Memoirs of Emma Courtney

by Mary Hays

Overview

"Memoirs of Emma Courtney" by Mary Hays is a groundbreaking work of fiction that challenges societal norms and explores the complexities of love, independence, and female autonomy in 18th-century England. Written by Mary Hays, a prominent figure in the feminist movement, the novel follows the life of Emma Courtney, a fiercely independent woman who defies convention to pursue her own path. Set against the backdrop of the Enlightenment era, Hays' novel delves into Emma's struggle for self-realization in a society that stifles female ambition and desires. Through Emma's introspective memoirs, readers are immersed in a narrative that confronts issues of gender inequality, social injustice, and the limitations imposed on women's freedoms. As Emma navigates the challenges of love, friendship, and self-discovery, Hays crafts a compelling story that transcends its time, offering timeless insights into the human condition. Emma's journey serves as a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring quest for personal fulfillment and liberation. "Memoirs of Emma Courtney" deftly blends elements of romance, social commentary, and feminist philosophy, making it a seminal work in both feminist literature and English literary tradition. Hays' narrative mastery and profound insights into the human experience ensure that Emma's story resonates with readers long after the final page is turned.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9789363050150
Publisher:	Double 9 Books
Publication date:	06/01/2024
Pages:	198
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.45(d)

About the Author

Mary Hays was a self-taught intellectual who wrote essays, poetry, novels, and various books about notable women. She is recognized for her early feminism and her strong relationships with dissenting and radical philosophers of her period, such as Robert Robinson, Mary Wollstonecraft, William Godwin, and William Frend. She was born in 1759 into a family of Protestant separatists who opposed the practices of the Church of England (the established church). Hays was called by those who detested her as 'the baldest disciple of Wollstonecraft' by The Anti Jacobin Magazine, assailed as a 'unsex'd female' by priest Robert Polwhele, and sparked controversy throughout her long life with her defiant writings. Hays was impressed by Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, and after writing to her with admiration, the two women became friends. The backlash following Wollstonecraft's death and the posthumous release of her Memoirs influenced Hays' later work, which some academics have described as more conservative. Among these later productions is the six-volume compendium Female Biography: or Memoirs of Illustrious and Celebrated Women of All Ages and Countries, in which Wollstonecraft is not mentioned, despite the fact that Hays wrote an extensive obituary for The Annual Necrology shortly after Godwin's controversial Memoirs were published. If Wollstonecraft was overlooked in the nineteenth century, Hays and her writing received even less critical or academic attention until the twentieth century's rising feminist movement.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
Introduction
Mary Hays: A Brief Chronology
A Note on the Text

Memoirs of Emma Courtney

Appendix A: Selections from the Mary Hays and William Godwin Correspondence

Appendix B: Selected Letters of William Frend

Appendix C: Articles by Hays in the Monthly Magazine

Appendix D: Reviews of Memoirs of Emma Courtney

Appendix E:

1. On Sensibility
2. On Melancholy

Appendix F: The Anti-Jacobin Backlash

Appendix G: Mary Wollstonecraft to Mary Hays

Appendix H: Obituary of Mary Wollstonecraft

Select Bibliography

Editorial Reviews

Marilyn Brooks’ excellent edition of Emma Courtney situates Hays’ first novel philosophically, in relation to Godwin and Wollstonecraft; biographically, in relation to Hays’ tormented love affairs; and with regard to the literary ferment expressed in the Jacobin novel. Brooks also provides essential, and in some cases rare background material in the several appendices. The result is that this wonderful formerly obscure novel now yields the intellectual excitement and scandalous frisson that it generated upon publication.” — Sandra Sherman, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

From the Publisher