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The Blazing World and Other Writings
The Blazing World is a highly original part Utopian fiction, part feminist text, it tells of a lady shipwrecked on the Blazing World where she is made Empress and uses her power to ensure that it is free of war, religious division and unfair sexual discrimination. This volume also includes The Contract, a romance in which love and law work harmoniously together, and Assaulted and Pursued Chastity, which explores the power and freedom a woman can achieve in the disguise of a man.
For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
272 pages, Paperback
Published October 1, 1994
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6589 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Cavendish
151 books146 followersMargaret Lucas Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle, was the youngest child of a wealthy Essex family. At the age of 20 she became Maid of Honour to Queen Henrietta Maria and traveled with her into Persian exile in 1644. There she married William Cavendish, Marquis (later Duke) of Newcastle.
Between 1653 and 1668 she published many books on a wide variety of subjects, including many stories that are now regarded as some of the earliest examples of science fiction.
Between 1653 and 1668 she published many books on a wide variety of subjects, including many stories that are now regarded as some of the earliest examples of science fiction.
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April 22, 2019As sci-fi/fantasy this is way ahead of its time. A young woman is carried away by a suitor, but their vessel is driven off course toward the North Pole. At the pole one can access a parallel world (our pole meets their pole there, and the sun of the other world becomes visible) where bears, foxes, and geese have evolved to becomes dominant species with civilizations and advanced technology. Unlike humans, they get along fine, although there is still war in the Blazing World, an archipelagic city-state ruled by an emperor. Wind power seems to be dominant, including engines for ships.
Unfortunately everything seemed to be sketched in quite cursorily, and there isn't much in the way of plot or character development, at least as far as I've read. It's like a quick bus tour of an amazing unfamiliar city: That's a statyr over there talking to that goose person -- look, there's the emperor's palace! see how tall the building is? -- that way toward the docks you can sort of make out the experimental philosophers working on a new air blaster.... Now, twenty minutes for lunch and then it's back to the boat, don't be late!
And if I ever get around to finishing this, then maybe I will read A Description of the Blazing World.
Unfortunately everything seemed to be sketched in quite cursorily, and there isn't much in the way of plot or character development, at least as far as I've read. It's like a quick bus tour of an amazing unfamiliar city: That's a statyr over there talking to that goose person -- look, there's the emperor's palace! see how tall the building is? -- that way toward the docks you can sort of make out the experimental philosophers working on a new air blaster.... Now, twenty minutes for lunch and then it's back to the boat, don't be late!
And if I ever get around to finishing this, then maybe I will read A Description of the Blazing World.
Want to read
April 6, 2024first ever sci-fi book (published 1666) & also written by a women!!
February 6, 2022
Here are the odd bits upfront:
Margaret Cavendish is known for being crazy, freakishly manly, a total upstart that tweaked all the noses of the men's publishing world of 1666 when she wrote this utopian SF.
In actual fact, she just insisted on having her fair share of popularity, trying new and old forms of entertainment while stressing the right of women to be able to use their heads and hearts as they see fit. It's not a hard thing to imagine, considering that she's a generation or two after Queen Elizabeth and a survivor of the backlash that was the English Civil War. Not to mention a title like this on the very year of the Great Fire in London. It's obvious she was provocative... but not a bad writer, unlike what all those stuffed shirts say.
Cavendish wrote one of the first SFs. Utopia, was, of course, one of the most well-known early SFs, but Moore wasn't a woman and didn't give a farthing to the plight of women.
Am I faint praising Cavendish, though? No, no, not at all. I found the Blazing World, itself, to be rather charming and SO FAMILIAR. Why? Because I could see ALL the most beloved aspects of Pullman's fantasy series put on full worldbuilding display in HER ORIGINAL WORK. Not to mention a full Fantasy series by Adrian Tchaikovsky, a gorgeous historical fantasy by Catherynne M. Valente about Prester John, or practically any work that put talking animals in it.
With clever turns of phrase, wonderful worldbuilding, and even if the scientific observations and extrapolations were funky, they WERE in line with the understandings of the time.
As for the other tales, one being a romance, I thought it was WRY as hell and funny. It might have been a re-telling of Cavendish's own life in romantic terms, but it was still rather skewery on the whole social system. :)
All in all, I had a pretty awesome time reading this. I expected much worse, going by all the tons and tons of professional critics of almost 400 years. But no, this is remarkable because it reads... normal by today's standards, but we also know that it's extremely ABNORMAL by theirs.
Some props ARE deserved.
Margaret Cavendish is known for being crazy, freakishly manly, a total upstart that tweaked all the noses of the men's publishing world of 1666 when she wrote this utopian SF.
In actual fact, she just insisted on having her fair share of popularity, trying new and old forms of entertainment while stressing the right of women to be able to use their heads and hearts as they see fit. It's not a hard thing to imagine, considering that she's a generation or two after Queen Elizabeth and a survivor of the backlash that was the English Civil War. Not to mention a title like this on the very year of the Great Fire in London. It's obvious she was provocative... but not a bad writer, unlike what all those stuffed shirts say.
Cavendish wrote one of the first SFs. Utopia, was, of course, one of the most well-known early SFs, but Moore wasn't a woman and didn't give a farthing to the plight of women.
Am I faint praising Cavendish, though? No, no, not at all. I found the Blazing World, itself, to be rather charming and SO FAMILIAR. Why? Because I could see ALL the most beloved aspects of Pullman's fantasy series put on full worldbuilding display in HER ORIGINAL WORK. Not to mention a full Fantasy series by Adrian Tchaikovsky, a gorgeous historical fantasy by Catherynne M. Valente about Prester John, or practically any work that put talking animals in it.
With clever turns of phrase, wonderful worldbuilding, and even if the scientific observations and extrapolations were funky, they WERE in line with the understandings of the time.
As for the other tales, one being a romance, I thought it was WRY as hell and funny. It might have been a re-telling of Cavendish's own life in romantic terms, but it was still rather skewery on the whole social system. :)
All in all, I had a pretty awesome time reading this. I expected much worse, going by all the tons and tons of professional critics of almost 400 years. But no, this is remarkable because it reads... normal by today's standards, but we also know that it's extremely ABNORMAL by theirs.
Some props ARE deserved.
December 16, 2022
I first heard about Margaret Cavendish’s The Blazing World through a friend on Google+ and was intrigued. A female science fiction writer from the time of the Plague and the Great Fire of London? Since the kindle version is so extraordinarily cheap I had to follow this through, and am very glad that I did.
First though, let me say that not all readers will enjoy this book (as is obvious from other reviews!). It is, naturally enough, written in an older form of English in which many words do not have quite the same sense as today. The most obvious example is “artificial". Today, if we see “artificial” in contrast to “natural” we tend to think that using “artificial” suggests that the thing is lacking in some way, clunky in comparison with the natural. But in the 17th century, it was used to indicate that something has been made by art, or artifice if you like, and so reveals something of ingenuity or creativity, as opposed to a raw product. A precious stone just out of the ground would be natural; the polished and shaped gem would be artificial.
Also, Margaret had no interest in fulfilling the plot expectations of some modern critics. Many things do happen, and I found the overall imaginative sweep gripping, but you won’t find a visceral cliff-hanger every few pages. Personally I liked this and it was a refreshing change from some of the formulaic modern material one encounters.
Finally, Margaret is just as interested – perhaps more so – in the philosophical shape of her world as the material one. There are descriptions of the physical layout of the Blazing World and how it might be accessed from our own. But there are also long sections in which one of the main female characters engages in intellectual debate with some of that world’s schools and learned institutions. Some of these are sympathetically presented, others plainly satirical, though you would have to know more than I about the intellectual landscape of her time to really appreciate the satire. It’s a bit like reading parts of Dante and trying to puzzle out why a particular person is being lampooned.
All in all, some modern readers would become impatient and frustrated with the book. For those who persevere with it, the gentle charm of the book draws you in. There is an inter-planetary war, and the invention of devices like submarines and torpedoes, but the real interest is in the intimacy of human contact, and the ultimate superiority of the world of the imagination over the world of external things. Particularly striking examples are “Why should you desire to be Empress of a Material World… when as by creating a World within yourself, you may enjoy … as much pleasure and delight as a World can afford you“, and again “if any should like the World I have made.and be willing to be my Subjects, they may imagine themselves such… but if they cannot endure to be Subjects, they may create Worlds of their own“. This theme increasingly comes to drive the narrative.
I became convinced as I read that modern authors such as Arthur C. Clarke have been influenced by The Blazing World. I was particularly reminded of the passage from 2001: “So almost certainly there is enough land in the sky to give every member of the human species, back to the first ape-man, his own private, world-sized heaven–or hell” – though in that case Clarke was thinking purely concretely in terms of stars in our galaxy, rather than imaginatively.
So five stars from me, along with a sincere wish that in whatever form Margaret might yet survive, she is able to receive modern appreciation of her work. This tale is not for everyone, certainly not for those who are impatient for a high-octane or erotically-charged plot, but personally I thoroughly enjoyed meeting this work and its author.
First though, let me say that not all readers will enjoy this book (as is obvious from other reviews!). It is, naturally enough, written in an older form of English in which many words do not have quite the same sense as today. The most obvious example is “artificial". Today, if we see “artificial” in contrast to “natural” we tend to think that using “artificial” suggests that the thing is lacking in some way, clunky in comparison with the natural. But in the 17th century, it was used to indicate that something has been made by art, or artifice if you like, and so reveals something of ingenuity or creativity, as opposed to a raw product. A precious stone just out of the ground would be natural; the polished and shaped gem would be artificial.
Also, Margaret had no interest in fulfilling the plot expectations of some modern critics. Many things do happen, and I found the overall imaginative sweep gripping, but you won’t find a visceral cliff-hanger every few pages. Personally I liked this and it was a refreshing change from some of the formulaic modern material one encounters.
Finally, Margaret is just as interested – perhaps more so – in the philosophical shape of her world as the material one. There are descriptions of the physical layout of the Blazing World and how it might be accessed from our own. But there are also long sections in which one of the main female characters engages in intellectual debate with some of that world’s schools and learned institutions. Some of these are sympathetically presented, others plainly satirical, though you would have to know more than I about the intellectual landscape of her time to really appreciate the satire. It’s a bit like reading parts of Dante and trying to puzzle out why a particular person is being lampooned.
All in all, some modern readers would become impatient and frustrated with the book. For those who persevere with it, the gentle charm of the book draws you in. There is an inter-planetary war, and the invention of devices like submarines and torpedoes, but the real interest is in the intimacy of human contact, and the ultimate superiority of the world of the imagination over the world of external things. Particularly striking examples are “Why should you desire to be Empress of a Material World… when as by creating a World within yourself, you may enjoy … as much pleasure and delight as a World can afford you“, and again “if any should like the World I have made.and be willing to be my Subjects, they may imagine themselves such… but if they cannot endure to be Subjects, they may create Worlds of their own“. This theme increasingly comes to drive the narrative.
I became convinced as I read that modern authors such as Arthur C. Clarke have been influenced by The Blazing World. I was particularly reminded of the passage from 2001: “So almost certainly there is enough land in the sky to give every member of the human species, back to the first ape-man, his own private, world-sized heaven–or hell” – though in that case Clarke was thinking purely concretely in terms of stars in our galaxy, rather than imaginatively.
So five stars from me, along with a sincere wish that in whatever form Margaret might yet survive, she is able to receive modern appreciation of her work. This tale is not for everyone, certainly not for those who are impatient for a high-octane or erotically-charged plot, but personally I thoroughly enjoyed meeting this work and its author.
March 11, 2018
Ever since I read Danielle Dutton’s novel “Margaret the First” which fictionalizes the life of Margaret Cavendish and Siri Hustvedt’s extraordinary novel about a misunderstood female artist “The Blazing World”, I’ve had a fascination with this pioneering writer of the 17th century and wanted to read her books. Earlier this year I attended a feminist book club meeting about Dutton’s novel and that reignited my interest in Cavendish. In the lead up to the announcement of this year’s longlist announcement for The Women’s Prize for Fiction, it seemed like a great time to explore this intrepid figure’s writing. “The Blazing World” was first published in 1666 and is often considered a forerunner to both science fiction and the utopian novel genres. It’s a totally bonkers story of a woman who is stolen away to the North Pole only to find herself in a strange bejewelled kingdom of which she becomes the supreme Empress. Here she consults with many different animal/insect people about philosophical, religious and scientific ideas. The second half of the book pulls off a meta-fictional trick where Cavendish (as the Duchess of Newcastle) enters the story herself to become the Empress’ scribe and close companion. It was impossible for me to read this novel without thinking of Dutton’s text which gives an impression of the real struggles Cavendish faced in her life as well as her eccentric personality.
Read my full review of The Blazing World by Margaret Cavendish on LonesomeReader
Read my full review of The Blazing World by Margaret Cavendish on LonesomeReader
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April 1, 2018What a strange book, befitting the reputation of its author – the 17th-century English duchess Margaret Cavendish, one of the first women authors to consistently publish under her own name. These three tales (The Contract, Assaulted and Pursued Chastity, and The Blazing World) are filled with ideas about the power of virtue, the fluidity of gender, the wonder and perplexity of scientific theories, and the importance of speaking your own truth (whether it’s fashionable or not). Although Cavendish’s voice is delightful – wry and warm – she couldn’t care less about things like transitions, punctuation, or paragraphs, meaning you get huge blocks of text that leap all over the place. I waded through this overwhelming swirl of thoughts over the course of a month (I usually couldn’t handle more than ten pages at a time), and I’m glad I put in the effort.
May 5, 2017
This review was originally published at: warmdayswillnevercease.wordpress.com
I’m going to consider each story separately and then the collection as a whole because I think each story deserves attention rather than just the title story.
The Contract (1656)
The Contract is 40 pages long in this edition and it deals with love, duty, and the law. A very young girl in the care of her uncle is married to an older man her at the request of his father who is about to die. She continues to live with her uncle as her ‘husband’, a Duke, goes away and marries another woman unlawfully. When the young girl in the story grows into a beautiful lady her uncle makes her attend court where she catches the attention of a Viceroy and the young Duke that she was married to as a child.
The writing is complex and since the work is prose there are no chapters, although there are paragraphs and indented sections which denote long speeches, and there is a lot of ‘said she’ and ‘said he’ to indicate speech rather than the punctuation that we recognise today. I loved the plot because it was complicated and it showcases a highly-educated young woman who knows her own mind. Yes, she is beautiful but she knows that her intelligence and wit will last much longer than her youth and beauty.
Assaulted and Pursued Chastity (1656)
The second story in this collection is longer than the first at 71 pages long in the Penguin Classics edition. Once again this story is prose so there are no chapters which can be rather confusing in this story as Cavendish changes scenes very quickly and without even breaking into a new paragraph. However, the writing is descriptive and captivating. The plot is full of war, intrigue and power while questioning gender roles and even sexuality as a young woman poses as a man in order to travel the world and escape the man who loves her. She finds herself leading an army for a Queen who is in love with her and fully embracing the freedom that being a man gives her. This story is incredible but some aspects did make me pause as a 21st century reader, like casual mentions of cannibalism in Africa etc. It’s to be expected from this era of writing and I accept it as a product of it’s time.
The Description of a New World, Called The Blazing World (1666)
This story is perhaps Cavendish’s most well known piece of prose and it’s 102 pages long in the edition that I own. It depicts a peaceful Utopian world where the Empress is knowledgeable in science and philosophy and challenges accepted gender roles. It’s a piece of protofeminist fiction and it is considered a forerunner of science fiction although it also contains romance, autobiography, and adventure.
I love the ‘note to the reader’ at the beginning of the story and the ‘epilogue to the reader’ at the end because they give an insight into Cavendish herself, who is attempting to ‘repair [her] noble lord and husband’s losses’ as well as become the ‘Authoress of a whole world’, and to the type of person she is writing for.
The main plot is very simple. A woman is the lone survivor of a shipwreck and she enters a new world, the Blazing World, via the north pole. Here she encounters talking animals, giants, and mermen whom are knowledgeable in different areas of science, law, and philosophy. She becomes their Empress and endeavours to know everything about the world that she now rules which means that the story is heavy on description and explanation. This seems a bit dense and difficult to read at times but it’s just the first part of the story. The Empress has a friend, the Duchess of Newcastle (Margaret), who desires to be the Empress of her own world. They’re able to invade the Empress’ original world and the Duchess and the Empress become Platonic lovers who share souls. It’s a fantastic, satirical tale and I really enjoyed it even if the first third was extremely descriptive.
Overall, this is a very coherent collection that explores the roles that women play in society and how they can gain freedom through education (and the occasional bout of cross-dressing). Cavendish’s protofeminist work gives an insight into her society and her own mind as she represented women a independent even in stories centred around romance.
I thoroughly enjoyed this collection and I’d love to read more of Cavendish’s work in the future. The language is difficult but it’s from the 17th century so it’s to be expected. Plus, I’m a Renaissance/Early Modern scholar so it’s perfect for me.
I’m going to consider each story separately and then the collection as a whole because I think each story deserves attention rather than just the title story.
The Contract (1656)
The Contract is 40 pages long in this edition and it deals with love, duty, and the law. A very young girl in the care of her uncle is married to an older man her at the request of his father who is about to die. She continues to live with her uncle as her ‘husband’, a Duke, goes away and marries another woman unlawfully. When the young girl in the story grows into a beautiful lady her uncle makes her attend court where she catches the attention of a Viceroy and the young Duke that she was married to as a child.
The writing is complex and since the work is prose there are no chapters, although there are paragraphs and indented sections which denote long speeches, and there is a lot of ‘said she’ and ‘said he’ to indicate speech rather than the punctuation that we recognise today. I loved the plot because it was complicated and it showcases a highly-educated young woman who knows her own mind. Yes, she is beautiful but she knows that her intelligence and wit will last much longer than her youth and beauty.
Assaulted and Pursued Chastity (1656)
The second story in this collection is longer than the first at 71 pages long in the Penguin Classics edition. Once again this story is prose so there are no chapters which can be rather confusing in this story as Cavendish changes scenes very quickly and without even breaking into a new paragraph. However, the writing is descriptive and captivating. The plot is full of war, intrigue and power while questioning gender roles and even sexuality as a young woman poses as a man in order to travel the world and escape the man who loves her. She finds herself leading an army for a Queen who is in love with her and fully embracing the freedom that being a man gives her. This story is incredible but some aspects did make me pause as a 21st century reader, like casual mentions of cannibalism in Africa etc. It’s to be expected from this era of writing and I accept it as a product of it’s time.
The Description of a New World, Called The Blazing World (1666)
This story is perhaps Cavendish’s most well known piece of prose and it’s 102 pages long in the edition that I own. It depicts a peaceful Utopian world where the Empress is knowledgeable in science and philosophy and challenges accepted gender roles. It’s a piece of protofeminist fiction and it is considered a forerunner of science fiction although it also contains romance, autobiography, and adventure.
I love the ‘note to the reader’ at the beginning of the story and the ‘epilogue to the reader’ at the end because they give an insight into Cavendish herself, who is attempting to ‘repair [her] noble lord and husband’s losses’ as well as become the ‘Authoress of a whole world’, and to the type of person she is writing for.
The main plot is very simple. A woman is the lone survivor of a shipwreck and she enters a new world, the Blazing World, via the north pole. Here she encounters talking animals, giants, and mermen whom are knowledgeable in different areas of science, law, and philosophy. She becomes their Empress and endeavours to know everything about the world that she now rules which means that the story is heavy on description and explanation. This seems a bit dense and difficult to read at times but it’s just the first part of the story. The Empress has a friend, the Duchess of Newcastle (Margaret), who desires to be the Empress of her own world. They’re able to invade the Empress’ original world and the Duchess and the Empress become Platonic lovers who share souls. It’s a fantastic, satirical tale and I really enjoyed it even if the first third was extremely descriptive.
Overall, this is a very coherent collection that explores the roles that women play in society and how they can gain freedom through education (and the occasional bout of cross-dressing). Cavendish’s protofeminist work gives an insight into her society and her own mind as she represented women a independent even in stories centred around romance.
I thoroughly enjoyed this collection and I’d love to read more of Cavendish’s work in the future. The language is difficult but it’s from the 17th century so it’s to be expected. Plus, I’m a Renaissance/Early Modern scholar so it’s perfect for me.
October 24, 2023
I respect that this was way ahead of its time in 1666 but it just didn't age well, reading it was a painful slog through outlandish ideas of science, astrology, zoology that Margaret mixed with her own strange philosophies and an experienced Reader can easily tell this wasn't written to tell a story - it was written as eccentricity and I'm not into that.
Virginia Woolf, in A Room of One’s Own, describes Margaret as "a vision of loneliness and riot, as if some giant cucumber had spread itself over all the roses and carnations in the garden and chocked them to death."
What the fuck does that even mean, Virginia? If there was ever a time to raise her from the dead just to slap her over the face with her own pretentious nonsense, this is it.
Meanwhile, Pepys on Thursday 30 May 1667:
"After dinner I walked to Arundell House, the way very dusty, the day of meeting of the Society being changed from Wednesday to Thursday, where I find much company, indeed very much company, in expectation of the Duchesse of Newcastle, who had desired to be invited to the Society; and was, after much debate, pro and con., it seems many being against it; and we do believe the town will be full of ballads of it. The Duchesse hath been a good, comely woman; but her dress so antick, and her deportment so ordinary, that I do not like her at all, nor did I hear her say any thing that was worth hearing, but that she was full of admiration, all admiration."
I can tell.
Just as I can tell she could have thrown her "desire to be invited to the Society" in the first mud puddle had she not carried that "Duchess" appellative in front of her name.
Virginia Woolf, in A Room of One’s Own, describes Margaret as "a vision of loneliness and riot, as if some giant cucumber had spread itself over all the roses and carnations in the garden and chocked them to death."
What the fuck does that even mean, Virginia? If there was ever a time to raise her from the dead just to slap her over the face with her own pretentious nonsense, this is it.
Meanwhile, Pepys on Thursday 30 May 1667:
"After dinner I walked to Arundell House, the way very dusty, the day of meeting of the Society being changed from Wednesday to Thursday, where I find much company, indeed very much company, in expectation of the Duchesse of Newcastle, who had desired to be invited to the Society; and was, after much debate, pro and con., it seems many being against it; and we do believe the town will be full of ballads of it. The Duchesse hath been a good, comely woman; but her dress so antick, and her deportment so ordinary, that I do not like her at all, nor did I hear her say any thing that was worth hearing, but that she was full of admiration, all admiration."
I can tell.
Just as I can tell she could have thrown her "desire to be invited to the Society" in the first mud puddle had she not carried that "Duchess" appellative in front of her name.
June 10, 2016
Margaret Cavendish was an eccentric and nothing shows that more clearly than her Utopian fantasy A Blazing World. Drawing self-consciously on More and other male writers, she creates what has been called a 'feminist' Utopia, although I'm not sure in what this consists other than the fact that its written by a woman.
Full of strange hybrid men-animals (including the talking worm men) this showcases the breadth of Cavendish's reading (science, astronomy, medicine, philosophy) but muddles it all up and turns into something close to science fiction.
Cavendish also writes herself into this mad world when she is brought to be the best platonic friend of the empress, and includes her husband in what might be the first disembodied threesome in English fiction...
Completely mad and yet somehow completely compelling, this is worth reading as part of the canon of Early Modern female writers alongside Mary Wroth and Aphra Behn. Fun, distinctive and eccentric.
Full of strange hybrid men-animals (including the talking worm men) this showcases the breadth of Cavendish's reading (science, astronomy, medicine, philosophy) but muddles it all up and turns into something close to science fiction.
Cavendish also writes herself into this mad world when she is brought to be the best platonic friend of the empress, and includes her husband in what might be the first disembodied threesome in English fiction...
Completely mad and yet somehow completely compelling, this is worth reading as part of the canon of Early Modern female writers alongside Mary Wroth and Aphra Behn. Fun, distinctive and eccentric.
January 25, 2016
Acknowledgements
Introduction & Notes
Note on this Edition
Chronology
Works by Margaret Cavendish
Further Reading
From Nature's Pictures (1656)
--'The Contract'
--'Assaulted and Pursued Chastity'
--The Description of a New World, Called The Blazing World (1666)
Notes
Introduction & Notes
Note on this Edition
Chronology
Works by Margaret Cavendish
Further Reading
From Nature's Pictures (1656)
--'The Contract'
--'Assaulted and Pursued Chastity'
--The Description of a New World, Called The Blazing World (1666)
Notes
October 17, 2020
Die Mühsal des Lesens dominiert leider, ein Buch, das für die meisten Leser nur noch unter literaturhistorischen Aspekten interessant sein dürfte.
Sehr ärgerlich finde ich übrigens die Einordnung als "frühesten SF=Roman". Das tut der Autorin Unrecht und ist als Gattungsbezeichnung aus meiner Sicht Quatsch.
Sehr ärgerlich finde ich übrigens die Einordnung als "frühesten SF=Roman". Das tut der Autorin Unrecht und ist als Gattungsbezeichnung aus meiner Sicht Quatsch.
July 1, 2020
Thanks to a GR friend pointing me to Margaret Cavendish, where I would have completely missed reading this wonderful mix of romance and a kind of a wackiness leaning to the bizarre. Written in the mid-1600s, right off Margaret Cavendish’s feisty and wild imagination came through. This Penguin edition has three works, the first two are romances, I found both to be page turners with their heroines trying to balance what is expected from them with the life they wish to lead. Both heroines are independent and smart, and surprised me in their interest to read books and be learned. Women, books and education have had a tricky journey through history, making these heroines have a verve of modernity about them in their drive for independence, and their skills to take care of them.
The first story, The Contract, is a touch whimsical but the heroine, Lady Deletia, remains firm. The second story, the title a bit of a mouthful, Assaulted and Pursued Chastity, is the action-packed equivalent of that time, as the heroine of many names, one being Travellia, tries to get away from the clasps of a lusty married man, and in doing so she travels and has adventures .
The third work, The Description of a New World, Called the Blazing World, is a fantastical sci-fi with a philosophical voice. It’s beginning resonates the same theme of a woman being chased by a man and is kidnapped. Whilst at sea she is the only survivor left where she ends up in the North Pole of another world. From here the story switches from story mode to being kind of a treatise / thought experiment, where now it’s also a question-answer format, like Plato’s work. This is how I processed it otherwise it just would have been too wacky with talking creatures that are half men, as it surveys the geography of this land, its inhabitants, their philosophical and religious beliefs, and societal make-up. Some topics discussed are: monarchy, government, astronomy, other worlds, religion, god and Utopia.
I think I would have been completely thrown by this third work if it wasn’t for this edition’s intro essay. It also helped I kind of knew scraps of England’s history of Charles I, the English Civil War and the Restoration. In reading this, I was amused by Margaret Cavendish’s ingenuity of voicing her political opinions by setting up this hypothetical land. This was loaded, making her views clear and something I doubt she would have got away with if she had published it a decade earlier. Though structurally, what thrilled me about reading this was when the Empress befriends a Duchess, who turns out to be the Duchess of Newcastle. When Margret Cavendish marries in 1645 she inherits the title Duchess of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, adding intriguing layers to what was going on here as that line between fiction and reality is blurred.
The first story, The Contract, is a touch whimsical but the heroine, Lady Deletia, remains firm. The second story, the title a bit of a mouthful, Assaulted and Pursued Chastity, is the action-packed equivalent of that time, as the heroine of many names, one being Travellia, tries to get away from the clasps of a lusty married man, and in doing so she travels and has adventures .
The third work, The Description of a New World, Called the Blazing World, is a fantastical sci-fi with a philosophical voice. It’s beginning resonates the same theme of a woman being chased by a man and is kidnapped. Whilst at sea she is the only survivor left where she ends up in the North Pole of another world. From here the story switches from story mode to being kind of a treatise / thought experiment, where now it’s also a question-answer format, like Plato’s work. This is how I processed it otherwise it just would have been too wacky with talking creatures that are half men, as it surveys the geography of this land, its inhabitants, their philosophical and religious beliefs, and societal make-up. Some topics discussed are: monarchy, government, astronomy, other worlds, religion, god and Utopia.
I think I would have been completely thrown by this third work if it wasn’t for this edition’s intro essay. It also helped I kind of knew scraps of England’s history of Charles I, the English Civil War and the Restoration. In reading this, I was amused by Margaret Cavendish’s ingenuity of voicing her political opinions by setting up this hypothetical land. This was loaded, making her views clear and something I doubt she would have got away with if she had published it a decade earlier. Though structurally, what thrilled me about reading this was when the Empress befriends a Duchess, who turns out to be the Duchess of Newcastle. When Margret Cavendish marries in 1645 she inherits the title Duchess of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, adding intriguing layers to what was going on here as that line between fiction and reality is blurred.
December 24, 2008
Ok, so a lady is kidnapped by horny merchants, shipwrecked, rescued by "bear-men" from another dimension, escorted to said dimension, MADE EMPRESS of said dimension, receives instruction in metaphysics from a procession of "fly-men," "worm-men," giants, etc., and goes on to have a multi-dimensional 3-way (platonic) love-fest with the author (!) and her husband, culminating in an fiery orgy of violence and yet another piece of evidence (along with Quixote) that everything 'postmodern' was already done in the 17th century.
All that said, the first half (where the Empress asks all her freakish subjects what's on their minds) is honestly pretty boring. Shrug.
All that said, the first half (where the Empress asks all her freakish subjects what's on their minds) is honestly pretty boring. Shrug.
October 25, 2021
early-modern self-insert fanfic
April 21, 2021
I've only read The Blazing World. A Sci-fi from 1666 and by a woman! Safe to say I was intruiged to read this when I found it. It was very cool to read a Sci-fi from 1666, didn't know the genre started so early, not sure if there is even earlier Sci fi stories out there. It had some really cool elements but didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted but I'm glad I had this experience
March 9, 2015
Margaret Cavendish lived a radical life. She blended genres to come up with one of the earliest works of utopian science fiction. While thoroughly early-modern in its tone, a thinly-veiled structure in which to present her ideas on natural philosophy and sass those whom she thought stupid, The Blazing World provides an empowering narrative for Early Modern women. In particular the second half (in reality about a quarter or less of the text) is exciting and action-packed.
Margaret deserves more recognition than she gets.
Margaret deserves more recognition than she gets.
March 9, 2025
I do not like giving this book a rating. I did not actually "like" it, though I found it interesting. The first romance in this volume was amusing, I had no patience for the second, and the utopian vision of The Blazing World was about using fiction to discuss and play out the values and position of Cavendish (in 1666). Not a particularly nice person. (Neither the Empress nor Cavendish.)
I grew tired of objects made of precious gems, blazing diamonds, flaming metals, and so forth. It was all too much.
The typical set-up for a utopia is to introduce a stranger from our society into theirs and have them ask a great many questions in order to understand how the utopian society functions. A young woman is kidnapped (she is so very beautiful and men cannot resist) and taken to another planet where it joins the Earth at a pole. (The man thankfully drowns and is removed from the narrative.) This beautiful and virtuous young lady meets a series of "men" but is eventually handed over to the Emperor, who promptly falls in love with her, marries her, and hands over his planet to her rule. The Blazing World functions because everyone knows their place, there is one absolute ruler, one religion, one of everything.
Readers may be intrigued by metaphysical discussions or not, may find the notion of multiple souls inhabiting a single corporeal body appealing, might appreciate the erotic implications of the Empress and Duchess (the author) sharing the body of the Duke, "only it could have been a platonic seraglio." I was unmoved.
Though some of the period knowledge revealed through long passages of query-and-response by the Empress of various men of that other world surprised me, the overall assumption that people are born to be who they must become—there are worm-men, ape-men, fish-men, and bird-men of various sorts—seems merely typical of the privileged class. The Socratic method did not reveal compassion except between aristocrats, and the war near the end of that story which establishes a single ruler for the entire of the Empress's home world is brutal. Justifying that war is abominable.
Yes, there are submarines and a few words in support of the intelligence and capability of women, but this is a typical old-school utopia for the wealthy high-born few. The vast majority of people, unnamed and powerless in The Blazing World, are still doing what they are told in order that those at the top may enjoy paradise.
That it took me ten days to read should say something. If I'd loved it, I would have read it in four. Still, I am glad to know of it and to have read it, and to have argued with its premiss.
I grew tired of objects made of precious gems, blazing diamonds, flaming metals, and so forth. It was all too much.
The typical set-up for a utopia is to introduce a stranger from our society into theirs and have them ask a great many questions in order to understand how the utopian society functions. A young woman is kidnapped (she is so very beautiful and men cannot resist) and taken to another planet where it joins the Earth at a pole. (The man thankfully drowns and is removed from the narrative.) This beautiful and virtuous young lady meets a series of "men" but is eventually handed over to the Emperor, who promptly falls in love with her, marries her, and hands over his planet to her rule. The Blazing World functions because everyone knows their place, there is one absolute ruler, one religion, one of everything.
Readers may be intrigued by metaphysical discussions or not, may find the notion of multiple souls inhabiting a single corporeal body appealing, might appreciate the erotic implications of the Empress and Duchess (the author) sharing the body of the Duke, "only it could have been a platonic seraglio." I was unmoved.
Though some of the period knowledge revealed through long passages of query-and-response by the Empress of various men of that other world surprised me, the overall assumption that people are born to be who they must become—there are worm-men, ape-men, fish-men, and bird-men of various sorts—seems merely typical of the privileged class. The Socratic method did not reveal compassion except between aristocrats, and the war near the end of that story which establishes a single ruler for the entire of the Empress's home world is brutal. Justifying that war is abominable.
Yes, there are submarines and a few words in support of the intelligence and capability of women, but this is a typical old-school utopia for the wealthy high-born few. The vast majority of people, unnamed and powerless in The Blazing World, are still doing what they are told in order that those at the top may enjoy paradise.
That it took me ten days to read should say something. If I'd loved it, I would have read it in four. Still, I am glad to know of it and to have read it, and to have argued with its premiss.
January 21, 2024
there is absolutely no need for three-page-long sentences
February 3, 2009
Margaret Cavendish, the Duchess of Newcastle was an English aristocrat from the seventeenth century and also a very prolific writer... a bit too prolific considering her gender and her time. People of her time regarded her as a failed writer with an interesting life. Margaret Cavendish was known for being quite an eccentric with an extravagant wardrobe (apparently, she often dressed her maids and servants to match her outfits... and I'm called vain when my socks match my earings! She totally rocked, didn't she?)
Actually, Margaret Cavendish was only building herself a mask, fighting a paralyzing timidity, portraying herself as a harmless eccentric to avoid serious criticisms from her contemporaries, and at the same time to be allowed publication. She owed her ill reputation not to the fact that she was a women writer, but rather to the fact that she insisted on being published. There were several women writers at the time, but their writings were to remain within the family circle.
Cavendish had far greater and demeasured ambitions... She wished for eternal fame... Yeah, nothing more, nothing less... publication was the only means of making sure her writings endured after her death. In fact, she was forgotten for a while or rather not taken seriously even by later critics and scholars. But actually, this lady, aside from her terrible spelling and repetitive plots, had loads to say on the political and social context of her time.
Margaret Cavendish suffered from being an outsider... because she was a woman she couldn't participate in the scientific and philosophical debates of her time (The Blazing World published together with Observations upon Experimental Philosophy in 1666 represent her most significant participation), as a Royalist during the Civil War she was forced to exil, as women wanting to be published she was even looked upon disdainfully by other women... nonetheless she persisted towards her initial goal during her entire life.
The fact that she had a supportive husband helped quite a lot, that and his position in the aristocracy of the time allowed her an access to seventeenth century philosophers and scientists among whom Thomas Hobbes.
Now let's move on to the Blazing World... maybe one of the first pieces of science fiction, actually it's halfway between SF and Fantasy.... yeap and all that two centuries before Mary Shelley and her Frankenstein and also three centuries before JRR Tolkien!
The poem opening the Blazing World is written by the Duke of Newcastle and he no less belittles Christopher Columbus' discovery in favor of his wife's creation... yeah Columbus only discovered a continent which already existed, Margaret Cavendish created a whole world. That's Margaret the 1st for you people; walking straight in the footsteps of Alexander and Ceasar!
Now the Blazing World is not exactly a breathtaking read... no, chances are, if you know nothing about the historical context, you'll think she was mad, and boring with that... You cannot even regard it as a novel, since the novel as it is now, only emerged in the 18th century with Daniel Defoe (some argue that Robinson Crusoe was the first real novel... but that's not the point here).
The story is that of an anonymous Lady (no real characterization before the novel) who is kidnapped by an enamoured seaman who takes her away on his ship... unfortunately for him and his crew, after a storm, his boat drifts north and soon reaches the North Pole and he and his crew all freeze to death... ah, but not the lady! From there, she passes onto another world, the Blazing World which has unusual creatures such as bear-men, worm-men, fox-men, etc and an Emperor who, ot course falls in love with her and give her full powers over the entire world.
Fom then on, it's basically scientific, philosophical and spiritual discussions that the Empress has with her subjects and then with the Duchess of Newcastle... yes, Margaret Cavendish introduces herself as a character... talk about a narrative chaos ;) yeah, and I've had to study this.
Anyway, the piece is only 120 pages long but already in it, you can see the premises of feminist science fiction. The emergence of what has been referred to as 'soft science fiction' or even 'social science fiction' is said to have attracted those who are the least satisfied with life, the universe and everything... namely, women, ethnic minorities, sexual minorities (I'm not saying that's all SF is of course!). Margaret Cavendish was quite obviously one of those; her world left her no room to express her scientific thoughts, rejected by both Ancients and Moderns, her only choice was to create a space to maneuver... and that's what The Blazing World is basically.
Plus the fact that is wasn't a regular piece of fiction, but science fiction, people regarded it as a self indulgent fancy and didn't pay her too much attention.
Margaret Cavendish was misunderstood for a very long time... in fact, Virginia Woolf has said quite non-flattering things about her and her writings. But maybe, now she will be able to reach her eternal fame.
Actually, Margaret Cavendish was only building herself a mask, fighting a paralyzing timidity, portraying herself as a harmless eccentric to avoid serious criticisms from her contemporaries, and at the same time to be allowed publication. She owed her ill reputation not to the fact that she was a women writer, but rather to the fact that she insisted on being published. There were several women writers at the time, but their writings were to remain within the family circle.
Cavendish had far greater and demeasured ambitions... She wished for eternal fame... Yeah, nothing more, nothing less... publication was the only means of making sure her writings endured after her death. In fact, she was forgotten for a while or rather not taken seriously even by later critics and scholars. But actually, this lady, aside from her terrible spelling and repetitive plots, had loads to say on the political and social context of her time.
Margaret Cavendish suffered from being an outsider... because she was a woman she couldn't participate in the scientific and philosophical debates of her time (The Blazing World published together with Observations upon Experimental Philosophy in 1666 represent her most significant participation), as a Royalist during the Civil War she was forced to exil, as women wanting to be published she was even looked upon disdainfully by other women... nonetheless she persisted towards her initial goal during her entire life.
The fact that she had a supportive husband helped quite a lot, that and his position in the aristocracy of the time allowed her an access to seventeenth century philosophers and scientists among whom Thomas Hobbes.
Now let's move on to the Blazing World... maybe one of the first pieces of science fiction, actually it's halfway between SF and Fantasy.... yeap and all that two centuries before Mary Shelley and her Frankenstein and also three centuries before JRR Tolkien!
The poem opening the Blazing World is written by the Duke of Newcastle and he no less belittles Christopher Columbus' discovery in favor of his wife's creation... yeah Columbus only discovered a continent which already existed, Margaret Cavendish created a whole world. That's Margaret the 1st for you people; walking straight in the footsteps of Alexander and Ceasar!
Now the Blazing World is not exactly a breathtaking read... no, chances are, if you know nothing about the historical context, you'll think she was mad, and boring with that... You cannot even regard it as a novel, since the novel as it is now, only emerged in the 18th century with Daniel Defoe (some argue that Robinson Crusoe was the first real novel... but that's not the point here).
The story is that of an anonymous Lady (no real characterization before the novel) who is kidnapped by an enamoured seaman who takes her away on his ship... unfortunately for him and his crew, after a storm, his boat drifts north and soon reaches the North Pole and he and his crew all freeze to death... ah, but not the lady! From there, she passes onto another world, the Blazing World which has unusual creatures such as bear-men, worm-men, fox-men, etc and an Emperor who, ot course falls in love with her and give her full powers over the entire world.
Fom then on, it's basically scientific, philosophical and spiritual discussions that the Empress has with her subjects and then with the Duchess of Newcastle... yes, Margaret Cavendish introduces herself as a character... talk about a narrative chaos ;) yeah, and I've had to study this.
Anyway, the piece is only 120 pages long but already in it, you can see the premises of feminist science fiction. The emergence of what has been referred to as 'soft science fiction' or even 'social science fiction' is said to have attracted those who are the least satisfied with life, the universe and everything... namely, women, ethnic minorities, sexual minorities (I'm not saying that's all SF is of course!). Margaret Cavendish was quite obviously one of those; her world left her no room to express her scientific thoughts, rejected by both Ancients and Moderns, her only choice was to create a space to maneuver... and that's what The Blazing World is basically.
Plus the fact that is wasn't a regular piece of fiction, but science fiction, people regarded it as a self indulgent fancy and didn't pay her too much attention.
Margaret Cavendish was misunderstood for a very long time... in fact, Virginia Woolf has said quite non-flattering things about her and her writings. But maybe, now she will be able to reach her eternal fame.
Read
August 21, 2011I was interested in reading Margaret Cavendish's The Blazing World (1666) as an early example of feminist science fiction — a precursor to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1818) — and an oft-cited example of early utopian, speculative and interstitial fiction.
Editor Kate Lilley calls The Blazing World, "...a narrative of the liberty of the female soul and the emancipatory possibilities of utopian speculation and writing specifically for women."
It starts off with an intriguing story. A woman who is abducted and then shipwrecked lands in a fantasy world populated by bear, fox and bird-men and becomes their Empress. It made me think of China Miéville's Bas Lag fantasy world populated by a mish mash of animal and insect men, so I was gratified to find that Miéville references Cavendish in his books Kraken and Un Lun Dun and to find this article "Trans-speciation: From Margaret Cavendish to China Miéville" by Amardeep Singh at The Valve, A Literary Organ.
The middle of the story lost interest for me. There is a long section of back and forth dialogue with philosophical discourse between the Empress and her various subjects (bird, bear and fish-men etc.). Without the effort of a closer reading or knowledge of 17th century discussions of the day, I found this hard to follow and skimmed much of it. In his introduction to a sample of the work in The Faber Book of Utopias, editor John Carey calls The Blazing World "tedious and rambling" and this section in particular "loquaciously unenlightening."
However, the end caught me up again in Cavendish's marvelous meta discussion. She appears as a character in the story and discusses creating worlds in fiction with the Empress.
The "and other writings" are two stories that appeared in Cavendish's publication Nature's Pieces (1656) "The Contract" and "Assaulted and Pursued Chastity." "The Contract" reads a bit like a fairy tale romance with the protagonist rather more empowered but the happily ever after marriage ending intact.
"Assaulted and Pursued Chastity," was fascinating. Our heroine, (Miseria, Affectionata, Travelia — her name changes throughout) goes to extremes to protect her virtue. She shoots a prince, takes poison but is revived, and then dresses as a man and escapes aboard a ship.
It was a great choice by Lilley to include these two works. They gave me a greater appreciation for The Blazing World and better understanding of Cavendish's perspective.
Cavendish is a fascinating personality and prolific writer. At a time in which it was rare for women to publish and sign their works, Cavendish put herself forward as an author. Like the Lady Gaga of her time, she was an eccentric in dress and action who sought and achieved fame. She wished for her writing to make its mark and has succeeded with writers from Virginia Woolf to China Miéville, if critically, noting her contribution. I'm a fan — and interested in learning more about her life, work, and the era in which she lived.
Pairs well with:
China Miéville's Un Lun Dun, Perdido Street Station and The Scar; Virginia Woolf's The Common Reader and A Room of One's Own; Mary Shelley's Frankenstein; Charlotte Perkins Gilman's Herland; and The Faber Book of Utopias.
Quotes:
"But your creating Fancy, thought it fit
To make your World of Nothing, but pure Wit.
Your Blazing-world, beyond the Stars mounts higher,
Enlightens all with a Celestial Fire."
— William Cavendish
"...although I have neither power, time nor occasion to conquer the world as Alexander and Caesar did; yet rather than not be mistress of one...I have made a world of my own: for which no body, I hope, will blame me, since it is in every one's power to do the like." — Margaret Cavendish
"What a vision of loneliness and riot the thought of Margaret Cavendish brings to mind! as if some giant cucumber has spread itself over all the roses and carnations in the garden and choked them to death." — Virginia Woolf on Margaret Cavendish in A Room of One's Own
"Nevertheless, though her philosophies are futile, and her plays intolerable, and her verses mainly dull, the vast bulk of the Duchess is leavened by a vein of authentic fire. One cannot help following the lure of her erratic and lovable personality as it meanders and twinkles through page after page. There is something noble and Quixotic and high-spirited, as well as crack-brained and bird-witted, about her. Her simplicity is so open; her intelligence so active; her sympathy with fairies and animals so true and tender." — Virginia Woolf on Margaret Cavendish in The Common Reader
Of note:
Cavendish has also been claimed as an early animal advocate and opponent of animal testing.
Editor Kate Lilley calls The Blazing World, "...a narrative of the liberty of the female soul and the emancipatory possibilities of utopian speculation and writing specifically for women."
It starts off with an intriguing story. A woman who is abducted and then shipwrecked lands in a fantasy world populated by bear, fox and bird-men and becomes their Empress. It made me think of China Miéville's Bas Lag fantasy world populated by a mish mash of animal and insect men, so I was gratified to find that Miéville references Cavendish in his books Kraken and Un Lun Dun and to find this article "Trans-speciation: From Margaret Cavendish to China Miéville" by Amardeep Singh at The Valve, A Literary Organ.
The middle of the story lost interest for me. There is a long section of back and forth dialogue with philosophical discourse between the Empress and her various subjects (bird, bear and fish-men etc.). Without the effort of a closer reading or knowledge of 17th century discussions of the day, I found this hard to follow and skimmed much of it. In his introduction to a sample of the work in The Faber Book of Utopias, editor John Carey calls The Blazing World "tedious and rambling" and this section in particular "loquaciously unenlightening."
However, the end caught me up again in Cavendish's marvelous meta discussion. She appears as a character in the story and discusses creating worlds in fiction with the Empress.
The "and other writings" are two stories that appeared in Cavendish's publication Nature's Pieces (1656) "The Contract" and "Assaulted and Pursued Chastity." "The Contract" reads a bit like a fairy tale romance with the protagonist rather more empowered but the happily ever after marriage ending intact.
"Assaulted and Pursued Chastity," was fascinating. Our heroine, (Miseria, Affectionata, Travelia — her name changes throughout) goes to extremes to protect her virtue. She shoots a prince, takes poison but is revived, and then dresses as a man and escapes aboard a ship.
It was a great choice by Lilley to include these two works. They gave me a greater appreciation for The Blazing World and better understanding of Cavendish's perspective.
Cavendish is a fascinating personality and prolific writer. At a time in which it was rare for women to publish and sign their works, Cavendish put herself forward as an author. Like the Lady Gaga of her time, she was an eccentric in dress and action who sought and achieved fame. She wished for her writing to make its mark and has succeeded with writers from Virginia Woolf to China Miéville, if critically, noting her contribution. I'm a fan — and interested in learning more about her life, work, and the era in which she lived.
Pairs well with:
China Miéville's Un Lun Dun, Perdido Street Station and The Scar; Virginia Woolf's The Common Reader and A Room of One's Own; Mary Shelley's Frankenstein; Charlotte Perkins Gilman's Herland; and The Faber Book of Utopias.
Quotes:
"But your creating Fancy, thought it fit
To make your World of Nothing, but pure Wit.
Your Blazing-world, beyond the Stars mounts higher,
Enlightens all with a Celestial Fire."
— William Cavendish
"...although I have neither power, time nor occasion to conquer the world as Alexander and Caesar did; yet rather than not be mistress of one...I have made a world of my own: for which no body, I hope, will blame me, since it is in every one's power to do the like." — Margaret Cavendish
"What a vision of loneliness and riot the thought of Margaret Cavendish brings to mind! as if some giant cucumber has spread itself over all the roses and carnations in the garden and choked them to death." — Virginia Woolf on Margaret Cavendish in A Room of One's Own
"Nevertheless, though her philosophies are futile, and her plays intolerable, and her verses mainly dull, the vast bulk of the Duchess is leavened by a vein of authentic fire. One cannot help following the lure of her erratic and lovable personality as it meanders and twinkles through page after page. There is something noble and Quixotic and high-spirited, as well as crack-brained and bird-witted, about her. Her simplicity is so open; her intelligence so active; her sympathy with fairies and animals so true and tender." — Virginia Woolf on Margaret Cavendish in The Common Reader
Of note:
Cavendish has also been claimed as an early animal advocate and opponent of animal testing.
October 12, 2016
I was going to review this book in my pretentious, scholarly persona, I had even started thinking up dry little witticisms about the state of the 17th century natural philosophy that Margaret Cavendish so thoughtfully spends two thirds of this volume to describe. But then came the second part of The Blazing World. And my inner nerd/feminist(Hi!) went wild.
So, we have Margaret Cavendish. Mad Maggie sometimes called by her contemporaries, who were not thrilled about the idea of a women writing... well anything at all, really. Except maybe letters. In neat handwriting. Certainly not publishing massive amounts of diverse fiction and nonfiction like she was just any other dude with an opinion.
The Blazing World is a strange work. It is an Utopy, or possibly an Allegory, wich is basically just Margaret Cavendishes way of saying "fuck you, I can write whatever the fuck I want". The frame story is that of a shipwrecked lady who accidentally travels through some polar ice portal to another world, full of wonders, whose emperor promptly marries her and makes her the Empress with a big E. She then gathers all the wise men (who, for some reason are not men at all but animal hybrids who walks on two legs, because why not?) and asks them to tell her of the state of Science. Which they do, at length.
At this point the reader thinks they maybe start to glimpse the purpose of the text - perhaps it is a critique and commentary of the recent theories in natural philosophy? Maybe the allegory is there to emphasise the active role a woman both could and should take in the contemporary discourse, contrary to the opinion of the time? Maybe? No?
Then comes part two. The Empress hears that her native land is occupied by rival kingdoms, and naturally gets sad. Her husband, who is a genuinely thoughtful bloke, asks her what's up and she tells him. Well, couldn't you just summon a zombie army to kill the invaders, he suggests. (I am not making this up.) Aww, what a lovely idea, says the Empress and then lectures him a bit on how it would it be unrealistic to get all the zombies to the battlefield before they decompose. You're right, says the Emperor, better call your girlfriend Margaret Cavendish and ask her advise. The Empress does this and the two women decide to invent the u-boat instead (again, I am not making this up) and blow up the enemy's fleet with burning stones. They then proceed to do this, in person, while the Emperor stays at home breeding horses. Happy ending for everyone, except for the occupying kingdoms, which Margaret and the Empress burned to the ground.
This is a strange, strange book, and I love it for its stangeness. It is self-contradictory and vain and funny and boring and ludicrous, and I'm not even sure I would recommend it to any reader. For my part, though, I'm Team Mad Maggie all the way.
So, we have Margaret Cavendish. Mad Maggie sometimes called by her contemporaries, who were not thrilled about the idea of a women writing... well anything at all, really. Except maybe letters. In neat handwriting. Certainly not publishing massive amounts of diverse fiction and nonfiction like she was just any other dude with an opinion.
The Blazing World is a strange work. It is an Utopy, or possibly an Allegory, wich is basically just Margaret Cavendishes way of saying "fuck you, I can write whatever the fuck I want". The frame story is that of a shipwrecked lady who accidentally travels through some polar ice portal to another world, full of wonders, whose emperor promptly marries her and makes her the Empress with a big E. She then gathers all the wise men (who, for some reason are not men at all but animal hybrids who walks on two legs, because why not?) and asks them to tell her of the state of Science. Which they do, at length.
At this point the reader thinks they maybe start to glimpse the purpose of the text - perhaps it is a critique and commentary of the recent theories in natural philosophy? Maybe the allegory is there to emphasise the active role a woman both could and should take in the contemporary discourse, contrary to the opinion of the time? Maybe? No?
Then comes part two. The Empress hears that her native land is occupied by rival kingdoms, and naturally gets sad. Her husband, who is a genuinely thoughtful bloke, asks her what's up and she tells him. Well, couldn't you just summon a zombie army to kill the invaders, he suggests. (I am not making this up.) Aww, what a lovely idea, says the Empress and then lectures him a bit on how it would it be unrealistic to get all the zombies to the battlefield before they decompose. You're right, says the Emperor, better call your girlfriend Margaret Cavendish and ask her advise. The Empress does this and the two women decide to invent the u-boat instead (again, I am not making this up) and blow up the enemy's fleet with burning stones. They then proceed to do this, in person, while the Emperor stays at home breeding horses. Happy ending for everyone, except for the occupying kingdoms, which Margaret and the Empress burned to the ground.
This is a strange, strange book, and I love it for its stangeness. It is self-contradictory and vain and funny and boring and ludicrous, and I'm not even sure I would recommend it to any reader. For my part, though, I'm Team Mad Maggie all the way.
Read
May 18, 2023flabbergasted how these writings are from 1656/ 1666 !! The Blazing World gave female version of The Politeia but in Aristotelian with a scientific revolution and simultaneous dogmatism twist - if anyone had told me this was a 20th century scifi i would have believed it, too. Fascinated by the apparent contradiction of conservatism and feminism co-existing here. Overall, my favourite things are in fact gender related: a) we have the spirits being 'without sex' insofar that this raises the idea of equality of souls / no intrinsic reality of gender and b) the beautiful play with pronouns in Assaulted and Pursuer Chastity which appears to anticipate gender fluidity.
June 15, 2021
A young woman is kidnapped by a man who sails off with her. When everyone apart from the Lady perishes in a storm, she finds herself transported via the North Pole to a new world, the Blazing World, where she becomes its Empress and supreme ruler.
Cavendish's satirical examination of religion and the natural sciences is worth reading as one of the many proto science fiction novels. The language is relatively accessible and the footnotes help well. The introductory essays are interesting and put the work in a political context.
Cavendish's satirical examination of religion and the natural sciences is worth reading as one of the many proto science fiction novels. The language is relatively accessible and the footnotes help well. The introductory essays are interesting and put the work in a political context.
September 18, 2024
this was so funny she was just writing self insert fan fic
December 9, 2025
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
“I cannot be Henry the Fifth, or Charles the Second, yet I endeavour to be Margaret the First; and although I have neither power, time nor occasion to conquer the world as Alexander and Caesar did; yet rathr than not to be mistress of one, since Fortune and the Fates would give me none, I have made a world of my own: for which no body, I hope, will blame me, since it is in every one’s power to do the like.”
The Blazing World, a novel as perplexing as it is fascinating! I read this for my Renaissance module (my final essay for this semester, let’s pray I get a good mark!) and I have to say, Cavendish has lowkey got me in a chokehold!
The first female Utopian/Sc-fi/Fantasy book written by a women in the 17th century, is not without its faults.. I mean, the Royalist propaganda — Cavendish’s hatred of microscopes (what’s the beef girl) and her conservative values all aid to poorly age this book, but MAN her prose, Cavendish’s ultimate IDGAF attitude, the passion found in every line… You got me Cavendish, you got me!!!
Her fantastical, Blazing World with her bird-men, bear-men, louse-men, fish-men (etc, etc) is just something so bizarre yet incredible. I mean, what woman wouldn’t want to be the MF Empress of her own world? Cavendish’s unapologetic preface and epilogue truly make the novel for me as well, like YES BE THE AUTHORESS OF THE WHOLE WORLD GIRL I GOT U!
There is just something still so relatable that resonates even in the 21st century, the desire for a women to gain power and autonomy, of even just being heard, is something that has truly captured me with this read. Cavendish LITERALLY inventing Y/N when she inserts herself within the novel to lowkey have a homo-erotic relationship with her heroine? Like fuck yes!!!!!! Go into war for your native country dressed in diamonds and carrying fire-stones DOUBLE FUCK YES!!!
This novel truly lit a fire within me, So Cavendish, I will follow you into your Blazing World anytime.
“I cannot be Henry the Fifth, or Charles the Second, yet I endeavour to be Margaret the First; and although I have neither power, time nor occasion to conquer the world as Alexander and Caesar did; yet rathr than not to be mistress of one, since Fortune and the Fates would give me none, I have made a world of my own: for which no body, I hope, will blame me, since it is in every one’s power to do the like.”
The Blazing World, a novel as perplexing as it is fascinating! I read this for my Renaissance module (my final essay for this semester, let’s pray I get a good mark!) and I have to say, Cavendish has lowkey got me in a chokehold!
The first female Utopian/Sc-fi/Fantasy book written by a women in the 17th century, is not without its faults.. I mean, the Royalist propaganda — Cavendish’s hatred of microscopes (what’s the beef girl) and her conservative values all aid to poorly age this book, but MAN her prose, Cavendish’s ultimate IDGAF attitude, the passion found in every line… You got me Cavendish, you got me!!!
Her fantastical, Blazing World with her bird-men, bear-men, louse-men, fish-men (etc, etc) is just something so bizarre yet incredible. I mean, what woman wouldn’t want to be the MF Empress of her own world? Cavendish’s unapologetic preface and epilogue truly make the novel for me as well, like YES BE THE AUTHORESS OF THE WHOLE WORLD GIRL I GOT U!
There is just something still so relatable that resonates even in the 21st century, the desire for a women to gain power and autonomy, of even just being heard, is something that has truly captured me with this read. Cavendish LITERALLY inventing Y/N when she inserts herself within the novel to lowkey have a homo-erotic relationship with her heroine? Like fuck yes!!!!!! Go into war for your native country dressed in diamonds and carrying fire-stones DOUBLE FUCK YES!!!
This novel truly lit a fire within me, So Cavendish, I will follow you into your Blazing World anytime.
November 22, 2024
read this for brit lit. i fear mad mag is an on point nickname for cavendish... definitely an eccentric read + women, weird/dissonant to read absolutism from a women's perspective. loved how she just decided to make her own world where she could exist beyond the confines of her gender and her depiction of female friendships.
August 3, 2025
The ideas far surpass her writing ability. She jumps from place to place and often borders on incoherence. With a world as fantastical and blazing as Cavendish's, the reader should be guided a bit more gently. Instead of being helped along the narrative, I felt on a tight-lead being dragged from a discussion on the existence of snow to a supposedly 'platonick' (or erotic) discussion between the duchess and empress. Whereas Atwood gives the reader a very 'show not tell' experience which makes the prose (imo) feel wooden, Cavendish swung to the other side of the pendulum. In all fairness to the latter, she was writing when the novel and its style was in its infancy. Buttttt, nonetheless the ideas were pioneering! Women having an education and an imagination? Quel enfer! I loved the part where they discussed the genderless existence of souls. This novel is far above its time- even the technology she mentions, like the steam boat, apparently wasn't even invented at that point! This concludes my 5 weeks of primary reading for utopia/dystopia! BOSH
November 25, 2017
This is one of the most horrendously written books I have ever read. This isn't because I'm unfamiliar with early modern writing either, I won't complain about the semi-colons and antiquated theories. The narration itself is fucking appalling.
The description of The Blazing World is a whimsical daydream one would begrudgingly listen to a four year old present to them. Everything in the world is made of a precious stone, and this might make for a poetic idealization of the imagination if it weren't just Cavendish rattling off a series of different stones.
"Her royal chariots are very glorious; the body is one entire green diamond; the four small pillars that bear up the top-cover, are four white diamonds, cut in the form thereof; the top or roof of the chariot is one entire blue diamond, and at the four corners are great springs of rubies; the sea is made of cloth of gold, stuffed with amber-gris beaten small; - the chariot is drawn by twelve unicorns, whose trappings are all chains of pearl" (222)
You can't make this shit up. Cavendish inserts herself into the story at one point, and has her own soul speak to the imaginary soul of the Empress. The Duchess (Cavendish) insists several times that she does not obsess over wealth, and wishes not to gain more than her husband lost during England's political insurrection. However, this is factually untrue because Cavendish attempted to inflate the amount of money lost in their estate when making an appeal for repayment, and narratively untrue given that Cavendish's imaginary world is SATURATED with inconceivable wealth.
There are also several points in the novel where the Duchess raves fanatically about the virtuous nature of her husband, the Duke of Newcastle. This is about as interesting as it sounds. It is no different from when your friend babbles endlessly about their partner. It's saccharine dribble.
Finally, the first half of the story is Cavendish gracelessly injecting her own philosophy into the narrative. The discourse held between the Empress and her subjects is endless paragraphs of "they said...; yet the Empress returned...; thus they concluded...; though the Empress inquired..." There is no reward for reading through these passages either, they predominantly end with the phrase, "The Empress was satisfied with this answer." However, if she ISN'T satisfied, she condemns the whole institution and abolishes it. If you ever wanted to read a cautionary tale on the dangers of a purely monarchical government, read The Blazing World.
The Empress arrives in this new world from another world and is immediately appointed Empress. The subjects subserviently obey her will, no questions asked, despite her arriving less than 24 hours prior. She makes her subjects discover new technologies and seek spirits in other realms of existence, while she plays make believe or argues with beings who very obviously have superior knowledge of the subject at hand. The end of the story consists of her entering her old world, burning down a number of small villages, making her own previous ruler the global monarch, and then lauding herself for having done all of it without bloodshed. This is legitimately what occurs in the book.
This book is the most repugnant instance of masturbatory fiction I have ever had the displeasure of reading, and I would not recommend reading it to anyone unless they are obligated to do so.
The description of The Blazing World is a whimsical daydream one would begrudgingly listen to a four year old present to them. Everything in the world is made of a precious stone, and this might make for a poetic idealization of the imagination if it weren't just Cavendish rattling off a series of different stones.
"Her royal chariots are very glorious; the body is one entire green diamond; the four small pillars that bear up the top-cover, are four white diamonds, cut in the form thereof; the top or roof of the chariot is one entire blue diamond, and at the four corners are great springs of rubies; the sea is made of cloth of gold, stuffed with amber-gris beaten small; - the chariot is drawn by twelve unicorns, whose trappings are all chains of pearl" (222)
You can't make this shit up. Cavendish inserts herself into the story at one point, and has her own soul speak to the imaginary soul of the Empress. The Duchess (Cavendish) insists several times that she does not obsess over wealth, and wishes not to gain more than her husband lost during England's political insurrection. However, this is factually untrue because Cavendish attempted to inflate the amount of money lost in their estate when making an appeal for repayment, and narratively untrue given that Cavendish's imaginary world is SATURATED with inconceivable wealth.
There are also several points in the novel where the Duchess raves fanatically about the virtuous nature of her husband, the Duke of Newcastle. This is about as interesting as it sounds. It is no different from when your friend babbles endlessly about their partner. It's saccharine dribble.
Finally, the first half of the story is Cavendish gracelessly injecting her own philosophy into the narrative. The discourse held between the Empress and her subjects is endless paragraphs of "they said...; yet the Empress returned...; thus they concluded...; though the Empress inquired..." There is no reward for reading through these passages either, they predominantly end with the phrase, "The Empress was satisfied with this answer." However, if she ISN'T satisfied, she condemns the whole institution and abolishes it. If you ever wanted to read a cautionary tale on the dangers of a purely monarchical government, read The Blazing World.
The Empress arrives in this new world from another world and is immediately appointed Empress. The subjects subserviently obey her will, no questions asked, despite her arriving less than 24 hours prior. She makes her subjects discover new technologies and seek spirits in other realms of existence, while she plays make believe or argues with beings who very obviously have superior knowledge of the subject at hand. The end of the story consists of her entering her old world, burning down a number of small villages, making her own previous ruler the global monarch, and then lauding herself for having done all of it without bloodshed. This is legitimately what occurs in the book.
This book is the most repugnant instance of masturbatory fiction I have ever had the displeasure of reading, and I would not recommend reading it to anyone unless they are obligated to do so.
December 30, 2024
"I have often wished that I could have been a prince, to have a kingdom, and to rule over a people; and though I am not a prince, I can yet rule over my own thoughts, and that is a kingdom no man can take from me."
"For to be a woman, is to be like a ship that sails through the tempest, and doth at last find a harbor of peace."
Reading The Blazing World and Other Writings by Margaret Cavendish felt like stepping into a visionary landscape where the boundaries of reality and imagination dissolve. As a writer, Cavendish’s work is a bold exploration of science, philosophy, and feminism, and this collection showcases her distinctive voice in a powerful way.
The central piece, The Blazing World, is a pioneering work of science fiction, and Cavendish’s vision of a utopian world is as engaging as it is ahead of its time. Through a blend of philosophy and adventure, the story follows a heroine who travels to a parallel world, discovering a society governed by rational thought, where women have full autonomy and power. Cavendish’s reflection on gender, power, and autonomy is revolutionary, especially considering the historical context in which she was writing.
What makes Cavendish’s work stand out is not just her imaginative plots, but her fearless critique of the social norms of her time. She questions gender roles, the limitations placed on women, and the structures of power in a society that is meant to be liberated. Her writing is unapologetically speculative and intellectual, yet deeply human in its portrayal of characters, making it both thought-provoking and surprisingly relatable.
The prose, while reflecting the style of her era, is marked by a clarity and intelligence that feels timeless. Cavendish’s ability to weave philosophy, critique, and fantasy together makes her an enduring figure in early feminist and science fiction literature.
I rated this collection highly not only for the depth of its content but also for the way Cavendish, often overlooked in literary history, manages to speak across centuries with remarkable relevance. Her works invite us to examine our own society critically, to question the established order, and to imagine worlds where the rules of reality are bent to suit the needs of the imagination.
If you enjoy works that challenge traditional thought, merge intellectual rigour with imaginative narratives, and explore the complexities of gender and power, this is a must-read. It’s a brilliant reminder of why Cavendish’s voice continues to be an essential part of literary history.
"For to be a woman, is to be like a ship that sails through the tempest, and doth at last find a harbor of peace."
Reading The Blazing World and Other Writings by Margaret Cavendish felt like stepping into a visionary landscape where the boundaries of reality and imagination dissolve. As a writer, Cavendish’s work is a bold exploration of science, philosophy, and feminism, and this collection showcases her distinctive voice in a powerful way.
The central piece, The Blazing World, is a pioneering work of science fiction, and Cavendish’s vision of a utopian world is as engaging as it is ahead of its time. Through a blend of philosophy and adventure, the story follows a heroine who travels to a parallel world, discovering a society governed by rational thought, where women have full autonomy and power. Cavendish’s reflection on gender, power, and autonomy is revolutionary, especially considering the historical context in which she was writing.
What makes Cavendish’s work stand out is not just her imaginative plots, but her fearless critique of the social norms of her time. She questions gender roles, the limitations placed on women, and the structures of power in a society that is meant to be liberated. Her writing is unapologetically speculative and intellectual, yet deeply human in its portrayal of characters, making it both thought-provoking and surprisingly relatable.
The prose, while reflecting the style of her era, is marked by a clarity and intelligence that feels timeless. Cavendish’s ability to weave philosophy, critique, and fantasy together makes her an enduring figure in early feminist and science fiction literature.
I rated this collection highly not only for the depth of its content but also for the way Cavendish, often overlooked in literary history, manages to speak across centuries with remarkable relevance. Her works invite us to examine our own society critically, to question the established order, and to imagine worlds where the rules of reality are bent to suit the needs of the imagination.
If you enjoy works that challenge traditional thought, merge intellectual rigour with imaginative narratives, and explore the complexities of gender and power, this is a must-read. It’s a brilliant reminder of why Cavendish’s voice continues to be an essential part of literary history.
January 22, 2021
The Contract
This was ok, couple of points of interest, a pretty good bit of servant/master comedy and some meditations on why discretion is the better part of valour. [2/5]
Assaulted and Pursued Chastity
Again like the last tale really terrible love interest characters and that makes the female characters that love them look pretty bad too. However this tale is so random with some weird fantasy/lost world elements thrown in and wars and all sorts of stuff happening.
Its interesting how Cavendish makes her writings purely fictional, including separating them from the real world by replacing names and even religion. So the places are called things like Kingdom of Riches, Kingdom of Amour etc. and no one even when promoting christian-like beliefs ever refers to a God, but rather invokes Jupiter/Juno etc. [2.5/5]
The Blazing World
My second reading of this part, heres my initial review:
A weird bit of philosophy and proto-sci-fi. Ignores the rules of any conventional story, features parallel worlds, astral-projection, made of gold and many sorts of animal men including Lice-men. Best approached as a piece of philosophy rather than sci-fi but quite interesting.
Most things still apply but was a lot drier than i remembered, but also more interesting in certain parts. An invasion that happens near the end which uses the things in spoilers above, those things were actually Plan B, Plan A was a , crazy stuff.
Certain of the allegorical elements reminded me of parts of the The Faerie Queene, and Lucian's True History gets referenced too which is quite appropriate. [3/5]
Overall you have to remember this was written in 1666, the times of shakespeare, spencer, cervantes etc. If this was composed during the 1860s it might be less weird... scratch that... it would be just as weird but a bit less interesting.
However for the 1600's these writings are truly unique oddities with their mix of metaphor, fantasy, science and philosophy.
This was ok, couple of points of interest, a pretty good bit of servant/master comedy and some meditations on why discretion is the better part of valour. [2/5]
Assaulted and Pursued Chastity
Again like the last tale really terrible love interest characters and that makes the female characters that love them look pretty bad too. However this tale is so random with some weird fantasy/lost world elements thrown in and wars and all sorts of stuff happening.
Its interesting how Cavendish makes her writings purely fictional, including separating them from the real world by replacing names and even religion. So the places are called things like Kingdom of Riches, Kingdom of Amour etc. and no one even when promoting christian-like beliefs ever refers to a God, but rather invokes Jupiter/Juno etc. [2.5/5]
The Blazing World
My second reading of this part, heres my initial review:
A weird bit of philosophy and proto-sci-fi. Ignores the rules of any conventional story, features parallel worlds, astral-projection, made of gold and many sorts of animal men including Lice-men. Best approached as a piece of philosophy rather than sci-fi but quite interesting.
Most things still apply but was a lot drier than i remembered, but also more interesting in certain parts. An invasion that happens near the end which uses the things in spoilers above, those things were actually Plan B, Plan A was a , crazy stuff.
Certain of the allegorical elements reminded me of parts of the The Faerie Queene, and Lucian's True History gets referenced too which is quite appropriate. [3/5]
Overall you have to remember this was written in 1666, the times of shakespeare, spencer, cervantes etc. If this was composed during the 1860s it might be less weird... scratch that... it would be just as weird but a bit less interesting.
However for the 1600's these writings are truly unique oddities with their mix of metaphor, fantasy, science and philosophy.
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