Tabitha Gilman Tenney
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__NOTOC__ Tabitha Gilman Tenney (1762–1837) was an early American author from Exeter, New Hampshire.


Writing

Tenney's novel ''Female Quixotism, Exhibited in the Romantic Opinions and Extravagant Adventures of Dorcasina Sheldon'', which followed Cervantes in attacking the delusions encouraged by romantic literature, was first published in two volumes in 1801. Literary historian F. L. Patee has described ''Female Quixotism'' (1801) as the most popular novel written in America prior to the publication of '' Uncle Tom's Cabin'' in 1852. ''Female Quixotism'' went through at least five editions and was still in print when
Harriet Beecher Stowe Harriet Elisabeth Beecher Stowe (; June 14, 1811 – July 1, 1896) was an American author and abolitionist. She came from the religious Beecher family and became best known for her novel ''Uncle Tom's Cabin'' (1852), which depicts the harsh ...
wrote her landmark book. A quote fro
page 23 of her book
shows signs of an early feminist attitude: ''"Those enemies to female improvement thought a woman had no business with any book but the bible, or perhaps the art of cookery; believing that everything beyond these served only to disqualify her for the duties of domestic life."''


Family life

Tabitha was a teenager during the American Revolution. Exeter was the Revolutionary capitol of New Hampshire. She was the second cousin of
Nicholas Gilman Nicholas Gilman Jr. (August 3, 1755May 2, 1814) was an American Founding Father, a soldier in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, a delegate to the Continental Congress, and a signer of the U.S. Constitution, represent ...
, NH State Treasurer during the American Revolution. Her uncle Peter Gilman was a Brigadier. Her parents were Samuel and Lydia. In 1788, she married
Samuel Tenney Samuel Tenney (November 27, 1748 – February 6, 1816) was a United States representative from New Hampshire. Born in Byfield in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, he attended Governor Dummer Academy and graduated from Harvard College in 1772. ...
, a former army surgeon. They had no children. He was elected to Congress in 1788. He became a long-time judge in Exeter. Their house originally stood next door to the town hall and courthouse, but was moved, and currently stands at 65 High Street. Upon her 1837 death in Exeter, she was buried at the Winter Street Burial Ground.


Further reading


By Tenney

* ''New Pleasing Instructor'' * ''Tabitha Tenney. Female quixotism: exhibited in the romantic opinions and extravagant adventures of Dorcasina Sheldon''. ** Boston: Printed by I. Thomas and E.T. Andrews, 1801. ** Boston: J. P. Peaslee, 1825. Google book
v.1
**Oxford University Press, 1991 "Female Quixotism" with foreword by feminist scholars


About Tenney

* "Tabitha Tenney" in: Evert Augustus Duyckinck, George Long Duyckinck. ''Cyclopaedia of American Literature''. NY: C. Scribner, 1856
Google books
* * Cynthia J. Miecznikowski. The Parodic Mode and the Patriarchal Imperative: Reading the Female Reader(s) in Tabitha Tenney's "Female Quixotism". ''Early American Literature'', Vol. 25, No. 1 (1990), pp. 34–45 * Linda Frost. The Body Politic in Tabitha Tenney's "Female Quixotism". ''Early American Literature'', Vol. 32, No. 2 (1997), pp. 113–134 *Gretchen McBride, scholar, "Rediscovering Tabitha Tenney" lecture on video
Rediscovering Tabitha Gilman Tenney


References


External links

* WorldCat
Tabitha Tenney
* Open Library
Female Quixotism
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tenney, Tabitha Gilman 1762 births 1837 deaths 19th-century American novelists American women novelists Gilman family of New Hampshire People from Exeter, New Hampshire Novelists from New Hampshire 19th-century American women writers