The Myth of Rape in Eighteenth-Century Literature (original) (raw)

Maps of Woe Narratives of Rape in Early Modern England

Journal of Early Modern Studies, 2013

By considering a selection of texts, both fictional and non-fictional, this study addresses different representations of rape in early modern English culture. Its aim is to highlight the interconnections between aspects of culture and the creative exchange, the confrontation and mutual assimilation between 'high' and 'low' cultural forms.

Arche-Violence and Rape in Thomas Middleton’s Women Beware Women

(Re)defining gender in early modern English drama Power, sexualities and ideologies in text and performance, 2020

This study is prompted by Jacques Derrida’s idea of “arche-violence” to highlight the necessity of dismantling the concepts that are taken for granted and regarded as established and immutable. The aim is to draw upon Derridean arche-violence and feminist discourses inspired by his ideas in order to explore the root causes of gender-based violence and to examine the ways in which linguistic structures of power solidify rape culture in Thomas Middleton’s Women Beware Women. Because of the abundant violence committed against women in early modern English society, arche-violence can be aptly discussed in the context of Jacobean drama to expose what stimulus in this period prompted rape representations and by extension, all rape depictions in cultural products. Regarding the popularity of stage productions in Jacobean England, the exploration of the cultural context in which rape narratives were written reveals the cultural understanding of the female gender in Women Beware Women and the ways in which arche-violence acts out to support the offensive representations of women.

Rape Culture and Consent in Contemporary Anglophone Women’s Rewritings of the Classical Tradition

Crossing Boundaries: Transatlantic Dialogues and Gendered Narratives. Selected Papers from the 46th International Conference of the Spanish Association of Anglo-American Studies (AEDEAN). Francisco J. Alonso Almeida and Carmen I. Luján García (eds.), 2024

In "Rape Culture and Consent in Contemporary Anglophone Women’s Rewritings of the Classical Tradition," the reader finds an incisive analysis of how modern women authors reinterpret classical myths to challenge and subvert the traditional narratives of sexual violence and consent. By examining works such as Elizabeth Cook’s Achilles (2001), Pat Barker’s The Silence of the Girls (2018), Jennifer Saint’s Ariadne (2021), and Natalie Haynes’ Stone Blind (2022), the paper underscores the critical importance of these reimaginings in addressing rape culture and promoting a culture of consent. One of the article’s strengths is its critical engagement with the concept of rape myths, which are pervasive false beliefs about rape that perpetuate victim-blaming and minimize the severity of sexual violence. Nisa Cáceres effectively situates these myths within the broader context of classical literature, highlighting how ancient texts often normalized and legitimized sexual violence. By doing so, a compelling framework for considering how contemporary rewritings seek to dismantle these harmful narratives is provided. The analysis of Pat Barker’s The Silence of the Girls is particularly illuminating. Nisa Cáceres discusses how Barker foregrounds the experiences of Briseis and other Trojan women, who are depicted not merely as victims but as individuals with agency and resilience. This shift in perspective is crucial for challenging the dehumanizing portrayal of women in classical texts and for emphasizing their humanity and dignity. Barker's narrative exposes the intersectionality of sexual violence, showing how women from all social backgrounds suffer under patriarchal oppression. Similarly, the article’s discussion of Elizabeth Cook’s Achilles sheds light on how Cook reinterprets the character of Helen and other mythological figures to critique the systemic nature of sexual violence. By portraying Helen’s rape and subsequent objectification, Cook invites readers to reconsider the long-held assumptions about her culpability and agency. This narrative strategy not only humanizes Helen but also critiques the cultural and literary traditions that have historically silenced and misrepresented her story. In examining Natalie Haynes’ Stone Blind and Jennifer Saint’s Ariadne, Nisa Cáceres evinces how these authors reclaim the stories of Medusa and other female characters, presenting them as figures of strength and resilience. Haynes’ portrayal of Medusa, in particular, challenges the traditional monster narrative by revealing the injustices she endured and her victimization by the gods. This reimagining serves to debunk the myth that victims of sexual violence are to blame for their suffering and instead emphasizes the importance of understanding and empathy. The paper also addresses the broader implications of these contemporary rewritings for feminist theory and cultural critique. By aligning their creative works with feminist and gender theory, these authors not only challenge androcentric representations of rape but also promote a culture of consent. This alignment underscores the transformative potential of literature to change cultural attitudes towards sexual violence and to advocate for a more just and equitable society. Largely, "Rape Culture and Consent in Contemporary Anglophone Women’s Rewritings of the Classical Tradition" is a vibrant contribution to this volume, as Nisa Cáceres' article provides a methodical examination of how modern women authors use classical myths to address and subvert rape culture. By foregrounding the voices and experiences of marginalized characters, these rewritings offer powerful critiques of historical and contemporary attitudes towards sexual violence, thereby fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of the complexities of consent and agency.

Rape in the Eighteenth-Century Metropolis: Part 2

Journal for Eighteenth-century Studies, 2006

In opening a rape prosecution to an Old Bailey jury in 1789, the celebrated barrister William Garrow summed up the problems attendant on most rape cases, then as now. They were difficult for courts and juries to consider because by the very 'nature of the offence, it is almost always attended with a secrecy which makes it necessary for Courts and Juries to find their way as they can, and to judge from the probability and improbability of the story told by the person who complains of the injury'.' Contemporary notions about evidence often put complainants at a disadvantage. Prosecutions suffered from the traditional reluctance of juries to convict on capital charges in cases where most of the evidence was victim generated. Finally, complainants were always female, defendants usually male. In the eighteenth century, women were commonly felt to be more governed by their emotions and less 'rational' than men, yet the most important aspect of the Crown's case was usually the complainant's testimony. The Role of Complainant Reputation Complainant credibility went to the heart of rape cases. Blackstone felt that it was an indication of the compassionate nature ofEnglish law that, unlike some civil law jurisdictions, even a prostitute could be the victim of, and prosecute, a rape.2 However, the experience of Elizabeth Galloway, a prostitute who accused the Scottish Lord John Drummond (an erstwhile client) of the crime in 1715, would suggest that there was not much truth in this, though she did get her case past three examining JPs and had Drummond committed to Newgate for five days before the matter was thrown out by the Middlesex Grand Jury at the Old Bailey. (That his Lordship was a notorious Roman Catholic may help explain why the case progressed as far as it did.3) In reality, as even Blackstone candidly noted, the reputation of the victim was vital in any prosecution for the crime. Far more than today, rape trials were as much an examination of the complainant as of the accused man. Chastity played a crucial role. Women of bad reputation had little prospect of success, and any suggestion that a complainant had been sexually active outside marriage would hugely undermine her case. Indeed, in early modern Europe

The representation of rape in Sir Philip Sidney's Arcadias

2005

This thesis examines the complex and conflicting arguments surrounding'the crime of rape in Early Modern England and how the important literary texts, Sir Philip Sidney's Arcadias, explore this issue of rape. Of the three Arcadia texts that exist today, the 1580 Arcadia, also known as the Old Arcadia, has received the most ACKNOWLE DGEMENT S I would first like to express my deep gratitude to Renee Pigeon, my primary reader and mentor. She has provided me with much needed encouragement and support, for which I will always be indebted to her. I would also like to acknowledge Bruce Golden and Jackie Rhodes, both of whom encouraged my interest in a relatively recent area of scholarship. In addition, I would like to extend my love and appreciation to my devoted husband, children, and parents, without whom I could not have written this thesis. v

Power, Control and Silence: Sexual Violence in Elizabethan Prose Fiction

This paper examines the prevalence of sexual violence in Elizabethan prose fiction, focusing on the works of Early Modern writers such as George Gascoigne, Thomas Nashe, John Lyly and Robert Greene. This paper discusses how representations of sexual violence in the chosen stories convey how sexual violence is seen as a means of conquest and control, a theft of sorts, with women usually being the victims and men being the perpetrators. Sexual violence is depicted as a way of owning and controlling women's agency and their bodies in a patriarchal society. In these renowned Renaissance stories, sexual violence essentially displays the methods by which men exercise patriarchal power, authority, and dominance over women. This paper examines how male perspectives dominate representations of rape and sexual violence and how, as a result, women's perspectives and emotions are often marginalised or dismissed. This paper highlights that the prevalence of sexual violence in Elizabethan prose fiction reflects the fundamental prevailing attitudes towards women, gendered power and sex in the Early Modern period, highlighting the inherent deep-rooted misogyny in Elizabethan society that aims to control women's agency and their bodies and emphasise patriarchal power.