Small Things That Cleave: Hannah Allen’s Scissors and Her Religious Melancholy

• Published in: Studies in English literature, 1500-1900 Vol. 62; no. 3; pp. 459 - 489
• Main Author: Seymour, Laura
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Baltimore Johns Hopkins University Press 01.06.2022
• Subjects: 17th century; Allen, Hannah; Autobiographies; Bible; Brochures; Christianity; Circumcision; Emotions; Religion; Spirituality; Writing

Content note: suicide, self-harm, domestic violence Hannah Allen’s Satan’s Methods and Malice Baffled is an extraordinary text from 1683 that details Allen’s experiences of self-harm and suicidal ideation. This article analyzes these themes by focusing on a small but significant object: Allen’s pair...