Gender and absentee slave-ownership in late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century Britain
This thesis explores the relationship between gender, property and power in the context of British slave-ownership in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, working to unpick the categories of slave-owner, âWest Indianâ and absentee. It demonstrates how both men and women played crucial roles as transmitters of West Indian property, acting as conduits who helped to facilitate the transmission of slave-based wealth into metropolitan society. The heart of the thesis is an analysis of qualitative material. It uses Barbadian slave-owner Thomas Lane as a lens through which to interrogate the complicated relationship between absentee slave-ownership and masculinity, exploring how male absentees, unlike many of their literary counterparts, were able to conceive and present themselves as both slave-owners and gentlemen. But it places a particular focus on female absentees, examining the mediations and constraints that these women faced, while also highlighting the ways in which they were able to carve a place for themselves within these always restricted parameters. Looking at Jamaican slave-holder Anna Eliza Grenville, it examines the ways she negotiated her position as a married woman and substantial
Young, Hannah Louise
Gender and absentee slave-ownership in late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century Britain. This thesis explores the relationship between gender, property and power in the context of British slave-ownership in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, working to unpick the categories of slave-owner, âWest Indianâ and absentee. It demonstrates how both men and women played crucial roles as transmitters of West Indian property, acting as conduits who helped to facilitate the transmission of slave-based wealth into metropolitan society. The heart of the thesis is an analysis of qualitative material. It uses Barbadian slave-owner Thomas Lane as a lens through which to interrogate the complicated relationship between absentee slave-ownership and masculinity, exploring how male absentees, unlike many of their literary counterparts, were able to conceive and present themselves as both slave-owners and gentlemen. But it places a particular focus on female absentees, examining the mediations and constraints that these women faced, while also highlighting the ways in which they were able to carve a place for themselves within these always restricted parameters. Looking at Jamaican slave-holder Anna Eliza Grenville, it examines the ways she negotiated her position as a married woman and substantial
gender absentee slave ownership late eighteenth early_nineteenth century britain explores_relationship gender property power context british slave ownership work category slave owner west_indian absentee demonstrates men_woman play_crucial_role transmitter west_indian property act help facilitate transmission slave based wealth metropolitan society heart analysis qualitative material slave owner thomas lens interrogate complicate relationship absentee slave ownership masculinity explore male absentee unlike_many literary counterpart able conceive present slave gentleman place particular_focus female absentee examine mediation constraint woman face also_highlight way able carve place_within always restrict parameter looking jamaican slave holder examine_way negotiate position marry woman substantial