Victorian Women Writers and the Other Germany: Cross-Cultural Freedoms and Female Opportunity

This study highlights the alternative, emancipatory Germany explored by progressive women writers in the long nineteenth century, offering a degree of freedom and intellectual agency unheard of in England. It showcases the work of well-known and lesser-known writers, such as Elizabeth Gaskell, George Eliot, Michael Field, Elizabeth von Arnim, Vernon Lee, Mary and Anna Mary Howitt, Jessie Fothergill, and Amy Levy, who championed cultural exchange and introduced an alternative Germany into English letters.

Format: Hardback
Length: 285 pages
Publication date: 09 June 2022
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

This captivating study delves into the previously unexplored realm of alternative, emancipatory Germany, as revealed and documented by progressive women writers throughout the long nineteenth century. By shedding new light on this previously unknown country, Linda K. Hughes unveils a nation that offered a level of freedom and intellectual agency unheard of in England. The journey begins with the captivating account of Anna Jameson and her close friendship with the renowned Ottilie von Goethe, providing a poignant backdrop for the subsequent exploration. Hughes demonstrates how cultural differences fueled the advocacy of progressive ideas among these ten writers, offering fresh perspectives and opportunities for their publishing careers. Alongside well-known figures such as Elizabeth Gaskell, George Eliot, Michael Field, Elizabeth von Arnim, and Vernon Lee, this study also delves into the lesser-known talents of Mary and Anna Mary Howitt, Jessie Fothergill, and the significant Anglo-Jewish lesbian writer Amy Levy. What sets these women apart is their command of the German language, which empowered them to champion an extraordinarily productive openness to cultural exchange. By approaching Germany through a feminine lens, they introduced an alternative, other Germany into the English literary landscape, enriching the cultural tapestry with their unique perspectives and experiences.

Weight: 582g
Dimension: 159 x 235 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781316512845