Beyond the Veil: A Look On Female Interiority in Enlightenment Age Literature

“Over the mysteries of female life, there is drawn a veil best left undisturbed.” — John Brooke, Little Women (film, 1994)

The experience of a woman is one of interiority — an inward focus of character — even in modern times. During the production of what is termed “Literature of the Enlightenment”, often understood to extend between 1685 and 1815, there are evident changes in the impacts of philosophy, science, and communications. Coming under the microscope at this time, unlike ever before, was the topic of female interiority. After the invention of the printing press in the 15th century, literacy increased incrementally to include more people from differing stages of wealth and educational backgrounds. In England between the 1640’s and 1750’s, literacy rates rose in men by nearly 30%, demonstrating a clear interest in more and varied topics. Among the topics of curiosity were all manner of texts which shed light on a previously unexplored, or misunderstood, theme: The “mysteries of female life” became a focus not only for writers, but were wildly successful among readers as well. While women’s lives were a topic of great curiosity in literature of the Enlightenment, the spaces women occupied were still beholden to, and abused by, patriarchal systems, which sought to invade even the most sacred spaces of feminine existence.

In the age of Enlightenment, interpersonal letter-writing became popular, largely due to the expansion of literacy; it also became…