Portrait of Bluestockings by Richard SamuelCaricature of blue stockings by Rowlandson
Until the late 18th century, the term had referred to learned people of both sexes.[3] It was later applied primarily to intellectual women and the French equivalent bas bleu had a similar connotation.[4] The term later developed negative implications and is now often used in a derogatory manner.[citation needed] The reference to blue stockings may arise from the time when woollen worsted stockings were informal dress, in contrast to formal, fashionable black silk stockings.[citation needed] The most frequent such reference is to a man, Benjamin Stillingfleet, who reportedly lacked the formal black stockings, yet participated in the Blue Stockings Society.[5][6] As Frances Burney, a Bluestocking, recounts the events, she reveals that Stillingfleet was invited to a literary meeting by Elizabeth Vesey but was told off because of his informal attire. Her response was "don’t mind dress! Come in your blue stockings!".[7]
The Blue Stockings Society was a literary society led by Elizabeth Montagu and others in the 1750s in England. Elizabeth Montagu was an anomaly in this society because she took possession of her husband's property when he died. This allowed her to have more power in her world.[8] This society was founded by women, and included many prominent members of English society, both male and female, including Harriet Bowdler, Edmund Burke, Sarah Fielding, Samuel Johnson, and Frances Pulteney.[9]M.P., an 1811 comic opera by Thomas Moore and Charles Edward Horn, was subtitled The Blue Stocking. It contained a character Lady Bab Blue who was a parody of bluestockings.
A reference to bluestockings has been attributed to John Amos Comenius in his 1638 book, where he mentioned the ancient tradition of women being excluded from higher education, citing the Bible and Euripides.[clarification needed] That second reference, though, comes from Keatinge's 1896 translation and is not present in Comenius's Latin text.[a] The name may have been applied in the 15th century to the blue stockings worn by the members of the Compagnie della Calza in Venice, which then was adopted in Paris and London; in the 17th century to the Covenanters in Scotland, who wore unbleached woollen stockings, in contrast to the bleached or dyed stockings of the more affluent. In 1870 Henry D. Wheatley noted that Elizabeth Montagu's coterie were named "blue stockings" after the blue worsted stockings worn by the naturalist Benjamin Stillingfleet.[b]
William Hazlitt said, "The bluestocking is the most odious character in society...she sinks wherever she is placed, like the yolk of an egg, to the bottom, and carries the filth with her".[10]
Recent useEdit
In Japan, a literary magazine Seitō (Bluestocking) was launched in 1911 under the leadership of Raichō Hiratsuka. It ran until 1916, providing a creative outlet and political platform for Japanese feminists even while it faced public outcry and government censorship.[11]
"Blue Stocking" was an "unabashedly feminist" (tag line) newspaper published in Portland, Oregon 1993 to 1996.
NotesEdit
^Comenius cites Euripides' tragedy Hippolytus, where Hippolytus says, "I detest a bluestocking. May there never be a woman in my house who knows more than is fitting for a woman to know.", to which Comenius answers: "These opinions, I opine, stand in no true opposition to our demand. For we are not advising that women be educated in such a way that their tendency to curiosity shall be developed, but so that their sincerity and contentedness may be increased, and this chiefly in those things which it becomes a woman to know and to do; that is to say, all that enables her to look after her household and to promote the welfare of her husband and her family." John Amos Comenius (1633–1638), Didactica Magna (The Great Didactic, translation by M. W. Keatinge, London: Adam and Charles Black, 1896), p. 220
^'Benjamin Stillingfleet, the celebrated naturalist, who is described by [Thomas] Gray as living in a garret in order that he might be able to support some near relations, died at his lodgings opposite to Burlington House on 15 December 1771 at the age of sixty-nine. It was his blue worsted stockings that gave the name "blue stocking" to the ladies of Mrs Montagu's coterie.' Henry D. Wheatley, Round About Piccadilly And Pall Mall, London: Smith Elder (1870), p. 42.
^"Bluestocking | British literary society". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
^Carol Strauss Sotiropoulos (2007), Early Feminists and the Education Debates: England, France, Germany, 1760–1810, p. 235, ISBN978-0-8386-4087-6
^Hannah More (1782), The Bas Bleu, or, Conversation
^James Boswell, The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D, Comprising A Series of His Epistolary Correspondence and Conversations with Many Eminent Persons; And Various Original Pieces of His Composition; With a Chronological Account of His Studies and Numerous Works, p. 823
^Wills, Matthew (4 April 2019). "The Bluestockings". JSTOR Daily. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
^Beckett, J. V. "Elizabeth Montagu: Bluestocking Turned Landlady." Huntington Library Quarterly 49, no. 2 (1986): 149–64.
^Louis Kronenberger, Kings and Desperate Men, p. 75
^Elizabeth Eger (2010). Bluestockings: women of reason from Enlightenment to Romanticism. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 206. ISBN9780230205338.
^S. L. Sievers (10 November 1998), "The Bluestockings", Meiji Japan, ISBN978-0-415-15618-9
Further readingEdit
Burns, William E. "Bluestockings 18th and 19th centuries" in Reader's Guide to British History (2003). online
Heller, Deborah. "The Bluestockings and Virtue Friendship: Elizabeth Montagu, Anne Pitt, and Elizabeth Carter." Huntington Library Quarterly, vol. 81 no. 4, 2018, p. 469-496.
Demers, Patricia. The World of Hannah More (University of Kentucky Press, 1996)
Myers, Sylvia Harcstark. The Bluestocking Circle: Women, Friendship and the Life of the Mind in Eighteenth-Century England (Oxford University Press, 1990)
Robinson, Jane. Bluestockings: The Remarkable Story of the First Women to Fight for an Education (Penguin, 2010)
Tinker, Chauncey Brewster (1915). The salon and English letters: chapters on the interrelations of literature and society in the age of Johnson. Macmillan. full text online
bluestocking, other, uses, disambiguation, term, educated, intellectual, woman, originally, member, 18th, century, blue, stockings, society, from, england, hostess, critic, elizabeth, montagu, 1718, 1800, queen, blues, including, elizabeth, vesey, 1715, 1791, . For other uses see Bluestocking disambiguation Bluestocking is a term for an educated intellectual woman originally a member of the 18th century Blue Stockings Society from England led by the hostess and critic Elizabeth Montagu 1718 1800 the Queen of the Blues including Elizabeth Vesey 1715 1791 Hester Chapone 1727 1801 and the classicist Elizabeth Carter 1717 1806 In the following generation came Hester Lynch Piozzi 1741 1821 Hannah More 1745 1833 and Frances Burney 1752 1840 1 The term now more broadly applies to women who show interest in literary or intellectual matters 2 Portrait of Bluestockings by Richard SamuelCaricature of blue stockings by RowlandsonUntil the late 18th century the term had referred to learned people of both sexes 3 It was later applied primarily to intellectual women and the French equivalent bas bleu had a similar connotation 4 The term later developed negative implications and is now often used in a derogatory manner citation needed The reference to blue stockings may arise from the time when woollen worsted stockings were informal dress in contrast to formal fashionable black silk stockings citation needed The most frequent such reference is to a man Benjamin Stillingfleet who reportedly lacked the formal black stockings yet participated in the Blue Stockings Society 5 6 As Frances Burney a Bluestocking recounts the events she reveals that Stillingfleet was invited to a literary meeting by Elizabeth Vesey but was told off because of his informal attire Her response was don t mind dress Come in your blue stockings 7 Contents 1 History 2 Recent use 3 Notes 4 References 5 Further readingHistory EditThe Blue Stockings Society was a literary society led by Elizabeth Montagu and others in the 1750s in England Elizabeth Montagu was an anomaly in this society because she took possession of her husband s property when he died This allowed her to have more power in her world 8 This society was founded by women and included many prominent members of English society both male and female including Harriet Bowdler Edmund Burke Sarah Fielding Samuel Johnson and Frances Pulteney 9 M P an 1811 comic opera by Thomas Moore and Charles Edward Horn was subtitled The Blue Stocking It contained a character Lady Bab Blue who was a parody of bluestockings A reference to bluestockings has been attributed to John Amos Comenius in his 1638 book where he mentioned the ancient tradition of women being excluded from higher education citing the Bible and Euripides clarification needed That second reference though comes from Keatinge s 1896 translation and is not present in Comenius s Latin text a The name may have been applied in the 15th century to the blue stockings worn by the members of the Compagnie della Calza in Venice which then was adopted in Paris and London in the 17th century to the Covenanters in Scotland who wore unbleached woollen stockings in contrast to the bleached or dyed stockings of the more affluent In 1870 Henry D Wheatley noted that Elizabeth Montagu s coterie were named blue stockings after the blue worsted stockings worn by the naturalist Benjamin Stillingfleet b William Hazlitt said The bluestocking is the most odious character in society she sinks wherever she is placed like the yolk of an egg to the bottom and carries the filth with her 10 Recent use EditIn Japan a literary magazine Seitō Bluestocking was launched in 1911 under the leadership of Raichō Hiratsuka It ran until 1916 providing a creative outlet and political platform for Japanese feminists even while it faced public outcry and government censorship 11 The Toledo Blue Stockings was a major league baseball team in Toledo Ohio from 1883 to 1885 Historically the team is best known for being the only major league team with black players Moses Fleetwood Walker and his brother Weldy Walker prior to Jackie Robinson s appearance with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 Bluestockings is the name of a volunteer run and collectively owned radical bookstore fair trade cafe and activist center located on the Lower East Side of Manhattan New York City which opened in 1999 The Bluestocking is the name of the yearbook of Mary Baldwin College a traditionally all women s school in Staunton Virginia Blue Stocking was an unabashedly feminist tag line newspaper published in Portland Oregon 1993 to 1996 Notes Edit Comenius cites Euripides tragedy Hippolytus where Hippolytus says I detest a bluestocking May there never be a woman in my house who knows more than is fitting for a woman to know to which Comenius answers These opinions I opine stand in no true opposition to our demand For we are not advising that women be educated in such a way that their tendency to curiosity shall be developed but so that their sincerity and contentedness may be increased and this chiefly in those things which it becomes a woman to know and to do that is to say all that enables her to look after her household and to promote the welfare of her husband and her family John Amos Comenius 1633 1638 Didactica Magna The Great Didactic translation by M W Keatinge London Adam and Charles Black 1896 p 220 Benjamin Stillingfleet the celebrated naturalist who is described by Thomas Gray as living in a garret in order that he might be able to support some near relations died at his lodgings opposite to Burlington House on 15 December 1771 at the age of sixty nine It was his blue worsted stockings that gave the name blue stocking to the ladies of Mrs Montagu s coterie Henry D Wheatley Round About Piccadilly And Pall Mall London Smith Elder 1870 p 42 References Edit Tinker 1915 Bluestocking British literary society Encyclopedia Britannica Retrieved 26 April 2020 Carol Strauss Sotiropoulos 2007 Early Feminists and the Education Debates England France Germany 1760 1810 p 235 ISBN 978 0 8386 4087 6 Hannah More 1782 The Bas Bleu or Conversation James Boswell The Life of Samuel Johnson LL D Comprising A Series of His Epistolary Correspondence and Conversations with Many Eminent Persons And Various Original Pieces of His Composition With a Chronological Account of His Studies and Numerous Works p 823 Ethel Rolt Wheeler Famous Blue Stockings p 23 Wills Matthew 4 April 2019 The Bluestockings JSTOR Daily Retrieved 26 April 2020 Beckett J V Elizabeth Montagu Bluestocking Turned Landlady Huntington Library Quarterly 49 no 2 1986 149 64 Louis Kronenberger Kings and Desperate Men p 75 Elizabeth Eger 2010 Bluestockings women of reason from Enlightenment to Romanticism Palgrave Macmillan p 206 ISBN 9780230205338 S L Sievers 10 November 1998 The Bluestockings Meiji Japan ISBN 978 0 415 15618 9Further reading EditBurns William E Bluestockings 18th and 19th centuries in Reader s Guide to British History 2003 online Heller Deborah The Bluestockings and Virtue Friendship Elizabeth Montagu Anne Pitt and Elizabeth Carter Huntington Library Quarterly vol 81 no 4 2018 p 469 496 Demers Patricia The World of Hannah More University of Kentucky Press 1996 Myers Sylvia Harcstark The Bluestocking Circle Women Friendship and the Life of the Mind in Eighteenth Century England Oxford University Press 1990 Robinson Jane Bluestockings The Remarkable Story of the First Women to Fight for an Education Penguin 2010 Tinker Chauncey Brewster 1915 The salon and English letters chapters on the interrelations of literature and society in the age of Johnson Macmillan full text online Bluestocking Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 4 11th ed 1911 p 91 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bluestocking amp oldid 1169068204, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
