Frances Burney (1752–1840)

In all her writings, Frances Burney consistently questions issues of genre, gender, race, authority, and power relations, notably influencing later female authors, such as Maria Edgeworth (1768–1849) and Jane Austen (1775–1817), and contributing to the literary and critical history of her time. Together, Burney’s journals, letters, and diaries shine new light on the history of women’s dramatic criticism, enriching the multifaceted story of theatre during the Romantic period.