Eliza Hamilton Dunlop (1796-1880) arrived in Sydney in 1838 and became almost immediately notorious for her poem The Aboriginal Mother, written in response to the infamous Myall Creek massacre.
She published more poetry in colonial newspapers during her lifetime, but for the century following her death her work was largely neglected. In recent years, however, critical interest in Dunlop has increased, in Australia and internationally and in a range of fields, including literary studies; settler, postcolonial and imperial studies; and Indigenous studies.
This stimulating collection of essays by leading scholars considers Dunlop's work from a range of perspectives and includes a new selection of her poetry.
List of Figures 1. Proud of Contributing Its Quota to the Original Literature of the Colony : An Introduction to Eliza Hamilton Dunlop and Her Writing, by Anna Johnston and Elizabeth Webby 2. The Poetry of the Archive: Locating Eliza Hamilton Dunlop, by Anna Johnston Part 1 Eliza Hamilton Dunlop and Global Literature 3. Morning on Rostrevor Mountains and the Making of Eliza Hamilton Dunlop, by Duncan Wu 4. Imperial Feminism and My Father's Library : Intellectual, Literary and Political Thought in Eliza Hamilton Dunlop's Poetry, by Katie Hansord 5. Beyond Universalisms: Individuation, Race and Sentiment in Colonial New South Wales, by Jason R. Rudy Part 2 Eliza Hamilton Dunlop and Colonial Australia 6. Settlement Defiled: Ventriloquy, Pollution and Nature in Eliza Hamilton Dunlop's The Aboriginal Mother , by Peter Minter 7. Eliza Hamilton Dunlop, Irish and Colonial Melodist: Her Songs for Music and Collaborations with Isaac Nathan, by Graeme Skinner 8. Unmapping the Mulla: Dunlop and the Villa on Wollombi Brook, by Jim Wafer Part 3 Poems 9. A Selection of Eliza Hamilton Dunlop's Poems, by Elizabeth Webby Fort Hamilton Morning on Rostrevor Mountains The Brothers The Dead The Aboriginal Mother The Irish Nurse, to a Foster Child I BlessThy Shores Go Dia leat Slan The Eagle Chief - melodized by Nathan The Star of the South The Aboriginal Father, a translation of a Maneroo dirge versified also for I. Nathan Dirge of Rosetta Nathan Native Poetry Native Song (the foregoing) translated and versified Ode to Gold - 1851 To My Friends Inscribed to the dearest of any The Mulla, or Wollombi creek, New South Wales The Two Graves Erin Dheelish Memories of Maxwell My own Epitaph - E.H.D. 10. Eliza Hamilton Dunlop's Australian Publications Works Cited Contributors Index
Anna Johnston is Associate Professor of English at the University of Queensland. Elizabeth Webby is Professor Emerita of English at the University of Sydney.
Reviews for Eliza Hamilton Dunlop: Writing from the Colonial Frontier
'A marked feature of the collection is the contributors’ investment in tracing the biographical, literary, political and publication histories of Dunlop’s writing ... [The book is] an invaluable resource for undergraduate and graduate teaching as well as ensuring its contribution not only to studies of Dunlop, but also to future scholarship of colonial women’s writing, global Romanticism, Australian literature, periodical studies and settler-colonial studies.' -- Sarah Comyn * Journal of Australian Studies *
- Winner of Australian University Heads of English Prize for Literary Scholarship 2021
