Mary Theresa Vidal, Bengala: or, Some Time Ago

1995

This thesis presents the life of Elizabeth Carter (1717-1806), letter-writer, poet, translator, scholar and bluestocking. The major developments, events and phases, such as her short but intensive period on the Gentleman's Magazine alongside Samuel Johnson, or her major if submerged contribution to the early bas­bleu circle, are covered. A final chapter examines Carter's work and person thematically, focusing especially on her previously largely ignored literary contribution as epistolary author and on her fundamental feminist bias and influence. Based on her massive private correspondence, contemporary journals and letters as well as the rather jaundiced Memoirs written by Carter's nephew, this biography aims to set Carter in a social, historical and literary context in a factual manner. While not ignoring those aspects which gained her such respect and renown in her own day (her extraordinary scholarly proficiency gained without institutional help, her competent translation of the entire extant work of Epictetus, her rather romantic­ pious poetry), this thesis also examines more topical matters. Considering recent re-appreciation of letter-writing as art, Carter's correspondence is shown to be diverse and entertaining. A fertile interaction between her conscientious, domestic duty pitted against her literary, scholarly urge is demonstrated. Equally, recent recognition of a less radical feminist tradition in the eighteenth century, supports this thesis' proposition that Carter in fact contributed significantly to the evolution of a female right to education and independent literature. By carefully guarding a moral reputation and insisting on self-effacing modesty, Carter in fact undermined prejudice and resistance to female literature from within the patriarchal bastions. (Awarded PhD University of London 1996. Unpublished Thesis.)

This PhD thesis investigates language variation and change in 18th-century Bluestocking correspondence within the frameworks of corpus linguistics, historical sociolinguistics, and SNA. The progressive construction increases slightly over the decades and correlates with social intimacy; preposition stranding decreases as it becomes increasingly stigmatized in the course of the century, regardless social variables of the correspondence; and spelling variation displays significant gender variation in the use of contractions that are either typical of informal private writing or represent the increasingly old-fashioned style of printed texts.

2006

"Revised edition in English of "Devenir irlandés", published originally by Eudeba in 2004. This edition abridges some of the documents that make up the bulk of the volume: two memories and two sets of family letters from Irish immigrants in Argentina, without losing any substance. The documents are presented in this volume in their original language. Murray has also added a fuller discussion of the notion, conveyed in the title of the book, that social identities represent processes rather than fixed identities" (review by José Moya).

Australian Studies, 2013

The Shakespeare Tercentenary Memorial Fund was established in Sydney in 1912, with the intention of raising money to erect a local memorial to Shakespeare on the three hundredth anniversary of his death. The fundraising events became in themselves an opportunity for colonial Australia to prove that this was a place that appreciated culture, and could create works of pageantry and art. Throughout the process, the women involved seized their own opportunity to prove themselves the equals of their men in their valuing of Shakespeare and willingness to work towards a shared goal.

Victorian Network, 2011

2016

Volume 3 of the first comprehensive collection of correspondence by Sir Richard Francis Burton, together with reminiscences by his contemporaries, arranged together in chronological order, making up roughly 800 items. Detailed annotations throughout clarify references. A Register provides biographical information about the principal players, while a detailed Chronology provides an overview of Burton's career. Many rare illustrations and plates are included.

This case study investigates anecdotes and claims about Alexander Technique founding father Frederick Matthias Alexander who allegedly " treated " numerous eminent Edwardian London actresses and actors. Research shows it is advisable to question those stories and claims.