The Resource George Eliot and Herbert Spencer : feminism, evolutionism, and the reconstruction of gender, Nancy L. Paxton
George Eliot and Herbert Spencer : feminism, evolutionism, and the reconstruction of gender, Nancy L. Paxton
Resource Information
The item George Eliot and Herbert Spencer : feminism, evolutionism, and the reconstruction of gender, Nancy L. Paxton represents a specific, individual, material embodiment of a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in University of Missouri Libraries.This item is available to borrow from 1 library branch.
Resource Information
The item George Eliot and Herbert Spencer : feminism, evolutionism, and the reconstruction of gender, Nancy L. Paxton represents a specific, individual, material embodiment of a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in University of Missouri Libraries.
This item is available to borrow from 1 library branch.
- Summary
- This analysis of the writings of two major Victorian intellectuals examines the crucial place of gender in the larger Victorian debate about nature, religion, and evolutionary theory. Demonstrating the primacy of Herbert Spencer's influence on George Eliot's thought, Nancy Paxton discloses the continuous dialogue between this profoundly learned novelist and one of the most formidable and influential scientific authorities of her time. Using rarely cited first editions of Spencer's published works, Paxton reveals that Eliot and Spencer initially agreed in supporting several of the goals of early Victorian feminism when they met in 1851. Paxton surveys all of Spencer's writing to show when and why he repudiated his early feminism and demonstrates Eliot's determined resistance to the most conservative tendencies of evolutionary theory in her representation of female sexuality, motherhood, feminist ambition, and desire. In comparing Eliot's and Spencer's evolutionary "reconstruction of gender," the book draws on a wide variety of biographical, literary, and critical texts and on interdisciplinary scholarship about the relation between scientific and literary discourse in the nineteenth century. By thus reassessing Eliot's contribution to feminist thought, it presents a revolutionary reading of her novels which is informed by contemporary feminist criticism and the new historicism. "This is an important book because of the questions it raises, the issues it covers, and the illumination it brings to Eliot and Spencer and to crucial problems in the nineteenth century: Paxton looks at the ways scientific data get turned into arguments about the nature of women in society, about women and education, about women and sexuality. This work shows how truly current Eliot's novels are, no matter what their setting."--Barry Qualls, Rutgers UniversityOriginally published in 1991. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These paperback editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905
- Language
- eng
- Extent
- 1 online resource (291 pages)
- Contents
-
- 6. Feminism, History, and Cultural Determinism: Romola and The Principles of Biology I
- 7. Women's Suffrage and Women's Suffering: Felix Holt and The Principles of Biology II
- 8. Theories of Origin and Knowledge: Middlemarch and The Study of Sociology
- 9. Civilization and Degeneration: Daniel Deronda and Spencer's Later Writing
- Epilogue
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgment
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Feminism, Evolutionism, and the Reconstruction of Gender
- 3. Beauty, Sexuality, and Evolutionary Process: Adam Bede and "Personal Beauty"
- 4. Feminism and the Problem of Authority: The Mill on the Floss and "Physical Training"
- 5. The Origins of Morality: Silas Marner and First Principles
- Isbn
- 9781400861668
- Label
- George Eliot and Herbert Spencer : feminism, evolutionism, and the reconstruction of gender
- Title
- George Eliot and Herbert Spencer
- Title remainder
- feminism, evolutionism, and the reconstruction of gender
- Statement of responsibility
- Nancy L. Paxton
- Subject
-
- Eliot, George, 1819-1880
- Eliot, George, 1819-1880 -- Criticism and interpretation
- Evolution (Biology) in literature
- Evolution (Biology) in literature
- Feminism and literature
- Feminism and literature -- Great Britain -- History -- 19th century
- Gender identity in literature
- Gender identity in literature
- Great Britain
- History
- 1800-1899
- Literature and science
- Literature and science -- Great Britain -- History -- 19th century
- Sex role in literature
- Sex role in literature
- Spencer, Herbert, 1820-1903
- Spencer, Herbert, 1820-1903 -- Criticism and interpretation
- Women in literature
- Women in literature
- LITERARY CRITICISM -- European | English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh
- Criticism, interpretation, etc
- Language
- eng
- Summary
- This analysis of the writings of two major Victorian intellectuals examines the crucial place of gender in the larger Victorian debate about nature, religion, and evolutionary theory. Demonstrating the primacy of Herbert Spencer's influence on George Eliot's thought, Nancy Paxton discloses the continuous dialogue between this profoundly learned novelist and one of the most formidable and influential scientific authorities of her time. Using rarely cited first editions of Spencer's published works, Paxton reveals that Eliot and Spencer initially agreed in supporting several of the goals of early Victorian feminism when they met in 1851. Paxton surveys all of Spencer's writing to show when and why he repudiated his early feminism and demonstrates Eliot's determined resistance to the most conservative tendencies of evolutionary theory in her representation of female sexuality, motherhood, feminist ambition, and desire. In comparing Eliot's and Spencer's evolutionary "reconstruction of gender," the book draws on a wide variety of biographical, literary, and critical texts and on interdisciplinary scholarship about the relation between scientific and literary discourse in the nineteenth century. By thus reassessing Eliot's contribution to feminist thought, it presents a revolutionary reading of her novels which is informed by contemporary feminist criticism and the new historicism. "This is an important book because of the questions it raises, the issues it covers, and the illumination it brings to Eliot and Spencer and to crucial problems in the nineteenth century: Paxton looks at the ways scientific data get turned into arguments about the nature of women in society, about women and education, about women and sexuality. This work shows how truly current Eliot's novels are, no matter what their setting."--Barry Qualls, Rutgers UniversityOriginally published in 1991. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These paperback editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905
- Biography type
- contains biographical information
- Cataloging source
- E7B
- http://library.link/vocab/creatorDate
- 1949-
- http://library.link/vocab/creatorName
- Paxton, Nancy L.
- Dewey number
- 823/.8
- Index
- index present
- Language note
- In English
- LC call number
- PR4692.F45
- LC item number
- P39 1991eb
- Literary form
- non fiction
- Nature of contents
-
- dictionaries
- bibliography
- Series statement
- Princeton legacy library
- http://library.link/vocab/subjectName
-
- Eliot, George
- Spencer, Herbert
- Feminism and literature
- Literature and science
- Evolution (Biology) in literature
- Gender identity in literature
- Sex role in literature
- Women in literature
- Eliot, George
- Spencer, Herbert
- LITERARY CRITICISM
- Evolution (Biology) in literature
- Feminism and literature
- Gender identity in literature
- Literature and science
- Sex role in literature
- Women in literature
- Great Britain
- Label
- George Eliot and Herbert Spencer : feminism, evolutionism, and the reconstruction of gender, Nancy L. Paxton
- Bibliography note
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 261-274) and index
- Carrier category
- online resource
- Carrier category code
-
- cr
- Carrier MARC source
- rdacarrier
- Color
- multicolored
- Content category
- text
- Content type code
-
- txt
- Content type MARC source
- rdacontent
- Contents
-
- 6. Feminism, History, and Cultural Determinism: Romola and The Principles of Biology I
- 7. Women's Suffrage and Women's Suffering: Felix Holt and The Principles of Biology II
- 8. Theories of Origin and Knowledge: Middlemarch and The Study of Sociology
- 9. Civilization and Degeneration: Daniel Deronda and Spencer's Later Writing
- Epilogue
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgment
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Feminism, Evolutionism, and the Reconstruction of Gender
- 3. Beauty, Sexuality, and Evolutionary Process: Adam Bede and "Personal Beauty"
- 4. Feminism and the Problem of Authority: The Mill on the Floss and "Physical Training"
- 5. The Origins of Morality: Silas Marner and First Principles
- Control code
- 889253302
- Dimensions
- unknown
- Extent
- 1 online resource (291 pages)
- Form of item
- online
- Isbn
- 9781400861668
- Media category
- computer
- Media MARC source
- rdamedia
- Media type code
-
- c
- Other control number
- 10.1515/9781400861668
- http://library.link/vocab/ext/overdrive/overdriveId
- 22573/ctt73bc30
- Specific material designation
- remote
- System control number
- (OCoLC)889253302
- Label
- George Eliot and Herbert Spencer : feminism, evolutionism, and the reconstruction of gender, Nancy L. Paxton
- Bibliography note
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 261-274) and index
- Carrier category
- online resource
- Carrier category code
-
- cr
- Carrier MARC source
- rdacarrier
- Color
- multicolored
- Content category
- text
- Content type code
-
- txt
- Content type MARC source
- rdacontent
- Contents
-
- 6. Feminism, History, and Cultural Determinism: Romola and The Principles of Biology I
- 7. Women's Suffrage and Women's Suffering: Felix Holt and The Principles of Biology II
- 8. Theories of Origin and Knowledge: Middlemarch and The Study of Sociology
- 9. Civilization and Degeneration: Daniel Deronda and Spencer's Later Writing
- Epilogue
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgment
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Feminism, Evolutionism, and the Reconstruction of Gender
- 3. Beauty, Sexuality, and Evolutionary Process: Adam Bede and "Personal Beauty"
- 4. Feminism and the Problem of Authority: The Mill on the Floss and "Physical Training"
- 5. The Origins of Morality: Silas Marner and First Principles
- Control code
- 889253302
- Dimensions
- unknown
- Extent
- 1 online resource (291 pages)
- Form of item
- online
- Isbn
- 9781400861668
- Media category
- computer
- Media MARC source
- rdamedia
- Media type code
-
- c
- Other control number
- 10.1515/9781400861668
- http://library.link/vocab/ext/overdrive/overdriveId
- 22573/ctt73bc30
- Specific material designation
- remote
- System control number
- (OCoLC)889253302
Subject
- Eliot, George, 1819-1880
- Eliot, George, 1819-1880 -- Criticism and interpretation
- Evolution (Biology) in literature
- Evolution (Biology) in literature
- Feminism and literature
- Feminism and literature -- Great Britain -- History -- 19th century
- Gender identity in literature
- Gender identity in literature
- Great Britain
- History
- 1800-1899
- Literature and science
- Literature and science -- Great Britain -- History -- 19th century
- Sex role in literature
- Sex role in literature
- Spencer, Herbert, 1820-1903
- Spencer, Herbert, 1820-1903 -- Criticism and interpretation
- Women in literature
- Women in literature
- LITERARY CRITICISM -- European | English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh
- Criticism, interpretation, etc
Genre
Library Links
Embed
Settings
Select options that apply then copy and paste the RDF/HTML data fragment to include in your application
Embed this data in a secure (HTTPS) page:
Layout options:
Include data citation:
<div class="citation" vocab="http://schema.org/"><i class="fa fa-external-link-square fa-fw"></i> Data from <span resource="http://link.library.missouri.edu/portal/George-Eliot-and-Herbert-Spencer--feminism/PZ-Jm0Z1IT0/" typeof="Book http://bibfra.me/vocab/lite/Item"><span property="name http://bibfra.me/vocab/lite/label"><a href="http://link.library.missouri.edu/portal/George-Eliot-and-Herbert-Spencer--feminism/PZ-Jm0Z1IT0/">George Eliot and Herbert Spencer : feminism, evolutionism, and the reconstruction of gender, Nancy L. Paxton</a></span> - <span property="potentialAction" typeOf="OrganizeAction"><span property="agent" typeof="LibrarySystem http://library.link/vocab/LibrarySystem" resource="http://link.library.missouri.edu/"><span property="name http://bibfra.me/vocab/lite/label"><a property="url" href="http://link.library.missouri.edu/">University of Missouri Libraries</a></span></span></span></span></div>
Note: Adjust the width and height settings defined in the RDF/HTML code fragment to best match your requirements
Preview
Cite Data - Experimental
Data Citation of the Item George Eliot and Herbert Spencer : feminism, evolutionism, and the reconstruction of gender, Nancy L. Paxton
Copy and paste the following RDF/HTML data fragment to cite this resource
<div class="citation" vocab="http://schema.org/"><i class="fa fa-external-link-square fa-fw"></i> Data from <span resource="http://link.library.missouri.edu/portal/George-Eliot-and-Herbert-Spencer--feminism/PZ-Jm0Z1IT0/" typeof="Book http://bibfra.me/vocab/lite/Item"><span property="name http://bibfra.me/vocab/lite/label"><a href="http://link.library.missouri.edu/portal/George-Eliot-and-Herbert-Spencer--feminism/PZ-Jm0Z1IT0/">George Eliot and Herbert Spencer : feminism, evolutionism, and the reconstruction of gender, Nancy L. Paxton</a></span> - <span property="potentialAction" typeOf="OrganizeAction"><span property="agent" typeof="LibrarySystem http://library.link/vocab/LibrarySystem" resource="http://link.library.missouri.edu/"><span property="name http://bibfra.me/vocab/lite/label"><a property="url" href="http://link.library.missouri.edu/">University of Missouri Libraries</a></span></span></span></span></div>
