Title: Laughing feminism
First published: 1998
Description: Laughing Feminism focuses on comedy in the works of Frances Burney, Maria Edgeworth, and Jane Austen, authors who scrutinized the subjected prejudices against women in order to expose their absurdity and encourage readers to laugh at the folly of sexist views. By making fun of conduct literature, male authority figures, and courtship practices, the authors challenged commonly accepted views that contributed to women's subordination.

Laughing Feminism sheds light on the ways in which Burney, Edgeworth, and Austen enlisted the power of comedy in the service of feminism, and in so doing participated in one of the most important ideological movements of the last three hundred years. It offers modern scholars a new look at feminist tactics as it brings to light a lost chapter in the history of comedy.
Subjects: Dissenters in literature, English Feminist fiction, English Humorous stories, English fiction, Feminism and literature, Feminist fiction, English, History, History and criticism, Humor, Humorous stories, English, Social norms in literature, Women and literature, Women authors, Burney, fanny, 1752-1840, Edgeworth, maria, 1767-1849, Austen, jane, 1775-1817, English fiction, history and criticism, 18th century, English fiction, women authors, English fiction, history and criticism, 19th century, Feminist literary criticism
Places: Great Britain
People: Fanny Burney (1752-1840), Jane Austen (1775-1817), Maria Edgeworth (1767-1849)
Time periods: 18th century, 19th century
LC classification: PR858.F45 B55 1998