The literary women of the publishing industry in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries
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2024
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en
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This thesis aims to answer the research question of how the socioeconomic dynamics of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century society influenced women’s participation and representation in the publishing industry. It looks into both primary (letters, theatrical plays, essays, and fiction) and secondary sources to provide a thorough understanding of the challenges and accomplishments of women writers during this time period. Women were prolific writers of letters, manuscripts, and fiction, participated in academic debates, and (publicly) tended to agree with the dominant cultural norm. The publishing industry’s growth provided professional opportunities for women, though their pay was generally low and there was stigma around working women. The thesis focusses on the interclass dynamics of women and their material reality. It questions the idea that women are an isolated group within the industry and calls for more research on women editors and a recontextualization of theories about early female writers.
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Faculteit der Letteren