not in kansas anymore

I was reminded, the other day, of one of the most exhilirating and surprising stories I've ever read, Margaret Cavendish's Assaulted and Pursued Chastity (1656).

I'm attaching it to the "false novels" shitpost prompt because it has an incredibly misleading title and introduction. Well, ok, the heroine's chastity is occasionally pursued, but it is not successfully assaulted (so no trigger warning for assault, though do expect..... seventeenth century cultural norms).

It begins with, as I recall, an incredibly boring discourse on how women should never travel anywhere, especially not alone, and probably shouldn't even want to travel anywhere, and the moral lesson of this book is definitely to stay at home. My friends....... that is not what the rest of the story is about.

I don't want to spoil it here, because it's very short and the surprise is half the fun, but if you happen to know it or check it out, we can discuss in the comments! (Or you can ask for a 'good bits' version and maybe I'll finally get around to making a wikipedia page for it...)

You can download a PDF here: www.public-library.uk/ebooks/74/50.pdf -- it's only 40 pages!

today's whisperspace comment is a complaint that I can't set my mood to "assaulted and pursued" because for SOME reason the dropdown hasn't predicted that I will want this option...

[inspiration from Shitpost February]

... will be really hindered by the exciting title page of my book.




(Though maybe it's fine, because the parts of this book that are the most bonkers don't actually make the title page!)

[inspiration from Shitpost February]