Heirs to "Astrea's vacant throne": Behn's influence on Trotter, Pix, Manley and Centlivre.
Item
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Title
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Heirs to "Astrea's vacant throne": Behn's influence on Trotter, Pix, Manley and Centlivre.
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Identifier
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AAI9530861
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identifier
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9530861
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Creator
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Connor, Margarette Regina.
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Contributor
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Adviser: Robert Adams Day
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Date
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1995
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Literature, English | Biography | Theater
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Abstract
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An examination of how the influence of Aphra Behn is apparent in the writings of Catherine Trotter, Mary Pix, Delarivier Manley and Susanna Centlivre, this dissertation shows how these later writers consciously modelled themselves after Behn in order to create, while at the same time placing themselves in, a specifically female literary tradition. The three Female Wits and Centlivre all cite Behn as an inspiration and draw on her works to create their own. And although most are known as playwrights, like Behn, all also publish in other genres.;The most important link between Behn and the later writers is their shared sense of feminism. I am using Joan Kelly's broader definition of feminist as "defender" or "advocate," whose immediate aim was "to oppose the mistreatment of women, that they might have the knowledge and confidence to reject misogynistic claims.".;Because of their feminism, the later writers reflect Behn's interest in current politics. Like Behn, all four reflect current political flux in their works, but Manley and Centlivre and the most political. Because of the intricacies of the relationships between politics, religion and literature during the Restoration and early part of the eighteenth century, this dissertation sometime takes on an interdisciplinary cast as I discuss contemporary history and politics.;The introduction sets up the argument and gives a brief overview. Chapter one, which is about Aphra Behn, continues the introduction, and more specifically, gives an analysis of Behn's work, highlighting the major themes which will later appear in the work of the heirs: feminism, politics, philosophy, and homosexuality. I also give a brief biography since the facts surrounding Behn's life are in such an interesting state of flux.;In the body of the dissertation, each chapter addresses an individual writer. I give a biographical sketch, since many readers are unfamiliar with these four writers except perhaps as passing references, and then go on to trace Behn's themes in their works via close readings of the texts.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
