Courses

This seminar will address the major works of Margaret Cavendish (1623-73), Lucy Hutchinson (1620-81), and John Milton (1608–1674). While there are many differences between the three writers – one was a royalist and two were republicans; one was largely indifferent to religion and the other two were devoted reformists; two were active in print, one only in manuscript; two were skilled linguists, and one only read English – they also had a surprising amount in common. All three were actively involved in the central political conflicts of their time and suffered imprisonment, harassment, and/or exile because of their political views. All three wrote accounts and defenses of (their positions in) the English civil wars (and contributed to political thought more broadly). All three actively engaged with and contributed to debates in natural philosophy. And all three were astonishingly original, creative, and prolific writers of literature. Participants will discuss many aspects of their work, including the books they read as well as those they wrote; the household, local, national and international contexts in which they worked; and their interlocutors and critics.