Includes bibliographical references (p. 191-274) and index.
Contents:
Conclusion. vitalism, transnational identity and Frances Burney -- Mors voluntaria : Clarissa and the agency of martyrdom -- English maladies and material culture at mid-century -- The pathology of sentiment : politics, sacrifice and Wertherism in the English novel of sensibility -- 'The Death of Reason' : vitalism, transnational identity and Frances Burney -- Conclusion.
Summary:
"Enlightenment assumptions regarding the gendering of suicide still persist in coroners' investigations, statistical analyses and the media's coverage of high-profile deaths. This study examines the presentation of suicide within the genre of the eighteenth-century novel as both a feminine action and a declaration of national identity. A perceived rise in suicide rates in the eighteenth-century led to the topic's identification as an 'English Malady' and its treatment within the novel as a public, society-defining gesture. Using the novels of several key writers of the period, including Frances Burney, Eliza Haywood and Samuel Richardson, McGuire demonstrates that their work inscribes a nationalist imperative to frame suicide as self-sacrifice. By considering the eighteenth-century novel as a cultural document, she combines literary analysis with cultural history, creating an innovative and challenging picture of the relationship between suicide, gender and national identity"--Publisher's website, March 28, 2012.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.