ABSTRACT
This book, which focuses on a little-studied genre of writing that we identify as forensic storytelling, is situated at the confluence of studies in historical, sociological, literary-critical, and feminist perspectives on eighteenth-century France. As publications in that tumultuous era shift from the theater to the courtroom, the personal stories related by individuals reflect their roles and struggles and, taken as a whole, seem to exhibit a collective sense of purpose. The letters written by women from within the high walls of the convent, especially those written by women who were consigned against their will, constitute the core of a genre of literature that we have not adequately considered heretofore. This study focuses on the writings of women who wrote responses to protest (directly or indirectly) their confinement. With the newer readings, and a deeper awareness of the context and its significance, the redefinition of this literature requires consideration of the actual product/object in its authentic context. The object’s authenticity helps us to further understand the historiography, the context, and the content.
