book Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 4 Contents......Page 5 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS......Page 10 LIST OF CITED COLLECTIONS......Page 12 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS......Page 14 INTRODUCTION......Page 20 ~You Are as Thoroughly Woman as You Are English~: Strong Femininity and the Making of George Eliot......Page 44 ~The Wild and Distracted Call for Proof~: Harriet Beecher Stowe's Lady Byron Vindicated and the New Professionalism......Page 80 ~A More Living Interest~: George Eliot's Daniel Deronda and the Politics of American Reception......Page 104 ~Proclaiming the Royal Lineage to the Average Mind~: High-Art Aesthetics, the Novel, and Competing Femininities in Elizabeth Stuart Phelps's The Story of Avis......Page 134 AFTERWORD......Page 166 NOTES......Page 168 BIBLIOGRAPHY......Page 210 INDEX......Page 222 You Are As Thoroughly Woman As You Are English : Strong Femininity And The Making Of George Eliot -- The Wild And Distracted Call For Proof : Harriet Beecher Stowe's Lady Byron Vindicated And The New Professionalism -- A More Living Interest : George Eliot's Daniel Deronda And The Politics Of American Reception -- Proclaiming The Royal Lineage To The Average Mind : High-art Aesthetics, The Novel, And Competing Femininities In Elizabeth Stuart Phelps's The Story Of Avis. Jennifer Cognard-black. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 193-203) And Index. This book explores the importance of work and its role in defining and developing the self; the writings of Emerson, Hawthorne and Alcott demonstrate that valorizing the importance of work also validates the need for gender equality