Eighteenth-Century Women's Writing and the Methodist Media Revolution: 'Consider the Lord as Ever Present Reader'

Eighteenth-Century Womens Writing and the Methodist Media Revolution explores how Methodism used various media to reach a wide and diverse audience, combining evangelical and Methodist discourse practices with cultural and literary events. It maps religious discourse patterns onto works by authors like Samuel Richardson, Mary Wollstonecraft, Hannah More, Elizabeth Hamilton, Mary Tighe, and Felicia Hemans, providing a better understanding of their religious nuances and the variety of genres in which women were writing during the period.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 01 August 2022
Publisher: Liverpool University Press

Eighteenth-Century Women's Writing and the Methodist Media Revolution presents a compelling argument that Methodism in the eighteenth century was a remarkable media phenomenon that effectively combined and utilized diverse forms of media to reach a vast and diverse audience. The book delves into specific instances where evangelical and Methodist discourse practices intersected with significant cultural and literary events throughout the long eighteenth century, spanning from the emergence of the novel to the controversial Revolution controversy of the 1790s and the shifting terrain for women writers leading up to the Reform era in the 1830s. By mapping the religious discourse patterns of Methodism onto the works of authors such as Samuel Richardson, Mary Wollstonecraft, Hannah More, Elizabeth Hamilton, Mary Tighe, and Felicia Hemans, the book offers a deeper understanding of the religious nuances within these well-known authors' works while also providing a comprehensive exploration of the wide range of genres in which women were writing during that period. This approach not only enhances our appreciation for the religious dimensions of these authors' creations but also sheds light on the significant contributions of women writers, many of whom are often overlooked or considered non-literary.

The book's scope takes the reader on a journey from the establishment of evangelical discourse forms in the 1730s to the natural culmination of these discourse structures during the reform era. Along the way, it highlights how women, both within the Methodist community and beyond, modified these discourse patterns as acts of resistance or subversion. The author's meticulous research and analysis provide a rich tapestry of information that sheds light on the complex interplay between religion, culture, and literature in the eighteenth century. Eighteenth-Century Women's Writing and the Methodist Media Revolution is a valuable contribution to the field of eighteenth-century studies, offering a fresh perspective on the role.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781802076899