Events

This work is a detailed study of the eighteenth-century English poet, Elizabeth Carter, a writer who has been virtually forgotten by modern literary scholarship. This analysis provides a necessary and long-overdue look at the life, publishing history, and work of one of the most learned and respected figures of her time. Divided into chapters, the introductory material is followed by a detailed look at Carter’s life, in order to give readers a true sense of this remarkable poet. The biographical section (Chapter II) is then followed by an outline of her publishing history in chapter III, which is intended to provide a sequential timeline, by which to organize the later discussion of her poetry. Then, using her 1766 collection, "Poems on Several Occasions," the next two sections (Chapters IV and V, respectively) discuss, in detail, selected poems in terms of their influences, styles, primary themes and moods; in order to fully illustrate and establish a clear picture of the author’s rich literary accomplishments. Chapter VI looks at Carter’s influential and long-standing friendship with Samuel Johnson, and how, specifically, he helped to shape her career and influence her work; while the final section (Chapter VII), illustrates the importance of copy-text selection in allowing for an accurate view of the authorial intent of Carter’s poetry. Together, these sections present a detailed analysis of the work of a woman who was in the center of eighteenth-century literary circles, but who has remained on the fringes of modern scholarly criticism.