Laughing Feminism

AnexaminationofcomedyandfeminismintheworksofearlywomenBritishnovelists.Atatimewhenovertfeministstatementscouldruinawoman'sreputation,comedyenabledcertainauthorstosmugglefeminismintotheirwriting.LaughingFeminismshedslightonthewaysinwhichFrancesBurney,MariaEdgeworth,andJaneAustenenlistedthepowerofcomedyintheserviceoffeminism,andinsodoingparticipatedinoneofthemostimportantideologicalmovementsofthelastthreehundredyears.Itoffersmodernscholarsanewlookatfeministtacticsasitbringstolightalostchapterinthehistoryofcomedy.