DISCOURSE ON GENDER, SOCIETY AND SEXUALITY IN THE “TURKISH EMBASSY LETTERS”

Abstract

“Turkish Embassy Letters” by Lady Mary Wortley Montagu is an example of traveller’s writing so popular in the XVIII century Britain. Lady Mary is a wife of the Britain’s Ambassador Wortley who was sent to solve some problems between European countries and Turkey who was at war with half of Europe. 

While the diplomat made attempts in succeeding his political mission, his wife wrote traveler’s reports, communicating with a lot of people met in the journey. These reports became so popular that were edited and published many times. The popularity of Lady Mary’s  “Letters”  is explained by specific approaches of the author to the problems of society, gender and sexuality both in Europe and Turkey, by emphasizing the differences and similarities, psychology and mode of life,  cultural and historical background of the eastern and western people. As a woman of beauty and erudition, and representative of high class society, Lady Mary had access to the houses and women’ circles of the Turkish women, to their secrets and experience. She has seen the depths of the society unseen by the previous travelers. She appraised this society with its luxury, moral values and attitude to women providing their rights, education, property and freedom. Comparing attitudes to these issues in eastern and western societies, she chooses the eastern mode of life.