Abstract
This thesis seeks to contribute to the critical work regarding the historical fictions of William Godwin and Mary Shelley, specifically considering the importance of Godwin’s unpublished essay on genre, “Of History and Romance” (1797), in the creation of a unique approach to historical fiction, the Godwinian historical novel. To do this, three texts will be examined through analysis of historical, social and political contexts and close readings. Due to the substantial span of thirty-five years between the earliest and the latest novel discussed, the introduction will provide an overview of the relevant historical context in which the authors were writing. More historical context specific to the years prior to the publication of each novel will be given in each of the novels’ chapters.Chapter I will examine William Godwin’s St. Leon; or, A Tale of the Sixteenth Century (1799), and is specifically concerned with Godwin’s narrative choice of first-person confessional and the blend of genres, including the picaresque and the gothic.
Chapter II will explore William Godwin’s second historical novel Mandeville; or, A Tale of the Seventeenth Century (1817). It will focus on Godwin’s examination of individual motivation and the impact of trauma.
Chapter III will study Mary Shelley’s Valperga; or, The Life and Adventures of Castruccio, Prince of Lucca (1823). This section will consider Shelley’s use of historical figures, the gendering of the Godwinian historical novel and examine the insertion of two fictional women.
| Date of Award | 2024 |
|---|---|
| Original language | English |
| Supervisor | Diana Wallace (Supervisor), Marta Minier (Supervisor) & Nicholas Dunlop (Supervisor) |