A writing halfway between theory and fiction

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This book explores the significant contributions of feminist women writers throughout literary history, highlighting their use of various genres to express feminist ideas while challenging the boundaries between fiction and theory. It analyzes works by a diverse range of authors, including Mary Wollstonecraft, Mary Hays, Mary Robinson, Harriet Martineau, Olive Schreiner, Virginia Woolf, Hélène Cixous, Monique Wittig, Margaret Cavendish, and Michèle Roberts. Through a chronological examination of feminist texts, the study delves into the interplay of content, genre, and discourse, offering the first analysis of how genre is gendered and the complexities of feminists' engagement with both theory and literature. It raises critical questions about the evolution of feminism over the past four centuries, such as Wollstonecraft's dual role in writing both a prominent feminist treatise and a novel that tests her theoretical arguments through fiction. Additionally, it investigates the significance of Woolf’s "Novel-Essay," The Pargiters, which blends theoretical and fictional elements, and considers Catherine Clément’s interpretation of Cixous’s works as a fusion of theory and fiction. This study sheds new light on the intricate relationships between genre, gender, and feminist thought.