Women in Eighteenth Century English Periodicals.

Abstract

This paper is based on a study of eighteenthcentury English periodicals, which are representative and illustrative of the thoughts of a large cross-section of upper-middle-class English society. The role of women in eighteenth-century society is discussed. Their position was generally reduced to an ornamental one, with subordination to, discrimination by and silence before men, though many lower class males suffered conditions not much better. Women in upper-class society shared many of the values of their male counterparts, displaying practically identical attitudes towards other races, the lower classes, revolutions, colonialism, religion, crime and punishment. Contemporary thinkers, both men and women, were pressing for an improvement in the place of women in society.

Contradictory attitudes towards women are shown. On the one hand, they can be paternalistic, defending the traditional “ornamental” role of “frail” woman. On the other hand, the education of women and girls is constantly demanded, especially in the sciences, by both male and female contributors.