A Voice of Discontent: A Woman's Journey Through the Long Eighteenth Century

Jennifer C. Kelsey

Jan 2018 · Troubador Publishing Ltd

About this ebook

From early childhood experiences to the loneliness of old age, females of all ages and all classes living in the eighteenth century faced the same prejudice because of their sex. Not all women, however, were prepared to accept it; not all women appreciated being judged according to a double standard that had completely different expectations of men and boys, and allowed them to behave in a completely different way. Even for those who did accept the status quo, there were ways to make use of, or even exploit, the situations in which they found themselves. A Voice of Discontent provides a fascinating insight into women’s history. Written particularly for the general reader, it also shows how some women writers in the 18th and early 19th centuries voiced their discontent with the limited role they were expected to play in society, and the sometimes radical suggestions they were to make for the future. The reader is invited to step into their shoes for a little while, share their experiences, listen to their arguments, and see whether or not they were justified in raising A Voice of Discontent.

About the author

After fifteen years as a special needs teacher Jennifer C. Kelsey was inspired by two short courses at Birkbeck College – on women’s history and Victorian literature. She joined the British Library four years ago, spent a fortune on second-hand books and hasn’t stopped reading since. Happily married for 30 years, she has three grown-up children and three dogs.