Primary Works
Astell, Mary. The Christian Religion, As Profess’d by a Daughter of the Church of England. In a Letter to the Right Honourable, T.L. C.I., R. Wilkin, London, 1705.
Astell, Mary. Astell: Political Writings, P. Springborg (ed.), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1996.
Astell, Mary. A Serious Proposal to the Ladies. Parts I and II, P. Springborg (ed.), Broadview Literary Texts, Ontario, 2002.
Astell, Mary. The Christian Religion, As Professed by a Daughter of the Church of England, J. Broad (ed.), Centre for Reformation and Renaissance Studies and Iter Publishing, Toronto, ON, 2013.
Astell, Mary and Norris, John. Letters Concerning the Love of God, Between the Author of the Proposal to the Ladies and Mr. John Norris: Wherein his late Discourse, shewing That it ought to be intire and exclusive of all other Loves, is further cleared and justified, J. Norris, London, 1695.
Astell, Mary. “A Fair Way with the Dissenters and their Patrons [1704].” Mary Astell, Political Writings, ed. P. Springborg, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1996.
Astell, Mary. An Impartial Enquiry into the Causes of Rebellion and Civil War in This Kingdom: In an Examination of Dr. Kennett’s Sermon, Jan. 31. 1703/4. and Vindication of the Royal Martyr, 1704.
Astell, Mary. Bart’lemy fair or, an enquiry after wit; in which due respect is had to a letter concerning enthusiasm, to my Lord, R. Wilkin, at the King’s Head in St. Paul’s Church-Yard, 1709.
Astell, Mary. An enquiry after wit: wherein the trifling arguing and impious raillery of the late Earl of Shaftsbury, in his Letter concerning enthusiasm, and other Profane Writers, are fully answer’d, and justly Exposed. Answer a Fool according to his Folly, lest he be wise in his own Conceit, John Bateman, at the Hat and Star in St. Paul’s Church-Yard, 1722.
Astell, Mary. An Essay in Defence of the Female Sex: In which are Inserted the Characters of a Pedant, a Squire, a Beau, a Vertuoso, a Poetaster, a City-critick, &c. in a Letter to a Lady, Good Press, 2019.
Astell, Mary. Six familiar essays upon marriage, crosses in love, sickness, death, loyalty and friendship written by a lady, Printed for Tho. Bennet, London, 1696
Secondary Sources
Michelson, Michal, and William Kolbrener, eds. Mary Astell: Reason, Gender, Faith. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2013.
This chapter is an analysis of Astell’s feminist ideas, for which she is best known, in tandem with her theological ideas in her works. It emphasises how Astell’s theological arguments should not be considered separately from the feminist ideas she put forward, but rather that the two are intertwined. An interesting concept this chapter explores is Astell’s view of liberty, which strongly influences her ideas of theology and gender equality.
Ellenzweig, Sarah. “The love of God and the radical enlightenment: Mary Astell’s Brush with Spinoza.” Journal of the History of Ideas 64.3, 2003, pp. 379-397.
This essay analyses the influence of Nicolas Malebranche, a French Platonist and neo-Cartesian, on Astell’s ideas. Astell was a disciple of Malebranche, and this essay examines how this influence might have changed or affirmed her views on theology and feminism, particularly her argument for gender equality which was derived from her views on the lack of liberty of humans as subjects of God.
Broad, Jacqueline. “Mary Astell on marriage and Lockean slavery.” History of Political Thought 35.4, 2014, pp. 717-738.
This paper argues that Astell does actually believe that marriage is a form of slavery for women. It draws on John Locke’s concept of slavery and examines how this is used by Astell in her Reflections on Marriage to condemn marriage for being a form of slavery. The author also points out how Astell also draws on Locke’s ideas on education to support her argument for the right to education for women. Finally, the paper examines Astell’s views on marriage being akin to slavery in a theological moral framework to prove that she does in fact perceive marriage to be morally wrong and condemns it for this.
Broad, Jacqueline. “Mary Astell on Virtuous Friendship.” Parergon 26.2, 2009, pp. 65-86.
This paper is a response to scholarly criticism of Astell’s feminist ideas for focusing on self-improvement much more than wider social change. It discusses Astell’s concept of friendship and the moral value she assigns to it, as well as she claims that such friendships can help liberate women from tyranny in their spiritual life and judgement making capacity. It further emphasises the impact her religiously conservative views had on her feminist philosophy.
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introduction
biography
philosophical expansion
comparison with John Locke
closing arguments
bibliography