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New work on women thinkers often makes the point that philosophical conceptual thought is where we find it, examples such as Simone de Beauvoir and the nineteenth century Black American writer Anna Julia Cooper assure us that there is ample room for the development of philosophy in literary works but as yet there has been no single unifying attempt to trace such projects among a variety of women novelists. This book articulates philosophical concerns in the work of five well known twentieth century women writers, including writers of color. Duran traces the development of philosophical themes - ontological, ethical and feminist - in the writings of Margaret Drabble, Virginia Woolf, Simone de Beauvoir, Toni Cade Bambara and Elena Poniatowska presenting both a general overview of the author's work with an emphasis on traditional philosophical questions and a detailed feminist reading of the work.
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WOMEN, PHILOSOPHY AND LITERATURE Jane Duran’s stimulating book uniquely brings together five women authors simultaneously through the lenses of philosophy, feminism and literature. Her book problematizes the ancient struggle between philosophy and literature through a contemporary, feminist philosophical reading of these authors. Duran’s book thus reads against the grain of both contemporary literary theory and philosophical accounts of literature. In addition to these provocations, Duran brings together two women of color, Toni Cade Bambara and Elena Piniatowski, along with feminist standbys Woolf and Beauvoir, and the less often philosophically read author, Margaret Drabble. In doing so, she provides a productive interrogation of standard feminist readings of literary philosophers. The result will be of interest to philosophers, feminists, and literary theorists. Ann E. Cudd, Director of Women’s Studies, Professor of Philosophy, University of Kansas, USA. For the members of the Society for the Study of Women Philosophers Women, Philosophy and Literature JANE DURAN University of California – Santa Barbara, USA © Jane Duran 2007 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher. Jane Duran has asserted her moral right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work. Published by Ashgate Publishing Limited Gower House Croft Road Aldershot Hampshire GU11 3HR England Ashgate Publishing Company Suite 420 101 Cherry Street Burlington, VT 05401-4405 USA Ashgate website: http://www.ashgate.com British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Duran, Jane Women, philosophy and literature 1. Women authors - 20th century 2. English fiction - Women authors - History and criticism 3. English fiction - 20th century - History and criticism 4. Philosophy in literature 5. Feminism in literature I. Title 809.3’9384’082 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Duran, Jane. Women, philosophy, and literature / Jane Duran. p. cm. ISBN 978-0-7546-5785-9 (hardcover) 1. Literature--Women authors--History and criticism. 2. Women and literature--History--20th century. 3. Women and literature-History--19th century. 4. Literature, Modern--20th century--History and criticism. 5. Literature, Modern--19th century--History and criticism. 6. Philosophy in literature. I. Title. PN471.D87 2007 809.3’9384082--dc22 2006034416 ISBN: 978 0 7546 5785 9 Printed and bound in Great Britain by Antony Rowe Ltd, Chippenham, Wiltshire. Contents Preface Acknowledgements Part 1 The View Chapter One Part II vii xi 1 Introduction The Europeans 3 21 Chapter Two Margaret Drabble and Philosophy