Felicity A Nussbaum, "The Autobiographical Subject" (Book Note)

In "The Autobiographical Subject: Gender and Ideology in Eighteenth-Century England," Felicity A. Nussbaum offers a theoretically rich and nuanced study of the emergence of the bourgeois subject and the concurrent rise of autobiographical writing, such as journals and diaries, in the eighteenth century. Grounded in a materialist feminist framework, Nussbaum integrates the theoretical insights of Michel Foucault and Louis Althusser, yet her own revisionist feminist perspective remains at the forefront. She highlights the central role of gender in the consolidation of the bourgeois subject, a theme she addresses consistently throughout her work.

 

Nussbaum's fascination with eighteenth-century autobiographical writing stems from its unique historical context. As she notes, autobiography was first conceptualized as a genre in the late eighteenth century, a period that also saw the emergence of women’s public writing. This convergence of new forms of self-writing, women’s entry into public discourse, and the development of bourgeois subjectivity provides a rich field for exploration.

 

The book begins by tracing the history of the term "autobiography," critiquing how scholars have traditionally conceptualized the autobiographical subject. Nussbaum argues that these conceptualizations often impose metaphysical notions of selfhood that obscure the social and contractual bonds shaping individuals. She proposes an alternative approach, viewing autobiographical writing as an ideological construct intertwined with economic and political practices. This perspective allows her to move beyond a poetics of autobiography, which focuses on structural models and narratives of an essential self, to a politics of autobiography that considers how these texts engage with and reflect broader ideological conflicts.

 

Nussbaum grounds subjectivity in historical specificity, exploring the various discourses on "character" and "identity" in eighteenth-century life. She examines how these terms acquired contradictory meanings and how autobiographical texts serve as sites where individuals experiment with different discourses and subject positions. This experimentation reflects the broader societal struggles with identity, as individuals both contest and consolidate class and gender identifications within the emerging bourgeois order.

 

The book is divided into two sections. The first section offers readings of men’s texts, including those of John Bunyan, John Wesley, and James Boswell. Nussbaum’s analysis of Bunyan's "Grace Abounding" reveals the contradictions inherent in the dissenting subject's relationship to conversion. Bunyan's narrative oscillates between Christian self-denial and vigilant self-scrutiny, reflecting the tension between paradigmatic conversion and the ongoing vigilance required to maintain it. Nussbaum links these tensions to the historical conditions of emergent capitalism, which demanded self-inspecting private individuals for the burgeoning bourgeoisie. Thus, Bunyan's text depicts a subject bound to the control of state and church while simultaneously promoting individual salvation and freedom of choice.

 

In her analysis of Wesley and Boswell, Nussbaum continues to explore how eighteenth-century autobiographical texts navigate the complexities of self-construction within the context of emerging bourgeois ideologies. Wesley's journals, for instance, reflect the interplay between personal piety and public religious movements, illustrating the ways in which individual religious experiences are shaped by broader social and ideological forces. Similarly, Boswell’s extensive diaries offer a window into the evolving notions of masculinity, personal identity, and social status, revealing how these texts negotiate the tensions between private desires and public expectations.

 

The second section of the book shifts focus to women's autobiographical texts, though Nussbaum often traverses multiple texts rather than concentrating on specific works. She examines how women’s writing negotiates the public and private spheres, challenging traditional gender roles and expanding the boundaries of autobiographical expression. Women's entry into public writing is seen as a significant development, reflecting and contributing to the broader changes in gender dynamics and bourgeois subjectivity.

 

Nussbaum's analysis highlights how women’s autobiographical texts both reflect and subvert the ideological constructs of their time. She explores how these texts engage with various discourses on femininity, identity, and agency, often revealing the contradictions and tensions inherent in these constructs. By doing so, women writers both contest and consolidate the emerging bourgeois subject, navigating the complexities of their historical and social contexts.

 

Throughout her study, Nussbaum emphasizes the importance of considering how texts were produced, circulated, and read, as well as how selves were constructed within and by these texts. She argues that understanding the material conditions of textual production and reception is crucial for comprehending the ideological work these texts perform. By situating autobiographical writing within its broader economic, political, and social contexts, Nussbaum offers a comprehensive and sophisticated analysis of the genre and its role in the formation of bourgeois subjectivity.

Nussbaum provides a sophisticated exploration of the rise of autobiographical writing in the eighteenth century and its relationship to the formation of bourgeois subjectivity. Her analysis, grounded in materialist feminist theory, particularly emphasizes the role of gender in this process. Nussbaum's work engages with the theoretical frameworks of Michel Foucault and Louis Althusser but maintains a distinct focus on the intersections of gender, class, and ideology.

 

In the chapter "Methodized Subjects," Nussbaum examines the kind of subject that emerges through the serial journal-writing advocated by John Wesley. Wesley's journals encouraged continuous self-regulation among his followers, transforming journal writing into a productive space for self-scrutiny. This practice was particularly significant for Wesley’s followers, who were predominantly from the laboring classes undergoing significant social upheaval. Journals provided these individuals with a means to document their experiences and engage in the practices of self-regulation and accumulation of textual capital necessary for upward social mobility, effectively transforming them into bourgeois subjects.

 

Nussbaum argues that Wesley’s writings played a crucial role in empowering an upwardly mobile self among the previously marginal, illiterate, and disenfranchised. By fostering a consistent public character, these writings helped shape an identity rooted in the accumulation of lived experience and self-possession, aligning with the needs of emergent capitalism.

 

In her analysis of James Boswell's journals, Nussbaum identifies pervasive contradictions that cannot be reconciled through any single explanatory model. Boswell’s writings reveal a tension between his public and private selves, differentiated as the "retenu" (constrained) and the "etourdi" (uncontrolled) selves. This tension underscores the exclusions necessary to construct a consistent public character, particularly along lines of gender, class, and race. Boswell's public persona is inherently male, middle-class, and white, highlighting the normative boundaries of eighteenth-century bourgeois identity.

 

Nussbaum concludes her discussion of male texts with an examination of Boswell’s "Life of Johnson." She interprets this work as a contestation of the encroachment of feminine authority on eighteenth-century life. Boswell's portrayal of Johnson’s authoritative male character serves to reclaim literary character and its artful representation for men, positioning men as the primary authors and arbiters of the private biographical subject.

 

The second section of the book shifts to women's autobiographical writing, where Nussbaum critiques ahistorical theories and explores the specific ideologies of gender at play in the eighteenth century. She examines how competing ideologies pull female subjects into particular subject positions or draw them away from those positions.

 

Nussbaum first considers spiritual autobiographies, noting how forms such as the diary both liberate and constrain the female voice. While these autobiographies release women from silence and enable subversion of patriarchal authority, they also contain women within prevailing generic models. Nussbaum is particularly interested in how new ideologies of salvation and conversion empower women to speak and act independently, challenging traditional gender roles.

 

In her analysis of "scandalous memoirs," Nussbaum investigates what constitutes scandal. While public confessions of sexual experiences are part of the scandal, the real transgression lies in the power of producing an economically independent female public character that deviates from societal norms. However, these memoirs also complicate the formation of the bourgeois subject. By writing themselves into a form of heteroclite individualism, these women regard themselves as anomalies, thus isolating themselves from collective concerns. This individuality, while encouraging public speech, simultaneously contains the power of transgression by framing individual difficulties as private failings rather than systemic issues that restrict female opportunities and require female virtue for social privilege.

 

Nussbaum concludes the book with a discussion of Hester Thrale’s autobiographical writings. Thrale's texts, neither sacred nor scandalous, are situated within multiple discourses of the century, including medicine, female traditions, and famous men's aphorisms. Nussbaum positions Thrale as embodying the managing woman of the middle class, whose rank is determined by capital rather than birth. Thrale navigates these discourses, pushing against their confinements while simultaneously inhabiting them. By juxtaposing the minutiae of female life against the broader public sphere, Thrale challenges conventional hierarchies and cultural inscriptions.

 

Throughout her work, Nussbaum rejects the language and theory of essential sexual difference and transhistorical, universalized autobiographical subjects. Instead, she focuses on subjects of history, culture, and ideology. Her analysis emphasizes that while individuals are shaped by ideological forces, they are also agents of their own resistances, even if inconsistent. This agency reveals gaps in the otherwise secure anchorage of ideologies, highlighting the dynamic interplay between individual subjectivity and broader social structures.

 

Nussbaum’s study offers a compelling exploration of the ways in which eighteenth-century autobiographical writing contributes to the formation of bourgeois subjectivity. By situating these texts within their historical and ideological contexts, she provides valuable insights into the complex processes through which individuals navigate and negotiate their identities, making significant contributions to the study of autobiography and the intersections of gender, class, and ideology.