Romanticism, Writing, and Sexual Difference

In the light of post-structuralism and feminist theory, this book reappraises "The Prelude" using Romantic autobiography, theatrical politics and history to outline the role of gender in Romantic self-representation and pedagogy. This is the first major study of the work by a scholar distinguished both as a Wordsworthian and as a feminist critic. A re-reading of The Prelude in the light of post-structuralist and feminist theory, Romanticism, Writing, and Sexual Difference is the first major study of The Prelude by an author distinguished both as a Wordsworthian and as a feminist critic. Beginning with Romantic autobiography, theatrical politics, and history, the book moves by way of Romantic attitudes to language, figuration, and voice to considering the role of gender in Romantic self-representation and pedagogy. Besides investigating different aspects of the high Romanticism exemplified by The Prelude, individual chapters explore writing by Burke, Rousseau, Hazlitt, Lamb, and De Quincey, while engaging with topics such as literary influence, New Historicism, or the gender-related aspects of Romantic criticism. Romanticism, Writing, and Sexual Difference is an important contribution not only to Wordsworth studies, but to current theoretical debates on both sides of the Atlantic as they bear on the history and politics (including sexual politics) of Romanticism itself.