The Cambridge Companion to Early Modern Women's Writing (Cambridge Companions to Literature)

Featuring The Most Frequently Taught Female Writers And Texts Of The Early Modern Period, This Companion Introduces The Reader To The Range, Complexity, Historical Importance, And Aesthetic Merit Of Women's Writing In Britain From 1500-1700. Presenting Key Textual, Historical, And Methodological Information, The Volume Exemplifies New And Diverse Approaches To The Study Of Women's Writing. The Book Is Clearly Divided Into Three Sections, Covering: How Women Learnt To Write And How Their Work Was Circulated Or Published; How And What Women Wrote In The Places And Spaces In Which They Lived, Worked, And Worshipped; And The Different Kinds Of Writing Women Produced, From Poetry And Fiction To Letters, Diaries, And Political Prose. This Structure Makes The Volume Readily Adaptable To Course Usage. The Companion Is Enhanced By An Introduction That Lays Out Crucial Framework And Critical Issues, And By Chronologies That Situate Women's Writings Alongside Political And Cultural Events--provided By Publisher. Introduction: Critical Framework And Issues / Laura Lunger Knoppers; Part I. Material Matters: 1. Women's Handwriting / Heather Wolfe; 2. Reading Women / Edith Snook; 3. Manuscript Miscellanies / Victoria E. Burke; 4. Women, The Material Book, And Early Printing / Marcy L. North; Part Ii. Sites Of Production: 5. Women In Educational Spaces / Caroline Bowden; 6. Women In The Household / Wendy Wall; 7. Women In Church And In Devotional Spaces / Elizabeth Clarke; 8. Women In The Royal Courts / Karen Britland; 9. Women In The Law Courts / Frances E. Dolan; 10. Women In Healing Spaces / Mary E. Fissell; Part Iii. Genres And Modes: 11. Translation / Danielle Clarke; 12. Letters / James Daybell; 13. Autobiography / Ramona Wray; 14. Lyric Poetry / Helen Wilcox; 15. Narrative Poetry / Susanne Woods; 16. Prophecy And Religious Polemic / Hilary Hinds; 17. Private Drama / Marta Straznicky; 18. Public Drama / Derek Hughes; 19. Prose Fiction / Lori Humphrey Newcomb. Edited By Laura Lunger Knoppers. Contents......Page 6 List of illustrations......Page 8 List of contributors......Page 10 Acknowledgements......Page 12 Chronologies......Page 14 Introduction: critical framework and issues......Page 34 1 Women’s handwriting......Page 52 2 Reading women......Page 71 3 Manuscript miscellanies......Page 85 4 Women, the material book and early printing......Page 99 5 Women in educational spaces......Page 114 6 Women in the household......Page 126 7 Women in church and in devotional spaces......Page 139 8 Women in the royal courts......Page 153 9 Women in the law courts......Page 169 10 Women in healing spaces......Page 182 11 Translation......Page 194 12 Letters......Page 208 13 Autobiography......Page 221 14 Lyric poetry......Page 235 15 Narrative poetry......Page 249 16 Prophecy and religious polemic......Page 262 17 Private drama......Page 274 18 Public drama......Page 287 19 Prose fi ction......Page 299 9780521885270_index......Page 314 Cambridge University Press Contents 6 List of illustrations 8 List of contributors 10 Acknowledgements 12 Chronologies 14 Introduction: critical framework and issues 34 1 Women’s handwriting 52 2 Reading women 71 3 Manuscript miscellanies 85 4 Women, the material book and early printing 99 5 Women in educational spaces 114 6 Women in the household 126 7 Women in church and in devotional spaces 139 8 Women in the royal courts 153 9 Women in the law courts 169 10 Women in healing spaces 182 11 Translation 194 12 Letters 208 13 Autobiography 221 14 Lyric poetry 235 15 Narrative poetry 249 16 Prophecy and religious polemic 262 17 Private drama 274 18 Public drama 287 19 Prose fi ction 299 9780521885270_index 314 9780521885270

Ideal for courses, this Companion examines the range, historical importance, and aesthetic merit of women's writing in Britain, 1500-1700.