Neenah Public Library

Pure wit, the revolutionary life of Margaret Cavendish, Francesca Peacock

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 293-341) and index

individual biography

illustrationsplates

index present

non fiction

Pure wit

bibliography

1384412003

Francesca Peacock

the revolutionary life of Margaret Cavendish

"Margaret Cavendish, then Lucas, was born in 1623 to an aristocratic family. In 1644, as England descended into civil war, she joined the court of the formidable Queen Henrietta Maria at Oxford. With the rest of the court she went into self-imposed exile in France. Her family's wealth and lands were forfeited by Parliament. It was in France that she met her partner, William Cavendish, Marquess of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, a marriage that made her the Duchess of Newcastle and would remain at the heart of both her life and career. Margaret was a passionate writer. She wrote extensively on gender, science, philosophy, and published under her own name at a time when women simply did not do so. Her greatest work was The Blazing World, published in 1666, a utopian proto-novel that is thought to be one of the earliest works of science fiction that brought together Margaret's talents in poetry, philosophy, and science. Yet hers is a legacy that has long divided opinion, and history has largely forgotten her, an undeserved fate for a brilliant, courageous proto-feminist. In Pure Wit, Francesca Peacock remedies this omission and shines a spotlight on the fascinating, pioneering, yet often complex and controversial life, of the multi-faceted Margaret Cavendish."--Amazon.com

Author's note -- Introduction: the empress and authoress of a whole world -- The monstrous regiment of women -- This unnatural war came like a whirlwind -- Generalissimas and she-soldiers -- On sorrow's billows this ship was tossed -- It is hard to get children with good courage -- A sumptuous banquet for the brain -- The first English poet of your sex -- We women are miserable -- I have been asleep sixteen years -- Women's kisses are unnatural -- The thrice noble, illustrious, and excellent Princess of Philosophy -- The Duchess of Newcastle is all the subject now discoursed on -- What will survive of us is books -- Doubt of an after being -- Appendix 1: Works by Margaret Cavendish -- Appendix 2: Other abbreviated works -- Appendix 3: Abbreviations -- Bibliography -- Notes -- Image credits -- Acknowledgements -- Index

adult

Revolutionary life of Margaret Cavendish