German Women Writers in English Short Story Anthologies of the 1820s

The prominence of German women writers in early-nineteenth-century English story anthologies is striking, given that the writers' names, Friederike Lohmann, Benedikte Naubert, Caroline de la Motte Fouqué, and Louise Brachmann, are now little known in either Britain or Germany. The translation of their work was probably unrelated to issues of gender and more likely ensued from practical considerations of contemporary literary trends and market forces. Nonetheless, the stories may reflect gender-specific concerns and experiences. Because these women writers were published in Britain, their influence may have been greater than previously acknowledged.