Letters and the Body, 1700-1830: Writing and Embodiment

The collection explores the relationship between letters and bodies in the long eighteenth century, featuring a broad selection of letters written from and to Britain, North America, Europe, India, and the Caribbean. It examines the letter as a substitute for the absent body, a material object, and a means to create intimacy and build social networks.

Format: Hardback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 04 July 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This captivating collection delves into the intricate and multifaceted relationship between letters and bodies during the long eighteenth century, encompassing a diverse range of women's and men's letters written from and to various regions such as Britain, North America, Europe, India, and the Caribbean. Spanning from the laborious poor to the esteemed landed elite, these letters offer a profound insight into the lives and experiences of individuals across different social strata.

In eleven meticulously crafted chapters, scholars from diverse disciplines employ a range of methodological approaches, including close readings of individual letters, comprehensive social historical analyses of extensive corpora, and a material culture perspective to examine the enduring significance of letters. This comprehensive research encompasses personal letters exchanged among family and friends, formal correspondence, and letters that were incorporated into published forewords and appendices, journals, and memoirs.

Part I delves into the intriguing realm of letters as substitutes for absent bodies, exploring the imaginative physical encounters and performances envisioned by letter writers. It examines the means through which these imagined sensations were conveyed, shedding light on the imaginative power of the written word.

Part II takes a deeper dive into the materiality of letters, examining how they served as conduits for descriptions of the physical body and as instruments for embodied encounters. It explores the ways in which correspondents strategically employed their bodies in letters to forge intimacy, establish social networks, and contribute to the formation of a collective "body politic."

Part III focuses on the deliberate use of bodies in letters by correspondents as a means to cultivate intimacy, build social connections, and shape collective identities. It sheds light on the ways in which letters played a vital role in shaping personal and societal relationships during the eighteenth century.

This interdisciplinary volume, centered around letters, holds immense appeal to scholars and students engaged in eighteenth-century studies, cultural history, and literature. It provides a rich tapestry of insights that deepen our understanding of the complex interplay between letters and bodies in the long eighteenth century.

Weight: 690g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367461515