Feminist Comedy: Women Playwrights of London highlights the eighteenth-century comedic stage as a significant site of feminist critique, practice, and experimentation, focusing on five women playwrights who achieved professional success in a male-dominated industry. Their works demonstrate a unifying thread of feminist critique that continues to influence today's stages and screens.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 214 pages
Publication date: 14 June 2024
Publisher: University of Delaware Press

Feminist Comedy: Women Playwrights of London explores the eighteenth-century comedic stage as a significant site for feminist critique, practice, and experimentation. Despite the complex history of feminism and comedy, the book focuses on five women playwrights of the latter half of the eighteenth century—Catherine Clive, Frances Brooke, Frances Burney, Hannah Cowley, and Elizabeth Inchbald—to demonstrate that stage comedy played a crucial role in their professional success in a male-dominated industry. While male detractors often denied women's comic ability, eighteenth-century women playwrights were at the forefront of comedy and their work had a significant feminist influence that can be seen in today's stages and screens.

Feminist Comedy: Women Playwrights of London

The eighteenth-century comedic stage is identified as a key site of feminist critique, practice, and experimentation in the book Feminist Comedy: Women Playwrights of London.

While the history of feminism and comedy is undeniably vexed, by focusing on five women playwrights of the latter half of the eighteenth century—Catherine Clive, Frances Brooke, Frances Burney, Hannah Cowley, and Elizabeth Inchbald—this book demonstrates that stage comedy was crucial to these women's professional success in a male-dominated industry and reveals a unifying thread of feminist critique that connects their works.

Though male detractors denied women's comic ability throughout the era, eighteenth-century women playwrights were on the cutting edge of comedy and their work had important feminist influence that can be traced to today's stages and screens.

Women Playwrights of the Eighteenth Century

The book Feminist Comedy: Women Playwrights of London focuses on five women playwrights of the latter half of the eighteenth century—Catherine Clive, Frances Brooke, Frances Burney, Hannah Cowley, and Elizabeth Inchbald—to demonstrate that stage comedy was crucial to their professional success in a male-dominated industry and reveals a unifying thread of feminist critique that connects their works.

While male detractors denied women's comic ability throughout the era, eighteenth-century women playwrights were on the cutting edge of comedy and their work had important feminist influence that can be traced to today's stages and screens.

Feminist Critique and Practice

The book Feminist Comedy: Women Playwrights of London explores the feminist critique and practice that emerged in the eighteenth-century comedic stage. It highlights the ways in which women playwrights challenged traditional gender roles and stereotypes, and how their work contributed to the development of feminist theory and practice.

The book also examines the ways in which women playwrights used comedy to address social and political issues, and how their work challenged dominant narratives and power structures.

Feminist Influence on Today's Stages and Screens

The book Feminist Comedy: Women Playwrights of London demonstrates that the feminist influence of eighteenth-century women playwrights can be seen in today's stages and screens. It highlights the ways in which their work continues to inspire and challenge audiences, and how their feminist perspectives have contributed to the development of modern comedy.

In conclusion, the book Feminist Comedy: Women Playwrights of London provides a valuable insight into the eighteenth-century comedic stage as a site of feminist critique, practice, and experimentation. It highlights the ways in which women playwrights challenged traditional gender roles and stereotypes, and how their work contributed to the development of feminist theory and practice. The book also demonstrates that the feminist influence of eighteenth-century women playwrights can be seen in today's stages and screens, and how their work continues to inspire and challenge audiences.

Weight: 313g
Dimension: 235 x 156 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781644533406