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<rss xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:podcast="https://podcastindex.org/namespace/1.0" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" version="2.0"><channel><title>Life of Harriot Stuart</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/life-of-harriot-stuart--7134113</link><description><![CDATA[Immerse yourself in the intricate world of self-creation and identity as you explore the themes woven throughout the episodes of Life of Harriot Stuart. This podcast delves into the complexities of self-invention and the power of fiction, inviting listeners to reflect on the ways narratives shape our understanding of ourselves and society. Each episode features a new complete audiobook, showcasing a rotating collection of works that echo the struggles and triumphs of individuals seeking to define their own paths in an ever-evolving landscape. This is not a single story but a series of unique explorations that challenge conventional narratives and encourage introspection. With every episode, listeners are invited to discover a new book that resonates with the themes of moral and social education, while also transcending didactic traditions. Join us on this literary journey and uncover the diverse voices that illuminate the art of self-representation and transformation.]]></description><atom:link href="https://www.spreaker.com/show/7134113/episodes/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><language>en</language><category>Books</category><copyright>Copyright Religion Genre</copyright><image><url>https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/18613858349636ecae01070cf8c4ba59.jpg</url><title>Life of Harriot Stuart</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/life-of-harriot-stuart--7134113</link></image><lastBuildDate>Thu, 27 Aug 2026 09:22:28 +0000</lastBuildDate><itunes:author>Charlotte Lennox</itunes:author><itunes:owner><itunes:name>Religion Genre</itunes:name><itunes:email>spreaker78@podcastlibrary.org</itunes:email></itunes:owner><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/18613858349636ecae01070cf8c4ba59.jpg"/><itunes:subtitle>Immerse yourself in the intricate world of self-creation and identity as you explore the themes woven throughout the episodes of Life of Harriot Stuart. This podcast delves into the complexities of self-invention and the power of fiction, inviting...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Immerse yourself in the intricate world of self-creation and identity as you explore the themes woven throughout the episodes of Life of Harriot Stuart. This podcast delves into the complexities of self-invention and the power of fiction, inviting listeners to reflect on the ways narratives shape our understanding of ourselves and society. Each episode features a new complete audiobook, showcasing a rotating collection of works that echo the struggles and triumphs of individuals seeking to define their own paths in an ever-evolving landscape. This is not a single story but a series of unique explorations that challenge conventional narratives and encourage introspection. With every episode, listeners are invited to discover a new book that resonates with the themes of moral and social education, while also transcending didactic traditions. Join us on this literary journey and uncover the diverse voices that illuminate the art of self-representation and transformation.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:category text="Arts"><itunes:category text="Books"/></itunes:category><itunes:category text="Kids &amp; Family"><itunes:category text="Pets &amp; Animals"/></itunes:category><itunes:category text="Science"><itunes:category text="Nature"/></itunes:category><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><podcast:guid>8b168314-021e-57f4-b019-3c0f10da41f8</podcast:guid><itunes:type>episodic</itunes:type><item><title>Phillips Brooks-Mark Antony De Wolfe Howe</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/phillips-brooks-mark-antony-de-wolfe-howe--74626341</link><description><![CDATA[The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the author's own use of the novel to shape her identity. Published in December of 1750, Harriot Stuart gained critical praise as a successor of Richardson's Clarissa and by 1752, Charlotte Lennox had become a protégé of Johnson. Lennox's second novel reflects the influences of men like Richardson and Johnson. Their individual styles and commitments to moral and social education are evident in the arguments and plot of The Female Quixote. Despite these associations with the didactic tradition, Harriot Stuart's resemblance to it is only superficial. Although Harriot makes gestures toward repentance and acknowledgment of her faults, the work of the novel is not to redeem Harriot's coquetry through marriage, but rather allow her to control her own identity through the manipulation of language as both coquette and narrator. As coquette, Harriot Stuart uses the language of courtship to manipulate the perceptions of her male admirers. The object of the male gaze, traditionally considered a passive role, is a site of empowerment for the coquette as she exploits it to create and re-create herself in society's eyes. As narrator, Harriot uses the telling of her courtship as a vehicle of self-invention. In controlling the telling of her own history, she in effect reconstructs her identity. Lennox, who arrived at London in 1742 with no recorded past, also engages in this self-narration as author. The history that Lennox claims for herself parallels that of Harriot Stuart, whose fictional autobiography was accepted, with Lennox's implicit consent, as the author's own. The implications of Lennox's choice of an American autobiography raise two questions. First, what exactly was American-ness in 1750 and what did it represent to Lennox specifically. Second, how did this American quality manifest itself within Harriot Stuart as both fiction and autobiography. The particularly ambiguous relationship between author, narrator, and heroine in The Life of Harriot Stuart complicates the reader's interpretation of Harriot's character and lifestyle. Along with the implications of Harriot's invention of her identity as coquette and historian, are those of Lennox's own self-invention as author through genre, gender, and geography.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74626341</guid><pubDate>Thu, 27 Aug 2026 09:02:56 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74626341/phillips_brooks_mark_antony_de_wolfe_howe.mp3" length="61058060" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Charlotte Lennox</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the author's own use of the novel to shape her identity. Published in December of 1750, Harriot Stuart gained critical praise as a successor of Richardson's Clarissa and by 1752, Charlotte Lennox had become a protégé of Johnson. Lennox's second novel reflects the influences of men like Richardson and Johnson. Their individual styles and commitments to moral and social education are evident in the arguments and plot of The Female Quixote. Despite these associations with the didactic tradition, Harriot Stuart's resemblance to it is only superficial. Although Harriot makes gestures toward repentance and acknowledgment of her faults, the work of the novel is not to redeem Harriot's coquetry through marriage, but rather allow her to control her own identity through the manipulation of language as both coquette and narrator. As coquette, Harriot Stuart uses the language of courtship to manipulate the perceptions of her male admirers. The object of the male gaze, traditionally considered a passive role, is a site of empowerment for the coquette as she exploits it to create and re-create herself in society's eyes. As narrator, Harriot uses the telling of her courtship as a vehicle of self-invention. In controlling the telling of her own history, she in effect reconstructs her identity. Lennox, who arrived at London in 1742 with no recorded past, also engages in this self-narration as author. The history that Lennox claims for herself parallels that of Harriot Stuart, whose fictional autobiography was accepted, with Lennox's implicit consent, as the author's own. The implications of Lennox's choice of an American autobiography raise two questions. First, what exactly was American-ness in 1750 and what did it represent to Lennox specifically. Second, how did this American quality manifest itself within Harriot Stuart as both fiction and autobiography. The particularly ambiguous relationship between author, narrator, and heroine in The Life of Harriot Stuart complicates the reader's interpretation of Harriot's character and lifestyle. Along with the implications of Harriot's invention of her identity as coquette and historian, are those of Lennox's own self-invention as author through genre, gender, and geography.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>7624</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/18613858349636ecae01070cf8c4ba59.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Dramatic Reading Scene and Story Collection, Volume 005-Various</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/dramatic-reading-scene-and-story-collection-volume-005-various--74593715</link><description><![CDATA[The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the author's own use of the novel to shape her identity. Published in December of 1750, Harriot Stuart gained critical praise as a successor of Richardson's Clarissa and by 1752, Charlotte Lennox had become a protégé of Johnson. Lennox's second novel reflects the influences of men like Richardson and Johnson. Their individual styles and commitments to moral and social education are evident in the arguments and plot of The Female Quixote. Despite these associations with the didactic tradition, Harriot Stuart's resemblance to it is only superficial. Although Harriot makes gestures toward repentance and acknowledgment of her faults, the work of the novel is not to redeem Harriot's coquetry through marriage, but rather allow her to control her own identity through the manipulation of language as both coquette and narrator. As coquette, Harriot Stuart uses the language of courtship to manipulate the perceptions of her male admirers. The object of the male gaze, traditionally considered a passive role, is a site of empowerment for the coquette as she exploits it to create and re-create herself in society's eyes. As narrator, Harriot uses the telling of her courtship as a vehicle of self-invention. In controlling the telling of her own history, she in effect reconstructs her identity. Lennox, who arrived at London in 1742 with no recorded past, also engages in this self-narration as author. The history that Lennox claims for herself parallels that of Harriot Stuart, whose fictional autobiography was accepted, with Lennox's implicit consent, as the author's own. The implications of Lennox's choice of an American autobiography raise two questions. First, what exactly was American-ness in 1750 and what did it represent to Lennox specifically. Second, how did this American quality manifest itself within Harriot Stuart as both fiction and autobiography. The particularly ambiguous relationship between author, narrator, and heroine in The Life of Harriot Stuart complicates the reader's interpretation of Harriot's character and lifestyle. Along with the implications of Harriot's invention of her identity as coquette and historian, are those of Lennox's own self-invention as author through genre, gender, and geography.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74593715</guid><pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2026 09:03:01 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74593715/20304_dramatic_reading_scene_and_story_collection_volume_005_various.mp3" length="174099545" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Charlotte Lennox</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the author's own use of the novel to shape her identity. Published in December of 1750, Harriot Stuart gained critical praise as a successor of Richardson's Clarissa and by 1752, Charlotte Lennox had become a protégé of Johnson. Lennox's second novel reflects the influences of men like Richardson and Johnson. Their individual styles and commitments to moral and social education are evident in the arguments and plot of The Female Quixote. Despite these associations with the didactic tradition, Harriot Stuart's resemblance to it is only superficial. Although Harriot makes gestures toward repentance and acknowledgment of her faults, the work of the novel is not to redeem Harriot's coquetry through marriage, but rather allow her to control her own identity through the manipulation of language as both coquette and narrator. As coquette, Harriot Stuart uses the language of courtship to manipulate the perceptions of her male admirers. The object of the male gaze, traditionally considered a passive role, is a site of empowerment for the coquette as she exploits it to create and re-create herself in society's eyes. As narrator, Harriot uses the telling of her courtship as a vehicle of self-invention. In controlling the telling of her own history, she in effect reconstructs her identity. Lennox, who arrived at London in 1742 with no recorded past, also engages in this self-narration as author. The history that Lennox claims for herself parallels that of Harriot Stuart, whose fictional autobiography was accepted, with Lennox's implicit consent, as the author's own. The implications of Lennox's choice of an American autobiography raise two questions. First, what exactly was American-ness in 1750 and what did it represent to Lennox specifically. Second, how did this American quality manifest itself within Harriot Stuart as both fiction and autobiography. The particularly ambiguous relationship between author, narrator, and heroine in The Life of Harriot Stuart complicates the reader's interpretation of Harriot's character and lifestyle. Along with the implications of Harriot's invention of her identity as coquette and historian, are those of Lennox's own self-invention as author through genre, gender, and geography.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>21739</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/18613858349636ecae01070cf8c4ba59.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>H.M.S. Pinafore; Or, The Lass That Loved A Sailor-W. S. Gilbert</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/h-m-s-pinafore-or-the-lass-that-loved-a-sailor-w-s-gilbert--74561618</link><description><![CDATA[The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the author's own use of the novel to shape her identity. Published in December of 1750, Harriot Stuart gained critical praise as a successor of Richardson's Clarissa and by 1752, Charlotte Lennox had become a protégé of Johnson. Lennox's second novel reflects the influences of men like Richardson and Johnson. Their individual styles and commitments to moral and social education are evident in the arguments and plot of The Female Quixote. Despite these associations with the didactic tradition, Harriot Stuart's resemblance to it is only superficial. Although Harriot makes gestures toward repentance and acknowledgment of her faults, the work of the novel is not to redeem Harriot's coquetry through marriage, but rather allow her to control her own identity through the manipulation of language as both coquette and narrator. As coquette, Harriot Stuart uses the language of courtship to manipulate the perceptions of her male admirers. The object of the male gaze, traditionally considered a passive role, is a site of empowerment for the coquette as she exploits it to create and re-create herself in society's eyes. As narrator, Harriot uses the telling of her courtship as a vehicle of self-invention. In controlling the telling of her own history, she in effect reconstructs her identity. Lennox, who arrived at London in 1742 with no recorded past, also engages in this self-narration as author. The history that Lennox claims for herself parallels that of Harriot Stuart, whose fictional autobiography was accepted, with Lennox's implicit consent, as the author's own. The implications of Lennox's choice of an American autobiography raise two questions. First, what exactly was American-ness in 1750 and what did it represent to Lennox specifically. Second, how did this American quality manifest itself within Harriot Stuart as both fiction and autobiography. The particularly ambiguous relationship between author, narrator, and heroine in The Life of Harriot Stuart complicates the reader's interpretation of Harriot's character and lifestyle. Along with the implications of Harriot's invention of her identity as coquette and historian, are those of Lennox's own self-invention as author through genre, gender, and geography.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74561618</guid><pubDate>Tue, 25 Aug 2026 09:02:40 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74561618/h_m_s_pinafore_or_the_lass_that_loved_a_sailor_w_s_gilbert.mp3" length="30216817" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Charlotte Lennox</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the author's own use of the novel to shape her identity. Published in December of 1750, Harriot Stuart gained critical praise as a successor of Richardson's Clarissa and by 1752, Charlotte Lennox had become a protégé of Johnson. Lennox's second novel reflects the influences of men like Richardson and Johnson. Their individual styles and commitments to moral and social education are evident in the arguments and plot of The Female Quixote. Despite these associations with the didactic tradition, Harriot Stuart's resemblance to it is only superficial. Although Harriot makes gestures toward repentance and acknowledgment of her faults, the work of the novel is not to redeem Harriot's coquetry through marriage, but rather allow her to control her own identity through the manipulation of language as both coquette and narrator. As coquette, Harriot Stuart uses the language of courtship to manipulate the perceptions of her male admirers. The object of the male gaze, traditionally considered a passive role, is a site of empowerment for the coquette as she exploits it to create and re-create herself in society's eyes. As narrator, Harriot uses the telling of her courtship as a vehicle of self-invention. In controlling the telling of her own history, she in effect reconstructs her identity. Lennox, who arrived at London in 1742 with no recorded past, also engages in this self-narration as author. The history that Lennox claims for herself parallels that of Harriot Stuart, whose fictional autobiography was accepted, with Lennox's implicit consent, as the author's own. The implications of Lennox's choice of an American autobiography raise two questions. First, what exactly was American-ness in 1750 and what did it represent to Lennox specifically. Second, how did this American quality manifest itself within Harriot Stuart as both fiction and autobiography. The particularly ambiguous relationship between author, narrator, and heroine in The Life of Harriot Stuart complicates the reader's interpretation of Harriot's character and lifestyle. Along with the implications of Harriot's invention of her identity as coquette and historian, are those of Lennox's own self-invention as author through genre, gender, and geography.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>3773</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/18613858349636ecae01070cf8c4ba59.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia-Samuel Johnson</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/rasselas-prince-of-abyssinia-samuel-johnson--74529395</link><description><![CDATA[The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the author's own use of the novel to shape her identity. Published in December of 1750, Harriot Stuart gained critical praise as a successor of Richardson's Clarissa and by 1752, Charlotte Lennox had become a protégé of Johnson. Lennox's second novel reflects the influences of men like Richardson and Johnson. Their individual styles and commitments to moral and social education are evident in the arguments and plot of The Female Quixote. Despite these associations with the didactic tradition, Harriot Stuart's resemblance to it is only superficial. Although Harriot makes gestures toward repentance and acknowledgment of her faults, the work of the novel is not to redeem Harriot's coquetry through marriage, but rather allow her to control her own identity through the manipulation of language as both coquette and narrator. As coquette, Harriot Stuart uses the language of courtship to manipulate the perceptions of her male admirers. The object of the male gaze, traditionally considered a passive role, is a site of empowerment for the coquette as she exploits it to create and re-create herself in society's eyes. As narrator, Harriot uses the telling of her courtship as a vehicle of self-invention. In controlling the telling of her own history, she in effect reconstructs her identity. Lennox, who arrived at London in 1742 with no recorded past, also engages in this self-narration as author. The history that Lennox claims for herself parallels that of Harriot Stuart, whose fictional autobiography was accepted, with Lennox's implicit consent, as the author's own. The implications of Lennox's choice of an American autobiography raise two questions. First, what exactly was American-ness in 1750 and what did it represent to Lennox specifically. Second, how did this American quality manifest itself within Harriot Stuart as both fiction and autobiography. The particularly ambiguous relationship between author, narrator, and heroine in The Life of Harriot Stuart complicates the reader's interpretation of Harriot's character and lifestyle. Along with the implications of Harriot's invention of her identity as coquette and historian, are those of Lennox's own self-invention as author through genre, gender, and geography.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74529395</guid><pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2026 09:08:46 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74529395/rasselas_prince_of_abyssinia_samuel_johnson.mp3" length="158938335" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Charlotte Lennox</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the author's own use of the novel to shape her identity. Published in December of 1750, Harriot Stuart gained critical praise as a successor of Richardson's Clarissa and by 1752, Charlotte Lennox had become a protégé of Johnson. Lennox's second novel reflects the influences of men like Richardson and Johnson. Their individual styles and commitments to moral and social education are evident in the arguments and plot of The Female Quixote. Despite these associations with the didactic tradition, Harriot Stuart's resemblance to it is only superficial. Although Harriot makes gestures toward repentance and acknowledgment of her faults, the work of the novel is not to redeem Harriot's coquetry through marriage, but rather allow her to control her own identity through the manipulation of language as both coquette and narrator. As coquette, Harriot Stuart uses the language of courtship to manipulate the perceptions of her male admirers. The object of the male gaze, traditionally considered a passive role, is a site of empowerment for the coquette as she exploits it to create and re-create herself in society's eyes. As narrator, Harriot uses the telling of her courtship as a vehicle of self-invention. In controlling the telling of her own history, she in effect reconstructs her identity. Lennox, who arrived at London in 1742 with no recorded past, also engages in this self-narration as author. The history that Lennox claims for herself parallels that of Harriot Stuart, whose fictional autobiography was accepted, with Lennox's implicit consent, as the author's own. The implications of Lennox's choice of an American autobiography raise two questions. First, what exactly was American-ness in 1750 and what did it represent to Lennox specifically. Second, how did this American quality manifest itself within Harriot Stuart as both fiction and autobiography. The particularly ambiguous relationship between author, narrator, and heroine in The Life of Harriot Stuart complicates the reader's interpretation of Harriot's character and lifestyle. Along with the implications of Harriot's invention of her identity as coquette and historian, are those of Lennox's own self-invention as author through genre, gender, and geography.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>19847</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/18613858349636ecae01070cf8c4ba59.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Country House-John Galsworthy</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/country-house-john-galsworthy--74498371</link><description><![CDATA[The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the author's own use of the novel to shape her identity. Published in December of 1750, Harriot Stuart gained critical praise as a successor of Richardson's Clarissa and by 1752, Charlotte Lennox had become a protégé of Johnson. Lennox's second novel reflects the influences of men like Richardson and Johnson. Their individual styles and commitments to moral and social education are evident in the arguments and plot of The Female Quixote. Despite these associations with the didactic tradition, Harriot Stuart's resemblance to it is only superficial. Although Harriot makes gestures toward repentance and acknowledgment of her faults, the work of the novel is not to redeem Harriot's coquetry through marriage, but rather allow her to control her own identity through the manipulation of language as both coquette and narrator. As coquette, Harriot Stuart uses the language of courtship to manipulate the perceptions of her male admirers. The object of the male gaze, traditionally considered a passive role, is a site of empowerment for the coquette as she exploits it to create and re-create herself in society's eyes. As narrator, Harriot uses the telling of her courtship as a vehicle of self-invention. In controlling the telling of her own history, she in effect reconstructs her identity. Lennox, who arrived at London in 1742 with no recorded past, also engages in this self-narration as author. The history that Lennox claims for herself parallels that of Harriot Stuart, whose fictional autobiography was accepted, with Lennox's implicit consent, as the author's own. The implications of Lennox's choice of an American autobiography raise two questions. First, what exactly was American-ness in 1750 and what did it represent to Lennox specifically. Second, how did this American quality manifest itself within Harriot Stuart as both fiction and autobiography. The particularly ambiguous relationship between author, narrator, and heroine in The Life of Harriot Stuart complicates the reader's interpretation of Harriot's character and lifestyle. Along with the implications of Harriot's invention of her identity as coquette and historian, are those of Lennox's own self-invention as author through genre, gender, and geography.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74498371</guid><pubDate>Sun, 23 Aug 2026 09:08:41 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74498371/country_house_john_galsworthy.mp3" length="262503019" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Charlotte Lennox</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the author's own use of the novel to shape her identity. Published in December of 1750, Harriot Stuart gained critical praise as a successor of Richardson's Clarissa and by 1752, Charlotte Lennox had become a protégé of Johnson. Lennox's second novel reflects the influences of men like Richardson and Johnson. Their individual styles and commitments to moral and social education are evident in the arguments and plot of The Female Quixote. Despite these associations with the didactic tradition, Harriot Stuart's resemblance to it is only superficial. Although Harriot makes gestures toward repentance and acknowledgment of her faults, the work of the novel is not to redeem Harriot's coquetry through marriage, but rather allow her to control her own identity through the manipulation of language as both coquette and narrator. As coquette, Harriot Stuart uses the language of courtship to manipulate the perceptions of her male admirers. The object of the male gaze, traditionally considered a passive role, is a site of empowerment for the coquette as she exploits it to create and re-create herself in society's eyes. As narrator, Harriot uses the telling of her courtship as a vehicle of self-invention. In controlling the telling of her own history, she in effect reconstructs her identity. Lennox, who arrived at London in 1742 with no recorded past, also engages in this self-narration as author. The history that Lennox claims for herself parallels that of Harriot Stuart, whose fictional autobiography was accepted, with Lennox's implicit consent, as the author's own. The implications of Lennox's choice of an American autobiography raise two questions. First, what exactly was American-ness in 1750 and what did it represent to Lennox specifically. Second, how did this American quality manifest itself within Harriot Stuart as both fiction and autobiography. The particularly ambiguous relationship between author, narrator, and heroine in The Life of Harriot Stuart complicates the reader's interpretation of Harriot's character and lifestyle. Along with the implications of Harriot's invention of her identity as coquette and historian, are those of Lennox's own self-invention as author through genre, gender, and geography.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>32780</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/18613858349636ecae01070cf8c4ba59.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Jenny-Sigrid Undset</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/jenny-sigrid-undset--74459053</link><description><![CDATA[The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the author's own use of the novel to shape her identity. Published in December of 1750, Harriot Stuart gained critical praise as a successor of Richardson's Clarissa and by 1752, Charlotte Lennox had become a protégé of Johnson. Lennox's second novel reflects the influences of men like Richardson and Johnson. Their individual styles and commitments to moral and social education are evident in the arguments and plot of The Female Quixote. Despite these associations with the didactic tradition, Harriot Stuart's resemblance to it is only superficial. Although Harriot makes gestures toward repentance and acknowledgment of her faults, the work of the novel is not to redeem Harriot's coquetry through marriage, but rather allow her to control her own identity through the manipulation of language as both coquette and narrator. As coquette, Harriot Stuart uses the language of courtship to manipulate the perceptions of her male admirers. The object of the male gaze, traditionally considered a passive role, is a site of empowerment for the coquette as she exploits it to create and re-create herself in society's eyes. As narrator, Harriot uses the telling of her courtship as a vehicle of self-invention. In controlling the telling of her own history, she in effect reconstructs her identity. Lennox, who arrived at London in 1742 with no recorded past, also engages in this self-narration as author. The history that Lennox claims for herself parallels that of Harriot Stuart, whose fictional autobiography was accepted, with Lennox's implicit consent, as the author's own. The implications of Lennox's choice of an American autobiography raise two questions. First, what exactly was American-ness in 1750 and what did it represent to Lennox specifically. Second, how did this American quality manifest itself within Harriot Stuart as both fiction and autobiography. The particularly ambiguous relationship between author, narrator, and heroine in The Life of Harriot Stuart complicates the reader's interpretation of Harriot's character and lifestyle. Along with the implications of Harriot's invention of her identity as coquette and historian, are those of Lennox's own self-invention as author through genre, gender, and geography.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74459053</guid><pubDate>Sat, 22 Aug 2026 09:07:51 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74459053/jenny_sigrid_undset.mp3" length="267523509" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Charlotte Lennox</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the author's own use of the novel to shape her identity. Published in December of 1750, Harriot Stuart gained critical praise as a successor of Richardson's Clarissa and by 1752, Charlotte Lennox had become a protégé of Johnson. Lennox's second novel reflects the influences of men like Richardson and Johnson. Their individual styles and commitments to moral and social education are evident in the arguments and plot of The Female Quixote. Despite these associations with the didactic tradition, Harriot Stuart's resemblance to it is only superficial. Although Harriot makes gestures toward repentance and acknowledgment of her faults, the work of the novel is not to redeem Harriot's coquetry through marriage, but rather allow her to control her own identity through the manipulation of language as both coquette and narrator. As coquette, Harriot Stuart uses the language of courtship to manipulate the perceptions of her male admirers. The object of the male gaze, traditionally considered a passive role, is a site of empowerment for the coquette as she exploits it to create and re-create herself in society's eyes. As narrator, Harriot uses the telling of her courtship as a vehicle of self-invention. In controlling the telling of her own history, she in effect reconstructs her identity. Lennox, who arrived at London in 1742 with no recorded past, also engages in this self-narration as author. The history that Lennox claims for herself parallels that of Harriot Stuart, whose fictional autobiography was accepted, with Lennox's implicit consent, as the author's own. The implications of Lennox's choice of an American autobiography raise two questions. First, what exactly was American-ness in 1750 and what did it represent to Lennox specifically. Second, how did this American quality manifest itself within Harriot Stuart as both fiction and autobiography. The particularly ambiguous relationship between author, narrator, and heroine in The Life of Harriot Stuart complicates the reader's interpretation of Harriot's character and lifestyle. Along with the implications of Harriot's invention of her identity as coquette and historian, are those of Lennox's own self-invention as author through genre, gender, and geography.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>33407</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/18613858349636ecae01070cf8c4ba59.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>History of the United States, Vol. II Conflict &amp; Independence-Charles Austin Beard, Mary Ritter Beard</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/history-of-the-united-states-vol-ii-conflict-independence-charles-austin-beard-mary-ritter-beard--74426683</link><description><![CDATA[The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the author's own use of the novel to shape her identity. Published in December of 1750, Harriot Stuart gained critical praise as a successor of Richardson's Clarissa and by 1752, Charlotte Lennox had become a protégé of Johnson. Lennox's second novel reflects the influences of men like Richardson and Johnson. Their individual styles and commitments to moral and social education are evident in the arguments and plot of The Female Quixote. Despite these associations with the didactic tradition, Harriot Stuart's resemblance to it is only superficial. Although Harriot makes gestures toward repentance and acknowledgment of her faults, the work of the novel is not to redeem Harriot's coquetry through marriage, but rather allow her to control her own identity through the manipulation of language as both coquette and narrator. As coquette, Harriot Stuart uses the language of courtship to manipulate the perceptions of her male admirers. The object of the male gaze, traditionally considered a passive role, is a site of empowerment for the coquette as she exploits it to create and re-create herself in society's eyes. As narrator, Harriot uses the telling of her courtship as a vehicle of self-invention. In controlling the telling of her own history, she in effect reconstructs her identity. Lennox, who arrived at London in 1742 with no recorded past, also engages in this self-narration as author. The history that Lennox claims for herself parallels that of Harriot Stuart, whose fictional autobiography was accepted, with Lennox's implicit consent, as the author's own. The implications of Lennox's choice of an American autobiography raise two questions. First, what exactly was American-ness in 1750 and what did it represent to Lennox specifically. Second, how did this American quality manifest itself within Harriot Stuart as both fiction and autobiography. The particularly ambiguous relationship between author, narrator, and heroine in The Life of Harriot Stuart complicates the reader's interpretation of Harriot's character and lifestyle. Along with the implications of Harriot's invention of her identity as coquette and historian, are those of Lennox's own self-invention as author through genre, gender, and geography.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74426683</guid><pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 09:08:47 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74426683/history_of_the_united_states_vol_ii_conflict_independence_charles_austin_beard_mary_ritter_beard.mp3" length="65829803" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Charlotte Lennox</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the author's own use of the novel to shape her identity. Published in December of 1750, Harriot Stuart gained critical praise as a successor of Richardson's Clarissa and by 1752, Charlotte Lennox had become a protégé of Johnson. Lennox's second novel reflects the influences of men like Richardson and Johnson. Their individual styles and commitments to moral and social education are evident in the arguments and plot of The Female Quixote. Despite these associations with the didactic tradition, Harriot Stuart's resemblance to it is only superficial. Although Harriot makes gestures toward repentance and acknowledgment of her faults, the work of the novel is not to redeem Harriot's coquetry through marriage, but rather allow her to control her own identity through the manipulation of language as both coquette and narrator. As coquette, Harriot Stuart uses the language of courtship to manipulate the perceptions of her male admirers. The object of the male gaze, traditionally considered a passive role, is a site of empowerment for the coquette as she exploits it to create and re-create herself in society's eyes. As narrator, Harriot uses the telling of her courtship as a vehicle of self-invention. In controlling the telling of her own history, she in effect reconstructs her identity. Lennox, who arrived at London in 1742 with no recorded past, also engages in this self-narration as author. The history that Lennox claims for herself parallels that of Harriot Stuart, whose fictional autobiography was accepted, with Lennox's implicit consent, as the author's own. The implications of Lennox's choice of an American autobiography raise two questions. First, what exactly was American-ness in 1750 and what did it represent to Lennox specifically. Second, how did this American quality manifest itself within Harriot Stuart as both fiction and autobiography. The particularly ambiguous relationship between author, narrator, and heroine in The Life of Harriot Stuart complicates the reader's interpretation of Harriot's character and lifestyle. Along with the implications of Harriot's invention of her identity as coquette and historian, are those of Lennox's own self-invention as author through genre, gender, and geography.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>8220</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/18613858349636ecae01070cf8c4ba59.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Havelok the Dane A Legend of Old Grimsby and Lincoln-Charles Watts Whistler</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/havelok-the-dane-a-legend-of-old-grimsby-and-lincoln-charles-watts-whistler--74382014</link><description><![CDATA[The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the author's own use of the novel to shape her identity. Published in December of 1750, Harriot Stuart gained critical praise as a successor of Richardson's Clarissa and by 1752, Charlotte Lennox had become a protégé of Johnson. Lennox's second novel reflects the influences of men like Richardson and Johnson. Their individual styles and commitments to moral and social education are evident in the arguments and plot of The Female Quixote. Despite these associations with the didactic tradition, Harriot Stuart's resemblance to it is only superficial. Although Harriot makes gestures toward repentance and acknowledgment of her faults, the work of the novel is not to redeem Harriot's coquetry through marriage, but rather allow her to control her own identity through the manipulation of language as both coquette and narrator. As coquette, Harriot Stuart uses the language of courtship to manipulate the perceptions of her male admirers. The object of the male gaze, traditionally considered a passive role, is a site of empowerment for the coquette as she exploits it to create and re-create herself in society's eyes. As narrator, Harriot uses the telling of her courtship as a vehicle of self-invention. In controlling the telling of her own history, she in effect reconstructs her identity. Lennox, who arrived at London in 1742 with no recorded past, also engages in this self-narration as author. The history that Lennox claims for herself parallels that of Harriot Stuart, whose fictional autobiography was accepted, with Lennox's implicit consent, as the author's own. The implications of Lennox's choice of an American autobiography raise two questions. First, what exactly was American-ness in 1750 and what did it represent to Lennox specifically. Second, how did this American quality manifest itself within Harriot Stuart as both fiction and autobiography. The particularly ambiguous relationship between author, narrator, and heroine in The Life of Harriot Stuart complicates the reader's interpretation of Harriot's character and lifestyle. Along with the implications of Harriot's invention of her identity as coquette and historian, are those of Lennox's own self-invention as author through genre, gender, and geography.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74382014</guid><pubDate>Thu, 20 Aug 2026 11:05:54 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74382014/9992_havelok_the_dane_a_legend_of_old_grimsby_and_lincoln_charles_watts_whistler.mp3" length="257578848" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Charlotte Lennox</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the author's own use of the novel to shape her identity. Published in December of 1750, Harriot Stuart gained critical praise as a successor of Richardson's Clarissa and by 1752, Charlotte Lennox had become a protégé of Johnson. Lennox's second novel reflects the influences of men like Richardson and Johnson. Their individual styles and commitments to moral and social education are evident in the arguments and plot of The Female Quixote. Despite these associations with the didactic tradition, Harriot Stuart's resemblance to it is only superficial. Although Harriot makes gestures toward repentance and acknowledgment of her faults, the work of the novel is not to redeem Harriot's coquetry through marriage, but rather allow her to control her own identity through the manipulation of language as both coquette and narrator. As coquette, Harriot Stuart uses the language of courtship to manipulate the perceptions of her male admirers. The object of the male gaze, traditionally considered a passive role, is a site of empowerment for the coquette as she exploits it to create and re-create herself in society's eyes. As narrator, Harriot uses the telling of her courtship as a vehicle of self-invention. In controlling the telling of her own history, she in effect reconstructs her identity. Lennox, who arrived at London in 1742 with no recorded past, also engages in this self-narration as author. The history that Lennox claims for herself parallels that of Harriot Stuart, whose fictional autobiography was accepted, with Lennox's implicit consent, as the author's own. The implications of Lennox's choice of an American autobiography raise two questions. First, what exactly was American-ness in 1750 and what did it represent to Lennox specifically. Second, how did this American quality manifest itself within Harriot Stuart as both fiction and autobiography. The particularly ambiguous relationship between author, narrator, and heroine in The Life of Harriot Stuart complicates the reader's interpretation of Harriot's character and lifestyle. Along with the implications of Harriot's invention of her identity as coquette and historian, are those of Lennox's own self-invention as author through genre, gender, and geography.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>32165</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/18613858349636ecae01070cf8c4ba59.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Lovers' Vows-Elizabeth Inchbald, August von Kotzebue</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/lovers-vows-elizabeth-inchbald-august-von-kotzebue--74341817</link><description><![CDATA[The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the author's own use of the novel to shape her identity. Published in December of 1750, Harriot Stuart gained critical praise as a successor of Richardson's Clarissa and by 1752, Charlotte Lennox had become a protégé of Johnson. Lennox's second novel reflects the influences of men like Richardson and Johnson. Their individual styles and commitments to moral and social education are evident in the arguments and plot of The Female Quixote. Despite these associations with the didactic tradition, Harriot Stuart's resemblance to it is only superficial. Although Harriot makes gestures toward repentance and acknowledgment of her faults, the work of the novel is not to redeem Harriot's coquetry through marriage, but rather allow her to control her own identity through the manipulation of language as both coquette and narrator. As coquette, Harriot Stuart uses the language of courtship to manipulate the perceptions of her male admirers. The object of the male gaze, traditionally considered a passive role, is a site of empowerment for the coquette as she exploits it to create and re-create herself in society's eyes. As narrator, Harriot uses the telling of her courtship as a vehicle of self-invention. In controlling the telling of her own history, she in effect reconstructs her identity. Lennox, who arrived at London in 1742 with no recorded past, also engages in this self-narration as author. The history that Lennox claims for herself parallels that of Harriot Stuart, whose fictional autobiography was accepted, with Lennox's implicit consent, as the author's own. The implications of Lennox's choice of an American autobiography raise two questions. First, what exactly was American-ness in 1750 and what did it represent to Lennox specifically. Second, how did this American quality manifest itself within Harriot Stuart as both fiction and autobiography. The particularly ambiguous relationship between author, narrator, and heroine in The Life of Harriot Stuart complicates the reader's interpretation of Harriot's character and lifestyle. Along with the implications of Harriot's invention of her identity as coquette and historian, are those of Lennox's own self-invention as author through genre, gender, and geography.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74341817</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Aug 2026 21:41:45 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74341817/lovers_vows_elizabeth_inchbald_august_von_kotzebue.mp3" length="58884165" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Charlotte Lennox</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the author's own use of the novel to shape her identity. Published in December of 1750, Harriot Stuart gained critical praise as a successor of Richardson's Clarissa and by 1752, Charlotte Lennox had become a protégé of Johnson. Lennox's second novel reflects the influences of men like Richardson and Johnson. Their individual styles and commitments to moral and social education are evident in the arguments and plot of The Female Quixote. Despite these associations with the didactic tradition, Harriot Stuart's resemblance to it is only superficial. Although Harriot makes gestures toward repentance and acknowledgment of her faults, the work of the novel is not to redeem Harriot's coquetry through marriage, but rather allow her to control her own identity through the manipulation of language as both coquette and narrator. As coquette, Harriot Stuart uses the language of courtship to manipulate the perceptions of her male admirers. The object of the male gaze, traditionally considered a passive role, is a site of empowerment for the coquette as she exploits it to create and re-create herself in society's eyes. As narrator, Harriot uses the telling of her courtship as a vehicle of self-invention. In controlling the telling of her own history, she in effect reconstructs her identity. Lennox, who arrived at London in 1742 with no recorded past, also engages in this self-narration as author. The history that Lennox claims for herself parallels that of Harriot Stuart, whose fictional autobiography was accepted, with Lennox's implicit consent, as the author's own. The implications of Lennox's choice of an American autobiography raise two questions. First, what exactly was American-ness in 1750 and what did it represent to Lennox specifically. Second, how did this American quality manifest itself within Harriot Stuart as both fiction and autobiography. The particularly ambiguous relationship between author, narrator, and heroine in The Life of Harriot Stuart complicates the reader's interpretation of Harriot's character and lifestyle. Along with the implications of Harriot's invention of her identity as coquette and historian, are those of Lennox's own self-invention as author through genre, gender, and geography.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>7353</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/18613858349636ecae01070cf8c4ba59.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>History of the United States, Vol. V Sectional Conflict &amp; Reconstruction-Charles Austin Beard, Mary Ritter Beard</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/history-of-the-united-states-vol-v-sectional-conflict-reconstruction-charles-austin-beard-mary-ritter-beard--74199268</link><description><![CDATA[The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the author's own use of the novel to shape her identity. Published in December of 1750, Harriot Stuart gained critical praise as a successor of Richardson's Clarissa and by 1752, Charlotte Lennox had become a protégé of Johnson. Lennox's second novel reflects the influences of men like Richardson and Johnson. Their individual styles and commitments to moral and social education are evident in the arguments and plot of The Female Quixote. Despite these associations with the didactic tradition, Harriot Stuart's resemblance to it is only superficial. Although Harriot makes gestures toward repentance and acknowledgment of her faults, the work of the novel is not to redeem Harriot's coquetry through marriage, but rather allow her to control her own identity through the manipulation of language as both coquette and narrator. As coquette, Harriot Stuart uses the language of courtship to manipulate the perceptions of her male admirers. The object of the male gaze, traditionally considered a passive role, is a site of empowerment for the coquette as she exploits it to create and re-create herself in society's eyes. As narrator, Harriot uses the telling of her courtship as a vehicle of self-invention. In controlling the telling of her own history, she in effect reconstructs her identity. Lennox, who arrived at London in 1742 with no recorded past, also engages in this self-narration as author. The history that Lennox claims for herself parallels that of Harriot Stuart, whose fictional autobiography was accepted, with Lennox's implicit consent, as the author's own. The implications of Lennox's choice of an American autobiography raise two questions. First, what exactly was American-ness in 1750 and what did it represent to Lennox specifically. Second, how did this American quality manifest itself within Harriot Stuart as both fiction and autobiography. The particularly ambiguous relationship between author, narrator, and heroine in The Life of Harriot Stuart complicates the reader's interpretation of Harriot's character and lifestyle. Along with the implications of Harriot's invention of her identity as coquette and historian, are those of Lennox's own self-invention as author through genre, gender, and geography.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74199268</guid><pubDate>Tue, 18 Aug 2026 09:08:43 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74199268/history_of_the_united_states_vol_v_sectional_conflict_reconstruction_charles_austin_beard_mary_ritter_beard.mp3" length="84554073" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Charlotte Lennox</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the author's own use of the novel to shape her identity. Published in December of 1750, Harriot Stuart gained critical praise as a successor of Richardson's Clarissa and by 1752, Charlotte Lennox had become a protégé of Johnson. Lennox's second novel reflects the influences of men like Richardson and Johnson. Their individual styles and commitments to moral and social education are evident in the arguments and plot of The Female Quixote. Despite these associations with the didactic tradition, Harriot Stuart's resemblance to it is only superficial. Although Harriot makes gestures toward repentance and acknowledgment of her faults, the work of the novel is not to redeem Harriot's coquetry through marriage, but rather allow her to control her own identity through the manipulation of language as both coquette and narrator. As coquette, Harriot Stuart uses the language of courtship to manipulate the perceptions of her male admirers. The object of the male gaze, traditionally considered a passive role, is a site of empowerment for the coquette as she exploits it to create and re-create herself in society's eyes. As narrator, Harriot uses the telling of her courtship as a vehicle of self-invention. In controlling the telling of her own history, she in effect reconstructs her identity. Lennox, who arrived at London in 1742 with no recorded past, also engages in this self-narration as author. The history that Lennox claims for herself parallels that of Harriot Stuart, whose fictional autobiography was accepted, with Lennox's implicit consent, as the author's own. The implications of Lennox's choice of an American autobiography raise two questions. First, what exactly was American-ness in 1750 and what did it represent to Lennox specifically. Second, how did this American quality manifest itself within Harriot Stuart as both fiction and autobiography. The particularly ambiguous relationship between author, narrator, and heroine in The Life of Harriot Stuart complicates the reader's interpretation of Harriot's character and lifestyle. Along with the implications of Harriot's invention of her identity as coquette and historian, are those of Lennox's own self-invention as author through genre, gender, and geography.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>10559</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/18613858349636ecae01070cf8c4ba59.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Letters Written During a Short Residence in Sweden, Norway and Denmark-Mary Wollstonecraft</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/letters-written-during-a-short-residence-in-sweden-norway-and-denmark-mary-wollstonecraft--74152679</link><description><![CDATA[The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the author's own use of the novel to shape her identity. Published in December of 1750, Harriot Stuart gained critical praise as a successor of Richardson's Clarissa and by 1752, Charlotte Lennox had become a protégé of Johnson. Lennox's second novel reflects the influences of men like Richardson and Johnson. Their individual styles and commitments to moral and social education are evident in the arguments and plot of The Female Quixote. Despite these associations with the didactic tradition, Harriot Stuart's resemblance to it is only superficial. Although Harriot makes gestures toward repentance and acknowledgment of her faults, the work of the novel is not to redeem Harriot's coquetry through marriage, but rather allow her to control her own identity through the manipulation of language as both coquette and narrator. As coquette, Harriot Stuart uses the language of courtship to manipulate the perceptions of her male admirers. The object of the male gaze, traditionally considered a passive role, is a site of empowerment for the coquette as she exploits it to create and re-create herself in society's eyes. As narrator, Harriot uses the telling of her courtship as a vehicle of self-invention. In controlling the telling of her own history, she in effect reconstructs her identity. Lennox, who arrived at London in 1742 with no recorded past, also engages in this self-narration as author. The history that Lennox claims for herself parallels that of Harriot Stuart, whose fictional autobiography was accepted, with Lennox's implicit consent, as the author's own. The implications of Lennox's choice of an American autobiography raise two questions. First, what exactly was American-ness in 1750 and what did it represent to Lennox specifically. Second, how did this American quality manifest itself within Harriot Stuart as both fiction and autobiography. The particularly ambiguous relationship between author, narrator, and heroine in The Life of Harriot Stuart complicates the reader's interpretation of Harriot's character and lifestyle. Along with the implications of Harriot's invention of her identity as coquette and historian, are those of Lennox's own self-invention as author through genre, gender, and geography.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74152679</guid><pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 2026 09:09:07 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74152679/letters_written_during_a_short_residence_in_sweden_norway_and_denmark_mary_wollstonecraft.mp3" length="167092522" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Charlotte Lennox</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the author's own use of the novel to shape her identity. Published in December of 1750, Harriot Stuart gained critical praise as a successor of Richardson's Clarissa and by 1752, Charlotte Lennox had become a protégé of Johnson. Lennox's second novel reflects the influences of men like Richardson and Johnson. Their individual styles and commitments to moral and social education are evident in the arguments and plot of The Female Quixote. Despite these associations with the didactic tradition, Harriot Stuart's resemblance to it is only superficial. Although Harriot makes gestures toward repentance and acknowledgment of her faults, the work of the novel is not to redeem Harriot's coquetry through marriage, but rather allow her to control her own identity through the manipulation of language as both coquette and narrator. As coquette, Harriot Stuart uses the language of courtship to manipulate the perceptions of her male admirers. The object of the male gaze, traditionally considered a passive role, is a site of empowerment for the coquette as she exploits it to create and re-create herself in society's eyes. As narrator, Harriot uses the telling of her courtship as a vehicle of self-invention. In controlling the telling of her own history, she in effect reconstructs her identity. Lennox, who arrived at London in 1742 with no recorded past, also engages in this self-narration as author. The history that Lennox claims for herself parallels that of Harriot Stuart, whose fictional autobiography was accepted, with Lennox's implicit consent, as the author's own. The implications of Lennox's choice of an American autobiography raise two questions. First, what exactly was American-ness in 1750 and what did it represent to Lennox specifically. Second, how did this American quality manifest itself within Harriot Stuart as both fiction and autobiography. The particularly ambiguous relationship between author, narrator, and heroine in The Life of Harriot Stuart complicates the reader's interpretation of Harriot's character and lifestyle. Along with the implications of Harriot's invention of her identity as coquette and historian, are those of Lennox's own self-invention as author through genre, gender, and geography.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>20865</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/18613858349636ecae01070cf8c4ba59.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Crisis A Record of the Darker Races, Vol. I, No. 1-W. E. B. Du Bois</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/crisis-a-record-of-the-darker-races-vol-i-no-1-w-e-b-du-bois--74112005</link><description><![CDATA[The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the author's own use of the novel to shape her identity. Published in December of 1750, Harriot Stuart gained critical praise as a successor of Richardson's Clarissa and by 1752, Charlotte Lennox had become a protégé of Johnson. Lennox's second novel reflects the influences of men like Richardson and Johnson. Their individual styles and commitments to moral and social education are evident in the arguments and plot of The Female Quixote. Despite these associations with the didactic tradition, Harriot Stuart's resemblance to it is only superficial. Although Harriot makes gestures toward repentance and acknowledgment of her faults, the work of the novel is not to redeem Harriot's coquetry through marriage, but rather allow her to control her own identity through the manipulation of language as both coquette and narrator. As coquette, Harriot Stuart uses the language of courtship to manipulate the perceptions of her male admirers. The object of the male gaze, traditionally considered a passive role, is a site of empowerment for the coquette as she exploits it to create and re-create herself in society's eyes. As narrator, Harriot uses the telling of her courtship as a vehicle of self-invention. In controlling the telling of her own history, she in effect reconstructs her identity. Lennox, who arrived at London in 1742 with no recorded past, also engages in this self-narration as author. The history that Lennox claims for herself parallels that of Harriot Stuart, whose fictional autobiography was accepted, with Lennox's implicit consent, as the author's own. The implications of Lennox's choice of an American autobiography raise two questions. First, what exactly was American-ness in 1750 and what did it represent to Lennox specifically. Second, how did this American quality manifest itself within Harriot Stuart as both fiction and autobiography. The particularly ambiguous relationship between author, narrator, and heroine in The Life of Harriot Stuart complicates the reader's interpretation of Harriot's character and lifestyle. Along with the implications of Harriot's invention of her identity as coquette and historian, are those of Lennox's own self-invention as author through genre, gender, and geography.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74112005</guid><pubDate>Sun, 16 Aug 2026 09:08:21 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74112005/crisis_a_record_of_the_darker_races_vol_i_no_1_w_e_b_du_bois.mp3" length="43983373" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Charlotte Lennox</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the author's own use of the novel to shape her identity. Published in December of 1750, Harriot Stuart gained critical praise as a successor of Richardson's Clarissa and by 1752, Charlotte Lennox had become a protégé of Johnson. Lennox's second novel reflects the influences of men like Richardson and Johnson. Their individual styles and commitments to moral and social education are evident in the arguments and plot of The Female Quixote. Despite these associations with the didactic tradition, Harriot Stuart's resemblance to it is only superficial. Although Harriot makes gestures toward repentance and acknowledgment of her faults, the work of the novel is not to redeem Harriot's coquetry through marriage, but rather allow her to control her own identity through the manipulation of language as both coquette and narrator. As coquette, Harriot Stuart uses the language of courtship to manipulate the perceptions of her male admirers. The object of the male gaze, traditionally considered a passive role, is a site of empowerment for the coquette as she exploits it to create and re-create herself in society's eyes. As narrator, Harriot uses the telling of her courtship as a vehicle of self-invention. In controlling the telling of her own history, she in effect reconstructs her identity. Lennox, who arrived at London in 1742 with no recorded past, also engages in this self-narration as author. The history that Lennox claims for herself parallels that of Harriot Stuart, whose fictional autobiography was accepted, with Lennox's implicit consent, as the author's own. The implications of Lennox's choice of an American autobiography raise two questions. First, what exactly was American-ness in 1750 and what did it represent to Lennox specifically. Second, how did this American quality manifest itself within Harriot Stuart as both fiction and autobiography. The particularly ambiguous relationship between author, narrator, and heroine in The Life of Harriot Stuart complicates the reader's interpretation of Harriot's character and lifestyle. Along with the implications of Harriot's invention of her identity as coquette and historian, are those of Lennox's own self-invention as author through genre, gender, and geography.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>5493</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/18613858349636ecae01070cf8c4ba59.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Germania-Publius Cornelius Tacitus</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/germania-publius-cornelius-tacitus--73392377</link><description><![CDATA["Germania" by Publius Cornelius Tacitus offers a profound exploration of the Germanic tribes and their customs, providing insight into the complexities of cultural identity and societal values in ancient times. This work is not only a historical account but also a reflection on the contrasts between the Roman Empire and the tribes beyond its borders, highlighting themes of freedom, honor, and the human condition that remain relevant today. Tacitus's keen observations invite listeners to ponder the nature of civilization and the enduring struggle between different ways of life. Engaging with "Germania" allows us to reflect on our own cultural narratives and the timeless questions of identity and belonging.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73392377</guid><pubDate>Mon, 03 Aug 2026 15:36:22 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73392377/germania_publius_cornelius_tacitus.mp3" length="33594511" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Charlotte Lennox</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Germania" by Publius Cornelius Tacitus offers a profound exploration of the Germanic tribes and their customs, providing insight into the complexities of cultural identity and societal values in ancient times. This work is not only a historical...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Germania" by Publius Cornelius Tacitus offers a profound exploration of the Germanic tribes and their customs, providing insight into the complexities of cultural identity and societal values in ancient times. This work is not only a historical account but also a reflection on the contrasts between the Roman Empire and the tribes beyond its borders, highlighting themes of freedom, honor, and the human condition that remain relevant today. Tacitus's keen observations invite listeners to ponder the nature of civilization and the enduring struggle between different ways of life. Engaging with "Germania" allows us to reflect on our own cultural narratives and the timeless questions of identity and belonging.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>4195</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/18613858349636ecae01070cf8c4ba59.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Life of Harriot Stuart - Charlotte Lennox - Part 2</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/life-of-harriot-stuart-charlotte-lennox-part-2--72724627</link><description><![CDATA[The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the author's own use of the novel to shape her identity. Published in December of 1750, Harriot Stuart gained critical praise as a successor of Richardson's Clarissa and by 1752, Charlotte Lennox had become a protégé of Johnson. Lennox's second novel reflects the influences of men like Richardson and Johnson. Their individual styles and commitments to moral and social education are evident in the arguments and plot of The Female Quixote. Despite these associations with the didactic tradition, Harriot Stuart's resemblance to it is only superficial. Although Harriot makes gestures toward repentance and acknowledgment of her faults, the work of the novel is not to redeem Harriot's coquetry through marriage, but rather allow her to control her own identity through the manipulation of language as both coquette and narrator. As coquette, Harriot Stuart uses the language of courtship to manipulate the perceptions of her male admirers. The object of the male gaze, traditionally considered a passive role, is a site of empowerment for the coquette as she exploits it to create and re-create herself in society's eyes. As narrator, Harriot uses the telling of her courtship as a vehicle of self-invention. In controlling the telling of her own history, she in effect reconstructs her identity. Lennox, who arrived at London in 1742 with no recorded past, also engages in this self-narration as author. The history that Lennox claims for herself parallels that of Harriot Stuart, whose fictional autobiography was accepted, with Lennox's implicit consent, as the author's own. The implications of Lennox's choice of an American autobiography raise two questions. First, what exactly was American-ness in 1750 and what did it represent to Lennox specifically. Second, how did this American quality manifest itself within Harriot Stuart as both fiction and autobiography. The particularly ambiguous relationship between author, narrator, and heroine in The Life of Harriot Stuart complicates the reader's interpretation of Harriot's character and lifestyle. Along with the implications of Harriot's invention of her identity as coquette and historian, are those of Lennox's own self-invention as author through genre, gender, and geography.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72724627</guid><pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 2026 09:00:18 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/72724627/life_of_harriot_stuart_charlotte_lennox_part_2.mp3" length="31233924" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/b3a4cbf0-5abb-4bca-bbac-5d27e19848b4/b3a4cbf0-5abb-4bca-bbac-5d27e19848b4.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/b3a4cbf0-5abb-4bca-bbac-5d27e19848b4/b3a4cbf0-5abb-4bca-bbac-5d27e19848b4.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/b3a4cbf0-5abb-4bca-bbac-5d27e19848b4/b3a4cbf0-5abb-4bca-bbac-5d27e19848b4.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Charlotte Lennox</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the author's own use of the novel to shape her identity. Published in December of 1750, Harriot Stuart gained critical praise as a successor of Richardson's Clarissa and by 1752, Charlotte Lennox had become a protégé of Johnson. Lennox's second novel reflects the influences of men like Richardson and Johnson. Their individual styles and commitments to moral and social education are evident in the arguments and plot of The Female Quixote. Despite these associations with the didactic tradition, Harriot Stuart's resemblance to it is only superficial. Although Harriot makes gestures toward repentance and acknowledgment of her faults, the work of the novel is not to redeem Harriot's coquetry through marriage, but rather allow her to control her own identity through the manipulation of language as both coquette and narrator. As coquette, Harriot Stuart uses the language of courtship to manipulate the perceptions of her male admirers. The object of the male gaze, traditionally considered a passive role, is a site of empowerment for the coquette as she exploits it to create and re-create herself in society's eyes. As narrator, Harriot uses the telling of her courtship as a vehicle of self-invention. In controlling the telling of her own history, she in effect reconstructs her identity. Lennox, who arrived at London in 1742 with no recorded past, also engages in this self-narration as author. The history that Lennox claims for herself parallels that of Harriot Stuart, whose fictional autobiography was accepted, with Lennox's implicit consent, as the author's own. The implications of Lennox's choice of an American autobiography raise two questions. First, what exactly was American-ness in 1750 and what did it represent to Lennox specifically. Second, how did this American quality manifest itself within Harriot Stuart as both fiction and autobiography. The particularly ambiguous relationship between author, narrator, and heroine in The Life of Harriot Stuart complicates the reader's interpretation of Harriot's character and lifestyle. Along with the implications of Harriot's invention of her identity as coquette and historian, are those of Lennox's own self-invention as author through genre, gender, and geography.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>3905</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>coquette,harriot,identity,implications,invention,lennox,life,richardson,self,stuart</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/18613858349636ecae01070cf8c4ba59.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Life of Harriot Stuart - Charlotte Lennox - Part 1</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/life-of-harriot-stuart-charlotte-lennox-part-1--72724626</link><description><![CDATA[The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the author's own use of the novel to shape her identity. Published in December of 1750, Harriot Stuart gained critical praise as a successor of Richardson's Clarissa and by 1752, Charlotte Lennox had become a protégé of Johnson. Lennox's second novel reflects the influences of men like Richardson and Johnson. Their individual styles and commitments to moral and social education are evident in the arguments and plot of The Female Quixote. Despite these associations with the didactic tradition, Harriot Stuart's resemblance to it is only superficial. Although Harriot makes gestures toward repentance and acknowledgment of her faults, the work of the novel is not to redeem Harriot's coquetry through marriage, but rather allow her to control her own identity through the manipulation of language as both coquette and narrator. As coquette, Harriot Stuart uses the language of courtship to manipulate the perceptions of her male admirers. The object of the male gaze, traditionally considered a passive role, is a site of empowerment for the coquette as she exploits it to create and re-create herself in society's eyes. As narrator, Harriot uses the telling of her courtship as a vehicle of self-invention. In controlling the telling of her own history, she in effect reconstructs her identity. Lennox, who arrived at London in 1742 with no recorded past, also engages in this self-narration as author. The history that Lennox claims for herself parallels that of Harriot Stuart, whose fictional autobiography was accepted, with Lennox's implicit consent, as the author's own. The implications of Lennox's choice of an American autobiography raise two questions. First, what exactly was American-ness in 1750 and what did it represent to Lennox specifically. Second, how did this American quality manifest itself within Harriot Stuart as both fiction and autobiography. The particularly ambiguous relationship between author, narrator, and heroine in The Life of Harriot Stuart complicates the reader's interpretation of Harriot's character and lifestyle. Along with the implications of Harriot's invention of her identity as coquette and historian, are those of Lennox's own self-invention as author through genre, gender, and geography.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72724626</guid><pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 2026 02:27:52 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/72724626/life_of_harriot_stuart_charlotte_lennox_part_1.mp3" length="274963049" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Charlotte Lennox</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Life of Harriot Stuart, Written by Herself presents a complex and problematic view of self-creation in the eighteenth century. Within the novel, there is a constantly reoccurring theme of self-invention through fiction, which is echoed by the author's own use of the novel to shape her identity. Published in December of 1750, Harriot Stuart gained critical praise as a successor of Richardson's Clarissa and by 1752, Charlotte Lennox had become a protégé of Johnson. Lennox's second novel reflects the influences of men like Richardson and Johnson. Their individual styles and commitments to moral and social education are evident in the arguments and plot of The Female Quixote. Despite these associations with the didactic tradition, Harriot Stuart's resemblance to it is only superficial. Although Harriot makes gestures toward repentance and acknowledgment of her faults, the work of the novel is not to redeem Harriot's coquetry through marriage, but rather allow her to control her own identity through the manipulation of language as both coquette and narrator. As coquette, Harriot Stuart uses the language of courtship to manipulate the perceptions of her male admirers. The object of the male gaze, traditionally considered a passive role, is a site of empowerment for the coquette as she exploits it to create and re-create herself in society's eyes. As narrator, Harriot uses the telling of her courtship as a vehicle of self-invention. In controlling the telling of her own history, she in effect reconstructs her identity. Lennox, who arrived at London in 1742 with no recorded past, also engages in this self-narration as author. The history that Lennox claims for herself parallels that of Harriot Stuart, whose fictional autobiography was accepted, with Lennox's implicit consent, as the author's own. The implications of Lennox's choice of an American autobiography raise two questions. First, what exactly was American-ness in 1750 and what did it represent to Lennox specifically. Second, how did this American quality manifest itself within Harriot Stuart as both fiction and autobiography. The particularly ambiguous relationship between author, narrator, and heroine in The Life of Harriot Stuart complicates the reader's interpretation of Harriot's character and lifestyle. Along with the implications of Harriot's invention of her identity as coquette and historian, are those of Lennox's own self-invention as author through genre, gender, and geography.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>34371</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>coquette,harriot,identity,implications,invention,lennox,life,richardson,self,stuart</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/18613858349636ecae01070cf8c4ba59.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item></channel></rss>
