The female reader is no longer a passive creature. She is a thinking woman, constantly grappling with reality. But what does "woman" mean? What did it mean in the eighteenth century? How was femininity perceived? Could a woman be only an object of spectacle or did she have the leeway to be a spectator as well? The Female Spectator, issued monthly from 1744 to 1746, incites its readers to reflect on these questions. It is known to be first English magazine designed by a woman for women. Eliza Haywood, as the editor of the periodical, comments on social expectations, gendered behaviour, customs and hierarchical boundaries.

The seminar will markedly respond to one peculiar question: what happens "[when] a woman unwomanizes herself..."?