Category Archives: Uncategorized

My plan was to begin drafting last week, but my plans were shifted by other assignments with closer due dates. Prioritizing has been my friend and my enemy during this quarantine because I tell myself I can finish something before I start the thing that is due Sunday; it never works. The assignments I tryContinue reading “The Life of an English Major”

After reading the first part of Volume III of Mansfield Park, I recognized a theme that connects back to Mary Hays’ Victim of Prejudice. The reason Mary the character cannot get a job after she is “tainted” is based on the perception of her reputation following her relationship with Sir Peter. The employers are worriedContinue reading “Reputation Over Blood”

One article that has interested me during my research is by Julia Saunders titled, “’The Mouse’s Petition’: Anna Laetitia Barbauld and the Scientific Revolution”. Saunders discusses Barbauld’s relationship with science as wanting to be involved, but limited by society to how she could participate. Barbauld’s fascination with science led her to write many poems inspiredContinue reading “Research Update: 4/12”

Reading Mansfield Park, I was struck by the idea of a girl being “out” in society, and how it relates to Mary Hays’ novel. Part of a girl growing up at this time was waiting to be introduced into society. In Mansfield Park, Miss Crawford questions whether Fanny is “out” in society. She explains aContinue reading ““Is she out, or is she not?””

I believe I have all of my sources for my essay. My goal moving forward is to pick the best selections to help me with my argument. I have found many good articles that discuss certain aspects about both Mary Wollstonecraft and Anna Barbauld. Narrowing down that research to produce the best argument I canContinue reading “Research Update 4/5”

Looking at Appendix A, Mary Hays writes an Appeal to the Men of Great Britain in Behalf of Women in 1798, a year before she publishes The Victim of Prejudice. I find this interesting because her appeal addresses the problems she has with society’s treatment of women in a direct manner, while her novel addressesContinue reading “Say it Once, Say it Twice”

Through my research I have found that men of the Enlightenment period were afraid of the possibility of women becoming the dominant gender. The Enlightenment called for a change in society called the “civilized personality,” based upon characteristics that were deemed feminine. This transformation of men taking on feminine-like characteristics left men feeling vulnerable toContinue reading “Feminine Characteristics and Men of The Enlightenment”

While reading Mary Robinson’s A Letter to the Women of England, I had a sense of déjà vu like I had read something similar. Halfway through her letter it dawned on me that her letter sounded like Antony’s speech from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. Robinson reiterates the question are women oppressed because they are the weakerContinue reading “Robinson and Shakespeare”

During my research for my final essay, I found an article from our guest speaker, Mark Canuel. His article titled “Wollstonecraft and World Improvement,” discusses Wollstonecraft’s Letters and how Wollstonecraft’s imaginative writing inspires her readers on new possibilities, fulfilling the role of Enlightenment. This article applies to my final essay because I chose to focusContinue reading “Adventures in Romanticism: Canuel Returns”

Continuing my reading of the Wollstonecraft Letters, I’ve picked up on another issue on which Wollstonecraft focuses. Besides the conflict between genders, Wollstonecraft writes about the treatment of the environment in the different cities she visits. Nature is a major topic for Romantic authors, so writing about her experiences in different countries makes sense. WhileContinue reading “Too Close to Nature: Wollstonecraft’s Environmentalism”