Feminist Glimpses to Oriental Culture: The Study of Lady Mary Montagu's Travel Letters

Abstract

Lady Mary Wortley Montagues’s travel letters were first published in 1763 based on her journey to the Ottoman Empire undertaken during the years of 1716 to 1718. Her letters are apparently written based on several occasions to historical individuals such as Lady Mar, Alexander Pope and Abbe’ Conti. The memories show that her empiricist epistemology is in combine with a kind of relativist feminism to oriental culture which has been experienced during her interaction with the society of Turkish ladies on early eighteen century. This study aims to show part of Lady Mary Montagu’s experiences among the women of Ottoman Empire and her feministic view towards their culture; particularly their manners and customs.