Half Humankind: Contexts and Texts of the Controversy about Women in England, 1540-1640

by Katherine Henderson, Barbara F. McManus

Half Humankind is the first study to provide modernized and annotated editions of the key documents from the controversy about women in Renaissance England. The selections -- ten treatises debating the merits of womankind and six eulogies and condemnations depicting actual women -- range in style from careful logic and studied eloquence to ribald humor and witty parody. Illuminated by an extensive discussion tying the selections to Renaissance society and traditional literature, this volume is an invaluable resource for scholars and students of literature, history, and women's studies.
 

Genres: History, Nonfiction

400 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1985

Reviews

[Hannah Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay this was REALLY good. First half is a fab in-depth discussion of the social and literary contexts surrounding the Renaissance debate on women. It's informed, insightful, and very clearly laid out.
The second half contains what I affectionately call Early Modern Twitter: aka the Jacobean pamphlet wars. It takes you chronologically through the attacks and defences of women from the mid-16th to mid-17th centuries, by both male, female, and anonymous writers. Particular emphasis on Joseph Swetnam (peak misogynist) and Esther Sowernam (undefeated feminist legend).
Technically read this as dissertation research but honestly I would sit down and read this as it is. Très bien.

[Julie Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a great book that I used as a source on my thesis. It's a little outdated and, in a couple of parts, relies heavily on research by Lawrence Stone (which I'm a bit skeptical about). But overall, a great read.

[Mistie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book that I read for school. It has a bunch of collected essays about different things regardign women in early modern England. If you want to read first hand what was being said and written about women at this time this is a good book for that.