, by Sarah Fielding (1710-1768) was first published in 1749 and is widely considered “the first full-length example of English juvenile fiction”, albeit not the first children’s book (Avery 2002, p. 145). As a novel, specifically for girls, it is a significant text in the study of eighteenth-century female education. Books written and marketed for children were a growing trend in the eighteenth century paralleling the teachings of John Locke in the aim to educate and entertain the child reader. The title page of Fielding’s novel informs the reader that it was “Calculated for the Entertainment and Instruction of Young Ladies in their Education” (Fielding 2005 [1749], p. 43). The narrative is a bildungsroman and explores the lives of…
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Citation: Price, Pamela. "The Governess; or Little Female Academy". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 16 December 2021 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=40492, accessed 22 November 2024.]
