Excavating the obscure: labouring women, their writing, and eighteenth-century England

Abstract

This study looks at the poetry of labouring women writers in eighteenth-century England, specifically, Susannah Harrison, Elizabeth Hands, and Ann Wilson, who contributed substantial literary works, but have remained mostly obscure. Their writing, along with the historical, social, and political climate of the period are discussed. Many other labouring women writers of the period have also made valuable contributions but have gone unnoticed, and although there has been renewed interest in labouring writers and their works over the past three decades, the majority, especially women, remain unknown. It is the intent of this author that the poetry of Harrison, Hands, and Wilson, along with other labouring women authors will be observed and recognized as significant contributions to eighteenth-century literature.