Sexual politics in the Enlightenment
Subtitle: women writers read Rousseau
By: Mary Seidman Trouille.
Series: SUNY series, the margins of literature
Publisher: State University of New York Press
Published: 1997
Place of publication: Albany
Language: eng
Number of pages: 411
Subjects: Rousseau, Jean-Jacques, 1712-1778 -- Criticism and interpretation -- History -- 18th century.; Rousseau, Jean-Jacques, 1712-1778 -- Influence.; French literature -- Women authors -- History and criticism.; French literature -- 18th century -- History and criticism.; Feminism and literature -- France -- History -- 18th century.; Women and literature -- France -- History -- 18th century.; Sex role in literature.; Enlightenment.
Description: Sexual Politics in the Enlightenment constitutes the first book-length feminist study of Rousseau's sexual politics and the reception of his works by women readers. By today's standards, Rousseau's sexual politics appear reactionary, paternalistic, even blatantly misogynist; yet, among his female contemporaries, his works often met with enthusiastic approval and had tremendous impact on their values and behavior.

To probe Rousseau's paradoxical appeal to eighteenth-century readers, Mary Trouille examines how seven women authors responded to his writings and sexual politics and traces his influence on their lives and works. The writers include six Frenchwomen (Roland, d'Epinay, Stael, Genlis, Gouges, and an anonymous woman correspondent who called herself Henriette) and the English feminist Mary Wollstonecraft.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 317-381) and index.