Letters and the Body, 1700–1830

Exploring the connection between letters and bodies, Letters and the Body, 1700–1830 offers insights into communication in the long eighteenth century.

This collection delves into the intricate relationship between letters and bodies during the long eighteenth century, showcasing a diverse array of correspondence from both women and men across Britain, North America, and the Caribbean. It spans a wide social spectrum, including voices from the labouring poor to the landed elite, revealing how letters functioned as vital forms of communication in various contexts.

In Letters and the Body, 1700–1830, eleven chapters feature contributions from scholars across multiple disciplines. They employ various methodologies, including close readings of individual letters, social historical analyses of extensive collections, and examinations of the material culture surrounding letters. The research encompasses personal exchanges among family and friends, formal correspondence, and letters that found their way into published works such as forewords and memoirs.

The volume is structured into three parts, each exploring different dimensions of letter writing. The first part discusses letters as substitutes for absent bodies, contemplating the imagined encounters that letter writers envisioned. The second part considers letters as physical objects that convey descriptions of the material body, while the third part examines how correspondents utilized their bodies within letters to foster intimacy and create social networks. This interdisciplinary work will attract scholars and students interested in eighteenth-century studies, cultural history, and literature.