Bluestocking philosophy : aspects of female aristocratic thought in eighteenth-century England
The aristocratic masculine discourses of the eighteenth century have been the subject of much analysis and debate. This raises the question of the ways in which elite women, who did not participate in the worlds of politics and commerce in which men appear to have found self-definition, related to these discourses. This thesis aims to contribute to an understanding of this issue by considering the case of the bluestocking circle. The bluestockings shared the paternalistic duty-code of the male landowner, and they combined this with a deep commitment to the teachings of the latitudinarian Anglican church, which stressed benevolence as a natural human characteristic. They saw English society as an organic community in which the social relationships engendered by the divinely-ordained social hierarchy were regulated by benevolence. Virtue consisted in performing the duties of one's allotted station and thereby being a 'useful member of society.' The growth of heterosocial mixing gave a new arena in which the elite women could be independently useful, by giving pleasure and instruction by her conversation and by offering an example of the amiability of virtue. The duty to do so, accon;!ing to the bluestockings,
Riordan, Susannah Mary
History
Bluestocking philosophy : aspects of female aristocratic thought in eighteenth-century England. The aristocratic masculine discourses of the eighteenth century have been the subject of much analysis and debate. This raises the question of the ways in which elite women, who did not participate in the worlds of politics and commerce in which men appear to have found self-definition, related to these discourses. This thesis aims to contribute to an understanding of this issue by considering the case of the bluestocking circle. The bluestockings shared the paternalistic duty-code of the male landowner, and they combined this with a deep commitment to the teachings of the latitudinarian Anglican church, which stressed benevolence as a natural human characteristic. They saw English society as an organic community in which the social relationships engendered by the divinely-ordained social hierarchy were regulated by benevolence. Virtue consisted in performing the duties of one's allotted station and thereby being a 'useful member of society.' The growth of heterosocial mixing gave a new arena in which the elite women could be independently useful, by giving pleasure and instruction by her conversation and by offering an example of the amiability of virtue. The duty to do so, accon;!ing to the bluestockings,
philosophy aspect female aristocratic think eighteenth_century england aristocratic masculine discourse subject_much analysis debate raise_question way elite woman participate world politics commerce men appear find self_definition related discourse aim_contribute issue_consider case circle share paternalistic duty code male landowner combine deep commitment teaching anglican_church stress benevolence natural human characteristic saw english_society organic community social_relationship engender divinely social_hierarchy regulate benevolence virtue consist perform duty allot station thereby useful member_society growth mixing give new arena elite woman could independently useful give pleasure instruction conversation offer example virtue duty ing