Comments on: Mary Wollstonecraft at 250: Are the Doors of Perception Still Open? http://www.historiann.com/2009/04/27/mary-wollstonecraft-at-250-are-the-doors-of-perception-still-open/ History and sexual politics, 1492 to the present Wed, 22 May 2013 16:06:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4 By: Roberta Wedge http://www.historiann.com/2009/04/27/mary-wollstonecraft-at-250-are-the-doors-of-perception-still-open/comment-page-1/#comment-323990 Roberta Wedge Sat, 30 May 2009 03:21:45 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=4842#comment-323990 For those of you who enabled your blog update alerts, and for anyone who is actually checking here, I have belatedly come, in answer to the request above, to announce that the BBC Radio 4 offerings are available (tagged on my Delicious account above). There are three "Letters to Mary", and two appearances on "Woman's Hour". Janet Todd, President of Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge, has a Wollstonecraft book out later this year, so she got both WH slots, and the first letter, in which she writes about ''Thoughts on the Education of Daughters''. Richard Reeves, director of the think-tank Demos, gets Letter 2, and writes to Mary about her Republicanism. This guy/chap has balls/cheek (depending on the geography of your anatomical analogies). Between recording and hearing the piece, he held the re-launch party for his think-thank, and it's almost an all-male line-up! Trustees: 6 men, 1 woman. Advisors: 21 men, 4 women. Natasha Walter, author of "The New Feminism", does the final letter. They are all on Listen Again, hurray for the BBC! For those of you who enabled your blog update alerts, and for anyone who is actually checking here, I have belatedly come, in answer to the request above, to announce that the BBC Radio 4 offerings are available (tagged on my Delicious account above). There are three “Letters to Mary”, and two appearances on “Woman’s Hour”. Janet Todd, President of Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge, has a Wollstonecraft book out later this year, so she got both WH slots, and the first letter, in which she writes about ”Thoughts on the Education of Daughters”.

Richard Reeves, director of the think-tank Demos, gets Letter 2, and writes to Mary about her Republicanism. This guy/chap has balls/cheek (depending on the geography of your anatomical analogies). Between recording and hearing the piece, he held the re-launch party for his think-thank, and it’s almost an all-male line-up! Trustees: 6 men, 1 woman. Advisors: 21 men, 4 women.

Natasha Walter, author of “The New Feminism”, does the final letter. They are all on Listen Again, hurray for the BBC!

]]> By: Wayne Bodle http://www.historiann.com/2009/04/27/mary-wollstonecraft-at-250-are-the-doors-of-perception-still-open/comment-page-1/#comment-303498 Wayne Bodle Tue, 28 Apr 2009 17:51:25 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=4842#comment-303498 Thanks very much, Roberta. I know one thing, I'm stayin' around for # 300 to see about this phenomenon, whatever it's named. They owe us one there! Thanks very much, Roberta. I know one thing, I’m stayin’ around for # 300 to see about this phenomenon, whatever it’s named. They owe us one there!

]]> By: Roberta Wedge http://www.historiann.com/2009/04/27/mary-wollstonecraft-at-250-are-the-doors-of-perception-still-open/comment-page-1/#comment-303475 Roberta Wedge Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:17:06 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=4842#comment-303475 I'm glad my first comment led to such response, and glad too for Historiann and Guest to give us this welcome opportunity to re-evaluate Mary. I maxed out my Google-fu over the past few weeks, drumming up publicity for the Unitarian group, as mentioned above, but over the past few days, especially yesterday, a few other good pieces have been written and posted or otherwise come to light. I have compiled them here: http://delicious.com/roberta.wedge/MaryWollstonecraft There were two academic seminars, for example, one in Norway and one in England; blog posts of a personal, political, or professional bent; news articles, local and international; amusements such as Twitter; source text of her books; location-specific London lore; feminist flights of fancy; etc. I wonder if there is a name for the phenomenon of people coming together around a significant anniversary, precisely because it is undercelebrated, and thus the following anniversary (significant year plus one) is marked with rather more noise. I have another idea up my capacious sleeve.... I’m glad my first comment led to such response, and glad too for Historiann and Guest to give us this welcome opportunity to re-evaluate Mary. I maxed out my Google-fu over the past few weeks, drumming up publicity for the Unitarian group, as mentioned above, but over the past few days, especially yesterday, a few other good pieces have been written and posted or otherwise come to light. I have compiled them here:
http://delicious.com/roberta.wedge/MaryWollstonecraft

There were two academic seminars, for example, one in Norway and one in England; blog posts of a personal, political, or professional bent; news articles, local and international; amusements such as Twitter; source text of her books; location-specific London lore; feminist flights of fancy; etc.

I wonder if there is a name for the phenomenon of people coming together around a significant anniversary, precisely because it is undercelebrated, and thus the following anniversary (significant year plus one) is marked with rather more noise. I have another idea up my capacious sleeve….

]]> By: Clio Bluestocking http://www.historiann.com/2009/04/27/mary-wollstonecraft-at-250-are-the-doors-of-perception-still-open/comment-page-1/#comment-303361 Clio Bluestocking Tue, 28 Apr 2009 13:47:51 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=4842#comment-303361 P.S. Did you know that Mary Wollstonecraft now Twitters: http://twitter.com/1759MaryWol1797? P.S. Did you know that Mary Wollstonecraft now Twitters: http://twitter.com/1759MaryWol1797?

]]> By: Clio Bluestocking http://www.historiann.com/2009/04/27/mary-wollstonecraft-at-250-are-the-doors-of-perception-still-open/comment-page-1/#comment-303319 Clio Bluestocking Tue, 28 Apr 2009 12:41:26 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=4842#comment-303319 This is fascinating, particularly the sibling angle. I wish I had read it about 10 years ago when I was working on a woman with 13 siblings. I had focused primarily on the influence of her parents and her possible interactions with slaves and servants, all to the exclusion of her brothers and sister. Wonderful post! I'm looking forward to reading more about her. This is fascinating, particularly the sibling angle. I wish I had read it about 10 years ago when I was working on a woman with 13 siblings. I had focused primarily on the influence of her parents and her possible interactions with slaves and servants, all to the exclusion of her brothers and sister.

Wonderful post! I’m looking forward to reading more about her.

]]> By: Penny http://www.historiann.com/2009/04/27/mary-wollstonecraft-at-250-are-the-doors-of-perception-still-open/comment-page-1/#comment-302847 Penny Tue, 28 Apr 2009 02:21:53 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=4842#comment-302847 Thanks for this--Mary Wollstonecraft and I share a birthday, which always makes me aware of her day! Thanks for this–Mary Wollstonecraft and I share a birthday, which always makes me aware of her day!

]]> By: Dr. Crazy http://www.historiann.com/2009/04/27/mary-wollstonecraft-at-250-are-the-doors-of-perception-still-open/comment-page-1/#comment-302694 Dr. Crazy Mon, 27 Apr 2009 23:43:11 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=4842#comment-302694 This post was so interesting for me to read as a lit person who has taught Vindication in the second half of the Brit Lit survey. Wollstonecraft is way out of my time period of specialization, but it's interesting to me her 250th isn't more celebrated.... particularly when I think about how prominent figures in literary studies ARE celebrated on just such occasions. For example, for Samuel Beckett's 100th there were three panels at the MLA, plus I'd imagine the Beckett people did other stuff on the day itself. Joyce's 100th produced a symposium and an essay collection (heck, even Bloomsday's 100th produced a year of events, including a symposium, and that was commemorating a day on which a novel was set, not even a real historical event). I suppose my examples, though, may give an indication that even in my neck of the woods we pay more attention to prominent male figures than female ones.... Anyway. I will say this, from my scholarship on Virginia Woolf, though. Woolf scholars pay a LOT of attention to her relationships with her siblings, and I've actually noticed something similar in my work on Joyce. I'm not sure what it says that literary studies seems to focus on sibling relationships more concretely than does history, but it was interesting to realize that talking about siblings in the discipline of history was somewhat unusual. It had never occurred to me that it would be. This post was so interesting for me to read as a lit person who has taught Vindication in the second half of the Brit Lit survey. Wollstonecraft is way out of my time period of specialization, but it’s interesting to me her 250th isn’t more celebrated…. particularly when I think about how prominent figures in literary studies ARE celebrated on just such occasions. For example, for Samuel Beckett’s 100th there were three panels at the MLA, plus I’d imagine the Beckett people did other stuff on the day itself. Joyce’s 100th produced a symposium and an essay collection (heck, even Bloomsday’s 100th produced a year of events, including a symposium, and that was commemorating a day on which a novel was set, not even a real historical event). I suppose my examples, though, may give an indication that even in my neck of the woods we pay more attention to prominent male figures than female ones…. Anyway.

I will say this, from my scholarship on Virginia Woolf, though. Woolf scholars pay a LOT of attention to her relationships with her siblings, and I’ve actually noticed something similar in my work on Joyce. I’m not sure what it says that literary studies seems to focus on sibling relationships more concretely than does history, but it was interesting to realize that talking about siblings in the discipline of history was somewhat unusual. It had never occurred to me that it would be.

]]> By: Susan http://www.historiann.com/2009/04/27/mary-wollstonecraft-at-250-are-the-doors-of-perception-still-open/comment-page-1/#comment-302544 Susan Mon, 27 Apr 2009 22:07:43 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=4842#comment-302544 Well, this is great, and I am reproved for not knowing that this was Wollstonecraft's 250th. I'm usually against all this commemorative stuff anyway, because it is often a way to marginalize a topic afterwards. I think one of the problems with Wollstonecraft is that we actually have a difficult relationship to her ideas. I've taught The Vindication, and it's hard going, not least because of the ideas of virtue etc. that run through it. So she's a foremother, kind of, but few people feel kinship with her ideas. That is different from the problem the 19th c had with her virtue, but it's still a problem. I think this is true of many of the 18th c thinkers -- I haven't seen huge amounts on Burke, or Paine, for instance. Somehow the Enlightenment is more distant than we think. Well, this is great, and I am reproved for not knowing that this was Wollstonecraft’s 250th. I’m usually against all this commemorative stuff anyway, because it is often a way to marginalize a topic afterwards.

I think one of the problems with Wollstonecraft is that we actually have a difficult relationship to her ideas. I’ve taught The Vindication, and it’s hard going, not least because of the ideas of virtue etc. that run through it. So she’s a foremother, kind of, but few people feel kinship with her ideas. That is different from the problem the 19th c had with her virtue, but it’s still a problem.

I think this is true of many of the 18th c thinkers — I haven’t seen huge amounts on Burke, or Paine, for instance. Somehow the Enlightenment is more distant than we think.

]]> By: Happy 250th Birthday Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) « Knitting Clio http://www.historiann.com/2009/04/27/mary-wollstonecraft-at-250-are-the-doors-of-perception-still-open/comment-page-1/#comment-302442 Happy 250th Birthday Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) « Knitting Clio Mon, 27 Apr 2009 21:08:41 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=4842#comment-302442 [...] later this week. Briefly, swine flu was a major topic of conversation).  Meanwhile, enjoy this guest post on Wollstonecraft at [...] [...] later this week. Briefly, swine flu was a major topic of conversation).  Meanwhile, enjoy this guest post on Wollstonecraft at [...]

]]> By: Wayne Bodle http://www.historiann.com/2009/04/27/mary-wollstonecraft-at-250-are-the-doors-of-perception-still-open/comment-page-1/#comment-302437 Wayne Bodle Mon, 27 Apr 2009 21:00:33 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=4842#comment-302437 Thanks to you too, Historiann. I should say here that Dallett Hemphill, of Ursinus College, is also working on siblings, as are a number of other people recently. We were even able to work up a well-attended panel at the Berks Conference last summer. It was over the top, I thought, in Wollstonecraft-avoidance, to log on to Google this morning and find that they had modified their famous logo for one day to acknowledge--in dots and dashes--the 118th birthday, in 1791, of Samuel F. B. Morse. I mean... Thanks to you too, Historiann. I should say here that Dallett Hemphill, of Ursinus College, is also working on siblings, as are a number of other people recently. We were even able to work up a well-attended panel at the Berks Conference last summer.

It was over the top, I thought, in Wollstonecraft-avoidance, to log on to Google this morning and find that they had modified their famous logo for one day to acknowledge–in dots and dashes–the 118th birthday, in 1791, of Samuel F. B. Morse. I mean…

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