Moving between worlds : gender, class, politics, sexuality and women's networks in the diaries of Anne Lister of Shibden Hall, Halifax, Yorkshire, 1830-1840
This dissertation comprises an analysis of the interconnections of gender, politics, class, sexuality and female networks as these operated within the recorded life of Anne Lister (1791-1840), a 'masculine' and lesbian member of the minor landed gentry in the West Riding of Yorkshire. A scholar, traveller and businesswoman, Lister left an enormous, approximately four million-word journal, part of which was written in a crypt of her own devising. While other studies have focused on the production of discourses and their effect in creating passively-inscribed identities, this work will focus on Lister's reception of discourses, her active manipulation of these, and her creation of an identity based partly upon class, partly upon gender, and partly upon her sexual practice. Thus, it represents a major revision of at least one of Foucault's basic premises. Few studies have analyzed the role of women in the gentry to this extent. Lister managed a landed estate in an industrializing area. Estate business included coal-mining, quarrying, mill-building, and investments in roads and canals. A staunch Tory Anglican, she felt that her property gave her the right to dictate the votes of her tenants, and this became more
Euler, Catherine A.
Lesbians
Moving between worlds : gender, class, politics, sexuality and women's networks in the diaries of Anne Lister of Shibden Hall, Halifax, Yorkshire, 1830-1840. This dissertation comprises an analysis of the interconnections of gender, politics, class, sexuality and female networks as these operated within the recorded life of Anne Lister (1791-1840), a 'masculine' and lesbian member of the minor landed gentry in the West Riding of Yorkshire. A scholar, traveller and businesswoman, Lister left an enormous, approximately four million-word journal, part of which was written in a crypt of her own devising. While other studies have focused on the production of discourses and their effect in creating passively-inscribed identities, this work will focus on Lister's reception of discourses, her active manipulation of these, and her creation of an identity based partly upon class, partly upon gender, and partly upon her sexual practice. Thus, it represents a major revision of at least one of Foucault's basic premises. Few studies have analyzed the role of women in the gentry to this extent. Lister managed a landed estate in an industrializing area. Estate business included coal-mining, quarrying, mill-building, and investments in roads and canals. A staunch Tory Anglican, she felt that her property gave her the right to dictate the votes of her tenants, and this became more
moving world gender_class politics sexuality woman networks diary anne hall yorkshire comprises analysis interconnection gender politics class sexuality female network operate_within recorded life anne masculine member minor land gentry west_riding_yorkshire scholar traveller leave enormous word journal part write crypt study_focus production discourse effect create passively inscribed identity work focus reception discourse active manipulation creation identity base partly upon class partly upon gender partly upon sexual practice thus represent major revision least_one foucault basic_premise study analyze role_woman gentry extent manage landed estate area estate business include coal_mining quarry mill building investment roads canal staunch tory anglican felt property give right dictate tenant become