Harriet Martineau
Harriet Martineau | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 12 June 1802 Norwich, England |
| Died | 27 June 1876 (aged 74) Ambleside, England |
| Notable works | Deerbrook (1839) The Hour and the Man (1839) |
Harriet Martineau (12 June 1802 – 27 June 1876) was an English social theorist and writer. She is often called the first female sociologist.[1]
She wrote only one book, but many essays. The essays were sociological, religious, domestic, sexual themes, with a feminine perspective. She also translated various works from Auguste Comte.[2] She earned enough to be supported entirely by her writing.
A young Princess Victoria, (later Queen Victoria), enjoyed reading Martineaus's publications. The Queen invited Martineau to her coronation in 1838 – an event which Martineau described, in great and amusing detail, to her many readers.[3][4] Martineau has said of her own approach to writing: "when one studies a society, one must focus on all its aspects, including key political, religious, and social institutions". She believed a thorough analysis was necessary to understand woman's status under men.
One writer said "as a born lecturer and politician she [Martineau] was less affected by her sex than perhaps any other, male or female, of her generation".[2] Often described as having a masculine intellect and body, Martineau introduced feminist perspectives in her writing on otherwise overlooked issues such as marriage, children, domestic and religious life, and race relations.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Hill, Michael R.. Harriet Martineau: Theoretical and Methodological Perspectives (2002)Psychology Press. ISBN 978-0-415-94528-8.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Postlethwaite, Diana. Mothering and mesmerism in the life of Harriet Martineau. Signs 14 (3) (1989)University of Chicago Press. p. 583–609.
- ↑ Martineau, Harriet. Harriet Martineau's Autobiography (2010)Cambridge University Press. p. 79–80. ISBN 978-1-108-02258-3.
- ↑ Wilson, Christopher. The benefits of a feminist in the family. Retrieved 10 February 2013.