Outward Appearances: The Female Exterior in Restoration London (The Bucknell Studies in Eighteenth-century Literature and Culture)

This book elucidates early modern attitudes toward women's public display. It is a cultural study that draws on a wide range of literary and non-literary texts from 1650-1700 to revisit the sites where women appeared most prominently: the playhouse, the park, and the New Exchange (a shopping arcade in the Strand). An academic study, "Outward Appearances" is written in a clear and engaging style. It is aimed primarily at literary scholars, but historians will take a keen interest in it as well. It offers a fresh context for the study of Restoration drama and a provocative argument about women and public space. Will Pritchard is an Assistant Professor of English at Lewis and Clark College. "Outward Appearances: The Female Exterior in Restoration London elucidates early modern attitudes towards women's public display. Will Pritchard presents a cultural study that draws on a wide range of literary and non-literary texts from the years 1650-1700 to revisit the sites where women appeared most prominently: the playhouse, the park, and the New Exchange (a shopping arcade in the Strand). He offers a fresh context for the study of Restoration literature and a provocative argument about women and public space. An engaging academic study, Outward Appearances enhances and historicizes our understanding of the dynamics of gender and looking in the Restoration and will be appreciated by literary scholars, historians, and cultural theorists alike."--Jacket This book elucidates early modern attitudes toward women's public display. It is a cultural study that draws on a wide range of literary and non-literary texts from 1650-1700 to revisit the sites where women appeared most the playhouse, the park, and the New Exchange (a shopping arcade in the Strand). An academic study, Outward Appearances is written in a clear and engaging style. It is aimed particularly at literary scholars, but historians will take a keen interest in it as well. It offers a fresh context for the study of Restoration drama and a provocative argument about women and public space. Elucidates early modern attitudes toward women's public display. This title presents a cultural study that draws on a range of literary and non-literary texts from 1650-1700 to revisit the sites where women appeared most prominently: the playhouse, the park, and the New Exchange (a shopping arcade in the Strand). Contents 7 List of Illustrations 9 Acknowledgments 11 Introduction: Outward Appearances 15 1. The Problem of Female Legibility 35 2. The Promise of Female Legibility 62 3. The Playhouse 82 4. The Park 112 5. The New Exchange 145 Conclusion 182 Notes 187 Bibliography 244 Index 262