Authorship in the eighteenth century

This essay looks at different questions facing authorship in the eighteenth century, from the widespread use of anonymity, and its consequences; the perception of an over-abundance of authors, and the related fear of a massive cultural decline; the ways in which an authorial canon could have been more arbitrary and less comprehensive than a modern day equivalent; the manner in which poetic representations of authorship sought to compete with, and pre-empt other criticisms and versions of the self; the extensive use of self-reflexivity in fiction, intended to guide and misguide the reader; and the consequences of the growing interest in authorship as a reflection of personality and celebrity

Authorship in the eighteenth century

This essay looks at different questions facing authorship in the eighteenth century, from the widespread use of anonymity, and its consequences; the perception of an over-abundance of authors, and the related fear of a massive cultural decline; the ways in which an authorial canon could have been more arbitrary and less comprehensive than a modern day equivalent; the manner in which poetic representations of authorship sought to compete with, and pre-empt other criticisms and versions of the self; the extensive use of self-reflexivity in fiction, intended to guide and misguide the reader; and the consequences of the growing interest in authorship as a reflection of personality and celebrity