The Cultural Identity of Seventeenth-Century Woman

In this anthology, N.H. Keeble illustrates both the historical circumstances of women's lives in the seventeenth century and the cultural notions of woman which prevailed then. Within the body of the collection, contemporary evidence is arranged topically, drawn from printed sources. The images, roles and virtues of woman are examined, providing a sourcebook which illustrates the way woman has in the past been culturally constructed.

Zusammenfassung
This anthology brings together extracts from a wide variety of seventeenth-century sources to illustrate the ways in which the cultural notion of women' was then constructed. historical circumstances of women's lives in the seventeenth century and the cultural notions ofwoman' which prevailed then. What did women and men think women should be? Over 200 extracts from books, pamphlets, diaries and letters are arranged under three main headings: female nature, character and behaviour; female roles and affairs; and `feminisms.' Each chapter is introduced by N.H. Keeble who contextualises the extracts and draws out the main issues revised.

Inhalt

Introduction Part I Female Nature, Character and Behaviour Part II Female Roles and Affair Part III `Feminisms' Bibliography