Trials of the Self : : Murder, Mayhem and the Remaking of the Mind, 1750-1830.

• Superior document: Studies in Early Modern European History Series
• Author: Hofman, Elwin.
• Place / Publishing House: Manchester : : Manchester University Press,, 2021.; Ã2021.
• Year of Publication: 2021
• Edition: 1st ed.
• Language: English
• Series: Studies in Early Modern European History Series
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (247 pages)

Duellists, drunks and remorseful murderers populate Trials of the self, which highlights the criminal court as a space for publicising and negotiating models of the self. Using criminal trial records, the book argues that inner depth became increasingly important around 1800, not only for elites, but also for common people.

Table of Contents

Intro -- Frontmatter -- Half title page -- Series page -- Title page -- Copyright page -- Dedication -- Contents -- Abbreviations -- Acknowledgements -- How to do the history of the self: an introduction -- The self in court: procedures of conscience and confession -- Making reasonable selves: self-defence, honour and philosophical suicide -- Losing your self: magic, madness and other ways of losing control -- The tears of a killer: practising sentimentalism and romanticism in criminal court -- The ambiguities of nature: self-talk as a challenge and as an opportunity -- Conclusion: fragments of a history of the self -- Bibliography -- Index.