Elizabeth Hamilton Criticism
Elizabeth Hamilton (1758-1816), also known under pseudonyms like Eliza Hamilton and Geoffry Jarvis, was an Irish-born Scottish novelist, essayist, historian, and advocate for moral and educational reform. In a period marked by social and political upheaval, Hamilton wrote across a spectrum of genres including epistolary fiction, satire, philosophy, and educational essays. Her work often confronted the pressing issues of her time, including the need for equal education and the importance of a moral and educated society as a foundation for stability. Although perceived as a conservative anti-Jacobin, her writings frequently subverted traditional gender roles by engaging in discourses typically reserved for men, such as history and theology, under the guise of fiction and moral essays. Despite being unmarried, Hamilton advocated for women's pious self-improvement through education, maintaining domestic roles as central.
Raised in a progressively ecumenical and class-mixing household in Scotland, Hamilton's early education in arts and letters was complemented by a "second education" through correspondence with her brother Charles, a significant influence in her life. Her literary career began with works like Translation of the Letters of a Hindoo Rajah, which satirized English society and addressed women's oppression, and Memoirs of Modern Philosophers, a critique of contemporary philosophy. Hamilton's acclaim grew with her essays on education, where she pioneered concepts in educational psychology and argued against rote learning and corporal punishment.
Hamilton's most celebrated work, The Cottagers of Glenburnie, received critical praise for its vivid portrayal of Scottish society and its underlying themes of class and imperialism. While initially celebrated for her contributions to anti-Jacobin sentiment, Hamilton's work later faced criticism amid a cultural shift towards "remasculinization," especially in her engagements with traditionally masculine discourses. Modern scholarship, however, has re-evaluated her contributions, recognizing her sympathetic engagement with feminist and progressive ideals. As noted in Janice Thaddeus's work, Hamilton's legacy is complex, presenting her as both a conservative and a progressive intellectual figure. Gary Kelly describes her as a model for the "intellectual-domestic woman," bridging women's culture with philosophical and historical discourse.
Contents
- Principal Works
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Essays
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Review of Translation of the Letters of a Hindoo Rajah
(summary)
In the following review, the anonymous critic provides a generally favorable assessment of Hamilton's Translation of the Letters of a Hindoo Rajah, and comments on cultural inaccuracies in the text.
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Review of Memoirs of Modern Philosophers
(summary)
In the following review, the anonymous critic celebrates Memoirs of Modern Philosophers as a well-written, humorous, and effective tool for the anti-Jacobin cause. The reviewer later admits that he did not know the author's identity until halfway through writing the review.
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Review of The Cottagers of Glenburnie
(summary)
In the following review, the anonymous critic enthusiastically welcomes Cottagers of Glenburnie as a vibrant and compassionate portrayal of the Scottish peasantry as well as an excellent vehicle for social reform.
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Character and Writings of Mrs. Elizabeth Hamilton
(summary)
In the following obituary, Edgeworth, a literary contemporary of Hamilton's, reflects on the deceased author's major works and comments on her legacy.
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Elizabeth Hamilton (1758-1816)
(summary)
In the following essay, Jones examines Hamilton's major works, discussing her role in the development of the novel and documenting her contemporary critical reception.
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Female Philosophy Refunctioned: Elizabeth Hamilton's Parodic Novel
(summary)
In the following essay, Ty maintains that Hamilton's parodic reproduction of liberal texts in her Memoirs of Modern Philosophers provides ironic support for the very philosophies that the work overtly condemns.
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Introduction to Memoirs of Modern Philosophers
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In the following essay, Garside presents an overview of the liberal and conservative rhetoric of the late eighteenth century and addresses the extent to which Memoirs of Modern Philosophers can be categorized as an anti-Jacobin novel.
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Elizabeth Hamilton: Domestic Woman and National Reconstruction
(summary)
In the following essay, Kelly provides a detailed analysis of Hamilton's post-1800 works, asserting that she covertly feminized traditionally masculine discourses—such as philosophy, history, biography, and theology—in an environment of post-revolutionary remasculinization.
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Elizabeth Hamilton's Domestic Politics
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In the following essay, Thaddeus argues that Hamilton has been inaccurately labeled an anti-Jacobin conservative when her writings show a complexity far beyond such a limited categorization.
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Elizabeth Hamilton's Modern Philosophers and the Uncertainties of Satire
(summary)
In the following essay, Thaddeus suggests that the text of Memoirs of Modern Philosophers displays a “Ventriloquist/Dummy” satirical technique (as defined by Margaret Doody), which allows it to subversively illustrate and support Godwinian philosophy while pointing out its potential abuses and limitations.
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Feminism and Orientalism in Elizabeth Hamilton's Translation of the Letters of a Hindoo Rajah
(summary)
In the following essay, Taylor explores Hamilton's paradoxical use of Oriental studies in Translation of the Letters of a Hindoo Rajah to address the subjugation of women in Britain while expressing support for British imperial control over India.
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Theorising Public Opinion: Elizabeth Hamilton's Model of Self, Sympathy and Society
(summary)
In the following essay, Warburton addresses references to Adam Smith in A Series of Popular Essays and compares Smith's concept of “sympathy,” as defined in Theory of Moral Sentiment, to Hamilton's idea of the “Selfish Principle.”
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Crossing Genre, Gender and Race in Elizabeth Hamilton's Translation of the Letters of a Hindoo Rajah
(summary)
In the following essay, Grogan addresses the difficulty of classifying the genre of Hamilton's Translation of the Letters of a Hindoo Rajah, arguing that the work is part Oriental satire, part Oriental tale, but primarily an Oriental study. Ultimately, the critic proposes that Hamilton's approach can best be defined as female Orientalism.
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Review of Translation of the Letters of a Hindoo Rajah
(summary)
- Further Reading