The Novel as Experiment: Maria Edgeworth's Practical Philosophy

The present paper examines how Maria Edgeworth turned the novel into an experiment in practical philosophy. First, tracing the intellectual influences of the author, her personal philosophy is explored based on her treatise Practical Education co-authored with her father R.L. Edgeworth, which united her views on the novel, education and personal conduct into an integrated whole. This is followed by the case study based on her novel Belinda, which is a prime example of the manner Edgeworth applied her philosophy to fiction.

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