Autobiographies

/ˌɔːtəbaɪˈɒɡrəfiz/ noun

Definition

Plural of autobiography; multiple written accounts of people's own life stories.

Etymology

English plural of autobiography. Autobiography itself is from auto- (self) + biography, with the term coined in English around 1797 to describe this new literary form.

Kelly Says

Autobiographies exploded in popularity during the Romantic era when people became fascinated with individual consciousness—before that, people mostly wrote about kings and battles, not their own feelings and growth.

Ethical Language Guidance

Gender History

Published autobiography historically centered male authors and public figures; women's life narratives were often dismissed as private diaries or confined to domestic spheres.

Inclusive Usage

Use 'autobiographies' for all genders; ensure representation of women autobiographies in literary and historical curricula.

Empowerment Note

Women autobiographers like Mary Wollstonecraft, Frederick Douglass's peer narratives, and contemporary authors challenged the male-dominated tradition of self-narration.

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