New World Courtships: Transatlantic Alternatives to Companionate Marriage (Re-Mapping the Transnational: A Dartmouth Series in American Studies)

Feminist literary critics have long recognized that the novel’s marriage plot can shape the lives of women readers; however, they have largely traced the effects of this influence through a monolithic understanding of marriage. New World Courtships is the first scholarly study to recover a geographically diverse array of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century novels that actively compare marriage practices from the Atlantic world. These texts trouble Enlightenment claims that companionate marriage leads to women’s progress by comparing alternative systems for arranging marriage and sexual relations in the Americas. Attending to representations of marital diversity in early transatlantic novels disrupts nation-based accounts of the rise of the novel and its relation to “the” marriage plot. It also illuminates how and why cultural differences in marriage mattered in the Atlantic world—and shows how these differences might help us to reimagine marital diversity today.This book will appeal to scholars of literature, women’s studies, and early American history.**Hardcover is un-jacketed.** The First Scholarly Study To Recover A Geographically Diverse Array Of Eighteenth And Nineteenth-century Countertexts That Actively Compare Culturally Diverse Marriage Practices From Canada To The Caribbean - Varieties Of Marriage In Early American And British Novels. Feminist Literary Critics Have Long Recognized That The Novel's Marriage Plot Can Shape The Lives Of Women Readers; However, They Have Largely Traced The Effects Of This Influence Through A Monolithic Understanding Of Marriage. New World Courtships Is The First Scholarly Study To Recover A Geographically Diverse Array Of Eighteenth- And Nineteenth-century Novels That Actively Compare Marriage Practices From The Atlantic World. These Texts Trouble Enlightenment Claims That Companionate Marriage Leads To Women's Progress By Comparing Alternative Systems For Arranging Marriage And Sexual Relations In The Americas. Attending To Representations Of Marital Diversity In Early Transatlantic Novels Disrupts Nation-based Accounts Of The Rise Of The Novel And Its Relation To 'the' Marriage Plot. It Also Illuminates How And Why Cultural Differences In Marriage Mattered In The Atlantic World--and Shows How These Differences Might Help Us To Reimagine Marital Diversity Today.--back Cover. Introduction: Mapping Marriage -- Why Marriage Mattered Then -- Comparing Rights, Comparing Stories -- Making Room For Coquettes And Fallen Women -- A Postcolonial Heroine Writes Back -- Bungling Bundling -- Epilogue: Why Marriage Matters Now. Melissa M. Adams-campbell. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Feminist literary critics have long recognized that the novel’s marriage plot can shape the lives of women readers; however, they have largely traced the effects of this influence through a monolithic understanding of marriage. New World Courtships is the first scholarly study to recover a geographically diverse array of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century novels that actively compare marriage practices from the Atlantic world. These texts trouble Enlightenment claims that companionate marriage leads to women’s progress by comparing alternative systems for arranging marriage and sexual relations in the Americas. Attending to representations of marital diversity in early transatlantic novels disrupts nation-based accounts of the rise of the novel and its relation to “the” marriage plot. It also illuminates how and why cultural differences in marriage mattered in the Atlantic world—and shows how these differences might help us to reimagine marital diversity today. This book will appeal to scholars of literature, women’s studies, and early American history. Hardcover is un-jacketed. Cover 1 Title Page 7 Contents 9 Acknowledgments 11 Introduction: Mapping Marriage 17 1 | Why Marriage Mattered Then 37 2 | Comparing Rights, Comparing Stories 58 3 | Making Room for Coquettes and Fallen Women 86 4 | A Postcolonial Heroine "Writes Back" 113 Bungling Bundling 129 Epilogue: Why Marriage Matters Now 156 Notes 163 Bibliography 193 Index 213