Early Modern Civil Discourses pp 162-182 | Cite as
The Civility of Early Modern Welsh Women
Abstract
The position of the Welsh in relation to discourses of civility was volatile and ambivalent in the early modern period. Sometimes perceived by English commentators as ‘very beastly and rudely in respect of civility’,1 at other moments they were depicted as relatively good neighbours, rough and backward yet potentially educable in the ways of civility. In this essay, I take issue with Prys Morgan’s recent assertion that throughout the early modern period, the Welsh were perceived by their English neighbours as ‘wild and uncivil’.2 Rather, I contend that English representations of the Welsh were more complex and diverse than he suggests: indeed, many of the examples he offers in his essay actually demonstrate a more nuanced English account of Welsh culture than this stark assertion indicates. Morgan’s emphasis on English representations of Wales is a salutary reminder of the key part played by notions of civility in managing the difficult relations of neighbours who are forced to dwell in uncomfortable proximity.
Keywords
British Isle Early Modern Period Fervent Supporter Political Advice Provincial TownPreview
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Notes
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