Charlotte Smith's Liberal Feminism

This book re-assesses the feminist politics of Charlotte Smith (1749–1806) by prioritizing the editorial content of her fiction over the Romantic lyricism of her poetry. It describes Smith’s application of ‘patriot’-Whig discourse to the controversies of the Revolutionary era. Two constants emerge in Smith’s novelistic canon: a reform agenda endorsing partisan opposition and a social contract; and a feminist agenda foregrounding intellectual freedom. These liberal stances provide a counterpoint