Sociable letters, 1664

by Margaret Cavendish

Margaret Cavendish (1623-1673), Duchess of Newcastle and one of the best-known women writers of the her time, is enjoying a revival in the wake of Aphra Behn's canonization: She appears in the Norton Anthology of English Literature, her poetry will appear in a new edition, and Penguin has recently reprinted her science-fiction novel The Blazing World. This is an edition of her hilarious and rowdy letters, unavailable since their original publication in 1664
Margaret Cavendish: Sociable Letters is a window into the world of 17th-century marriage and daily life displaying a pleasing blend of the comic, the ironic, and the serious. Along the way, the author provides us with the first detailed criticism of Shakespeare's plays, which she defends against the Restoration distaste for low characters. She also comments on food, home remedies, the English Civil Wars, religious fanaticism, street entertainers, churchgoing as a way to find a husband, and winter sports
This edition offers a full introduction to Cavendish's life and works, a bibliography, and detailed notes, and takes account of hand-corrections made at the author's behest

Genres: Essays, Classics

453 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1664

About the author

Margaret 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.

Reviews

[Bettie]

to hunt down.



Mainly written in Bolsover Castle

[Madelyn Strauss · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this was a very interesting section of letters. I think Cavendish had a lot of interesting things to say about different aspects of society and domesticity. I think Cavendish was an expert comentator about different aspects of society, definitely in the veins of Jane Austen or Mary Wollstonecraft, Cavendish had a master skill in poking fun at and critiquing the areas of society that were so wild, and outlandish. I think she also did a great job at poking fun at women along with sociatal customs, because then she was able to be taken more seriously. I know it's backwards. But if she critiqued women along with society, then she wouldn't have been so easily silenced.
I thought this was an interesting critique and book. However, as it isn't fiction I don't think it could get a four or five stars from me. Her writing was pretty nice though. I would like to read more from her in the future.