Women Authors of the the 18th and 19th Centuries

During the 18th century, women writers were not the majority,
yet they were a visible minority.
The male critics of female writers felt as though there were too many,
and the women authors were seen as a threat to male dominance.
Samuel Jackson wrote in a 1753 essay:

In former times, the pen like the sword, was considered as consigned by nature to the hands of men...the revolution of years has now produced a generation of Amazons of the pen, who with the spirit of masculine tyranny at defiance.

The increase of female writing was due to the growth of primary education for an increased number of "leisured women" In the 18th century, the standard for the middle class was steady and improving. Women were not heavily into economic activity yet became more moneyed, thus giving them time to study and educate themselves in literature. Publishing was also difficult, so many women submitted their works to ladies' magazines and periodicals. Women were paid very low prices for good works, and these writers who were published were the exception, not the rule.

Visit the Worp Site