Women and the Limits of Citizenship in the French Revolution (Donald G. Creighton Lectures) |
Buy Women and the Limits of Citizenship in the French Revolution (Donald G. Creighton Lectures) here, one of 750 French Revolution books offered for sale at discount prices here in the history books section at R bookshop. There are currently 88434 history books in our history books section, and over 1,000,000 books listed in our book store. We greatly appreciate your patronage at R bookshop and look forward to offering you a large selection of great books at discount prices now and in the future. Thank you for shopping at R Bookshop!
|
You Are Here: Home > History Books > French Revolution > Item 147
|
Women and the Limits of Citizenship in the French Revolution (Donald G. Creighton Lectures)
|
by Olwen H. Hufton
Sales Rank: 1384096
|
List Price: $22.95
$22.95
At Amazon
on 8-7-2008.
|
|
|
|
Features
Cover Type: Paperback with 236 pages
Published by: University of Toronto Press April 14, 1999
Written in: English
ISBN 10 Number: 0802068375
ISBN 13 Number: 978-0802068378
Book Dimensions:
8.3 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
Weighs: 10.4 ounces
Reader Reviews
The title of this book may lead one to expect a treatise on the legal aspects of female citizenship and the limitations that were placed on them. The book's larger concern, however, is the female reaction to revolutionary policy and the (male) authorities' perceptions (or misconceptions) of them. Hufton examines the ways in which the limitations on women were based not only on the law as it concerned their status in society, but also on the stereotypes (or "myths") that were believed by those in power. Some of these involved philosophic notions that political activity among women was a dangerous perversion. These and other tenets of a patriarchal society allowed a basic misunderstanding which led to a mistrust of women and their involvement in political life as well as notions that had tragic consequences, such as the belief that nuns were secretly pining away for life with a man, and that once "liberated" would quickly find comfort and security in matrimony. The reality was quite different. This perception vs. reality is a recurrent theme in the book, and is even extended to the present: Hufton notes that concerning the "October Days" march of women to Versailles, historians then and ever since have tended to downplay the importance of their actions or look for a male impetus. Women of the time, however, were often well aware of the stereotypical conceptions that men held, and used them to their advantage, playing up their whiles and charms (i.e., innocence) when it suited them - for instance, when it kept them out of prison, or away from the guillotine. This work is culled from a series of lectures given at the University of Toronto in 1989, and retains some of the idiosyncrasies that tend to differentiate lecture from scholarly writing. This has its pros and cons, depending on your point of view. On the upside, the author's sense of humor comes through in puns and wry observations. Some of these asides allow an exploration of themes that are not as central, but in a book of fewer than 200 pages, the end result is a certain lack of cohesion, and the feeling that many ideas are expressed without an adequate exploration of their relevance. In her review, Therese Taylor complains about the book's "synoptic format" which is a way of noting dismay over this lack of development in some areas. Daniella Sarnoff, reviewing the book for the journal LEFT HISTORY, also blames the lecture origin for a failure of Hufton to fully develop some of the themes that she mentions, yet admires the final assessment that there was a "mythology and legacy that ... kept women out of the public, political sphere for so long in France and continues to have ramifications for women in the public sphere today." This book is not a linear history of its subject, but rather an overview of Dr, Hufton's varied examinations. As such there are many ideas that do not get proper space, yet those that are sufficiently detailed show insight and are persuasive.
Comment | |
(Report this)
Back To Top
|
Women and the Limits of Citizenship in the French Revolution (Donald G. Creighton Lectures)
Available from Amazon
Price: $22.95
Updated on 8-7-2008.
|
NOTICE: All prices, availability, and specifications
are subject to verification by their respective retailers.
| We offer Women and the Limits of Citizenship in the French Revolution (Donald G. Creighton Lectures) and other related French Revolution Books here at Rbookshop.com. To view more books about French Revolution please use the previous and next buttons near the top of this page.
|
|
Search for books at
