Routledge - Dangerous Women and Libertine Epicures Book

Explore the complex role of the female libertine in late seventeenth and early eighteenth-century literature with this scholarly study by Laura Linker. This book provides a deep look into how witty and rebellious heroines challenged established gender roles and social assumptions during the late Stuart and early Georgian periods. By examining the works of influential authors such as John Dryden, Aphra Behn, Catharine Trotter, Delariviere Manley, and Daniel Defoe, the text traces how these characters were shaped by Epicurean ideas found in Lucretius's De rerum natura. This research highlights the tension these figures created within the literary landscape of the era. Perfect for students and scholars of British literature, this volume offers a fresh perspective on the rise of sensibility and the evolution of female characters in the long eighteenth century. It serves as a significant resource for anyone studying literary theory, history, or the development of gendered identities in English prose and drama.