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Domestic Affairs: Intimacy, Eroticism, and Violence between Servants and Masters in Eighteenth-Century Britain


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This academic book chapter analyzes 18th-century British literature concerning domestic servants, exploring how these texts shaped perceptions of class, gender, and sexuality.  The author examines how literary works and real-life events, such as the Elizabeth Canning trial, reflected societal anxieties about servants' morality and their role within the family structure.  The analysis focuses on the complex portrayal of servants' sexuality,  often depicted as either innocent victims or manipulative figures, and how this relates to their economic agency.  The chapter also investigates the evolving representation of male servants, particularly footmen, and their evolving relationship with their masters.  Finally, the author connects these literary representations to the development of modern concepts of family and identity.

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