Class
Article
College
College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Faculty Mentor
Susan Cogan
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Abstract
This poster will focus on ongoing research into the life of Elizabeth Russell, an early modern English gentlewoman. Currently, this research is funded by an URCO grant through the Office of Research and Graduate Studies. Elizabeth Cooke Hoby Russell lived during the 16th and 17th centuries and played a unique role in her community. She was politically and religiously active, she owned several properties in her own right, and she had several books published, all activities which were rare for women of the time. This poster will explore the reasons for her unusual success, involving several sub-categories of inquiry. First, it will illustrate the influence of Lady Russell's education and family connections on her political efforts, based on a preliminary analysis of her personal correspondence. Secondly, a brief overview of the traditional role of women in Early Modern literature will be discussed in contrast to Lady Russell’s successful experience, using published works of hers and her contemporaries as examples. Third, the religious context of the 16th century will be investigated. Research completed thus far indicates that a strong Protestant background presented her with opportunities that would have been impossible otherwise. Lady Elizabeth Russell's impact on her world was unique and is an important topic to study for several reasons. To begin with, understanding her experience will broaden the ways in which we think about Early Modern women. Her life was well- documented, unlike many of her contemporaries, and allows us to consider the possibility that other women may have had similar experiences. More broadly speaking, understanding the factors that contributed to her success, namely her education, her social connections, and the religious turmoil in which she lived, may be useful in understanding the contexts in which minorities have historically been able to widen their sphere of influence.
Location
The South Atrium
Start Date
4-12-2018 12:00 PM
End Date
4-12-2018 1:15 PM
Carving Out a Space for Female Achievement in Early Modern England: the Life of Lady Elizabeth Russell.
The South Atrium
This poster will focus on ongoing research into the life of Elizabeth Russell, an early modern English gentlewoman. Currently, this research is funded by an URCO grant through the Office of Research and Graduate Studies. Elizabeth Cooke Hoby Russell lived during the 16th and 17th centuries and played a unique role in her community. She was politically and religiously active, she owned several properties in her own right, and she had several books published, all activities which were rare for women of the time. This poster will explore the reasons for her unusual success, involving several sub-categories of inquiry. First, it will illustrate the influence of Lady Russell's education and family connections on her political efforts, based on a preliminary analysis of her personal correspondence. Secondly, a brief overview of the traditional role of women in Early Modern literature will be discussed in contrast to Lady Russell’s successful experience, using published works of hers and her contemporaries as examples. Third, the religious context of the 16th century will be investigated. Research completed thus far indicates that a strong Protestant background presented her with opportunities that would have been impossible otherwise. Lady Elizabeth Russell's impact on her world was unique and is an important topic to study for several reasons. To begin with, understanding her experience will broaden the ways in which we think about Early Modern women. Her life was well- documented, unlike many of her contemporaries, and allows us to consider the possibility that other women may have had similar experiences. More broadly speaking, understanding the factors that contributed to her success, namely her education, her social connections, and the religious turmoil in which she lived, may be useful in understanding the contexts in which minorities have historically been able to widen their sphere of influence.