Families of the Heart: Surrogate Relations in the Eighteenth-Century British Novel

In canonical British novels, Campbell identifies a new literary device—the surrogate family—as a signal of cultural anxieties about young womens changing relationship to matrimony across the long eighteenth century. He argues that female protagonists compensate for weak family ties, explore the world and themselves, prepare for idealized marriages, or sidestep marriage altogether. This book offers a new lens through which to regard these familiar works.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 176 pages
Publication date: 11 November 2022
Publisher: Rutgers University Press

In this groundbreaking exploration of canonical British novels, Campbell uncovers a novel literary device—the surrogate family—as a poignant reflection of cultural concerns surrounding the evolving relationship between young women and matrimony throughout the long eighteenth century. By meticulously selecting chosen families rather than relying solely on families of origin, Campbell compellingly demonstrates how female protagonists in these works compensate for weak familial bonds, embark on self-discovery journeys, cultivate their aspirations for idealized marriages, or opt out of marriage altogether. This book traces the evolution of this rich convention, from the early fictional representations in Defoes and Richardson's works, where female characters were granted limited autonomy in selecting spouses, to the more explicitly feminist works of Haywood and Burney, where connections between protagonists and their surrogate sisters and mothers serve as substitutes for traditional marriage. By challenging the traditional hierarchical family model, this book offers a fresh and transformative perspective on these well-known literary works, shedding light on the complex and multifaceted dynamics of female relationships and societal expectations during this historical period.

Dimension: 235 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781684484232