Abstract
[Truncated] France, in the sixteenth century, experienced an unprecedented transformation in the modes, meaning and technology of publication from manuscript to print. This thesis explores how women participated in evolving and eventually diverging scribal and print forms, during this unique era in publication culture. I argue that women's published writings arise from a distinct publication sub-culture, separate from those of men. Exploration of women's writings can help historians understand female experiences of publication.
In order to approach a study of the complex relationship between women and publication culture, I have adopted several original strategies. I expand the study of women and publication by assembling a wide sample group of female authors and publishing experiences. T o do so, I examine all types of published writing by women, from prefaces and laudatory verse to entire editions of poetry and prose.This thesis presents the only checklist of all known women's writings in printed texts between 1488 and 1599. Furthermore, I broaden the concept of publication to include also scribal publication which occurred through circulation and presentation of manuscripts. I challenge the view that manuscript offered a "safe" means of semipublic exposure for female authors. My data suggests that women's experiences of participation in publication appeared almost identical in both scribal and print mediums. This thesis draws its conclusions from quantitative and qualitative analysis of both women's printed and manuscript writings.
In order to approach a study of the complex relationship between women and publication culture, I have adopted several original strategies. I expand the study of women and publication by assembling a wide sample group of female authors and publishing experiences. T o do so, I examine all types of published writing by women, from prefaces and laudatory verse to entire editions of poetry and prose.This thesis presents the only checklist of all known women's writings in printed texts between 1488 and 1599. Furthermore, I broaden the concept of publication to include also scribal publication which occurred through circulation and presentation of manuscripts. I challenge the view that manuscript offered a "safe" means of semipublic exposure for female authors. My data suggests that women's experiences of participation in publication appeared almost identical in both scribal and print mediums. This thesis draws its conclusions from quantitative and qualitative analysis of both women's printed and manuscript writings.
Original language | English |
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Qualification | Doctor of Philosophy |
Awarding Institution |
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DOIs | |
Publication status | Unpublished - 1999 |
Take-down notice
- This thesis has been made available in the UWA Profiles and Research Repository as part of a UWA Library project to digitise and make available theses completed before 2003. If you are the author of this thesis and would like it removed from the UWA Profiles and Research Repository, please contact [email protected]