Recent Studies in Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle (2001–2010)

Abstract

AbstractResearch on Margaret Cavendish has developed into a significant and sophisticated body of work. Whereas past scholarship focused substantially on her utopia The Blazing World, her play The Convent of Pleasure, and Cavendish's personal history, it now reaches across disciplines and genres. Cavendish's scientific and philosophical writings have garnered the most attention, often in paired analyses with her fictional or autobiographical texts. This has led to increased interest in all of Cavendish's publications. Much remains to be done: collective exploration of all of her scientific writings, initial exploratory study of her other plays, and critical analysis of her biographical writings and those implementing autobiographical forms or stylistics. Because of its increased complexity and interdisciplinary quality, Cavendish studies also calls for modern, critical editions of her work. (W. S. W.)