Pope to Burney, 1714-1779 Scriblerians to Bluestockings [Paperback]

This essential guide defines literature of the eighteenth century as a literature written and received as public conversation. Moyra Haslett discusses and challenges conventional ways of reading the period, particularly in relation to notions of the public sphere. In her wide-ranging study, Haslett reads key texts - including The Dunciad, Gulliver's Travels and Pamela - in their literary and cultural contexts, and examines such genres as the periodical, the familiar letter, the verse epistle and the novel as textual equivalents of coterie culture.This book defines literature of the Eighteenth century as a literature written and received as public conversation. Moyra Haslett discusses and challenges conventional ways of reading the period, particularly in relation to ideas of the public sphere. Key texts (including The Dunciad, Gulliver's Travels and Pamela) are read through the context of their imitations and counter-fictions, and the new genres of the periodical, published letters and the novel are discussed as textual equivalents of coterie culture.

General Editor's Preface.- Preface.- Acknowledgements.- PART I: CONVERSATIONAL FORMS.- Introduction: Defining the Eighteenth Century: Public Sphere Conversations.- Literary Communities.- Social/Textual Forms.- Female Communities.- PART II: TEXTUAL CONVERSATIONS.- Introduction.- The Dunciad: Revisioning Literary History.- Gulliver's Travels: Ceding Interpretation.- The Political Controversies of Pamela.- Conclusion.- Chronology.- Key Concepts and Contexts.- Annotated Bibliography.- Bibliography.- Index.

MOYRA HASLETT lectures in the School of English at Queen's University, Belfast. Her previous publications include Marxist Literary and Cultural Theories which is also part of the Transitions series.This essential guide defines literaturlƒg