The evolution of ideas about vegetarianism in British literature in the Late 18th – Early 19th Century (a case of ‘An Essay on Abstinence from Animal Food, as a Moral Duty’ by J. Ritson, ‘Queen Mab’ and ‘A Vindication of Natural Diet’ by P.B. Shelley)

Abstract

The article examines the literary representation of the topic of vegetarianism in the works of British writers in the Late 18th – Early 19th Century. English sugar merchant, author of popular self-help books Thomas Tryon was one of the first to propose the concept of vegetarianism, which was new to his contemporaries. His works, like those of his followers, inspired Joseph Ritson and Percy Bysshe Shelley. Joseph Ritson in his essay ‘An Essay on Abstinence from Animal Food, as a Moral Duty’ (1802) summarizes the experience of his predecessors and proposes an original concept of vegetarianism, close to the romantic philosophy. P. B. Shelley used Ritson's ideas in his philosophical poem ‘Queen Mab’ (1813) and his essay ‘A Vindication of Natural Diet’ (1813). The article presents the results of a productive dialogue between intellectuals of the Enlightenment (such as T. Tryon and G. Cheyne) and J. Ritson. This influenced the further development of the philosophy of vegetarianism in European culture. Thus, the poet of the romantic era P.B. Shelley, inspired by Ritson's essay, rethought his ideas in his own way and presented them in his works.