Thesis
Keeper : a novel and critical reflection on historical fiction as a genre
- Creator
- Rights statement
- Awarding institution
- University of Strathclyde
- Date of award
- 2018
- Thesis identifier
- T15100
- Person Identifier (Local)
- 201152843
- Qualification Level
- Qualification Name
- Department, School or Faculty
- Abstract
- This practice-led PhD thesis consists of two sections: a creative element and criticalcommentary. ‘Keeper’ is a historical crime fiction novel. Set in the slums of RegencyLondon, the story is about the effects of trauma on the individual, and gentrification on thecommunity. It looks at what family means for different people, and how the ties of blood andfriendship are tested.Both third-person and first-person focalisation are employed, as the story is told fromtwo different perspectives – one that of an injured soldier who is relatively new to therookery, and the other an orphaned girl who has never seen the world beyond it. The third-person voice is connected to and often overwhelmed by the past, and this is reflected in theuse of the past tense, which contrasts with the immediacy of first-person present tense. Thenarrative utilises the investigation of a murder to scrutinise the development of British societyin the early nineteenth century, through a fictional examination of historical events and theirsocial consequences. An author’s note provides insight into the research process.The critical commentary explores the origins and theoretical response to the historicalnovel. The commentary touches on the nineteenth century split between academic historyand historical fiction, which promoted an artificial opposition between history and fiction,and discusses the lack of scholarly definitions of the genre. Issues surrounding theclassifications that are available are examined, before a new definition is proposed.The practical challenges of the historical novel are explored through interviews withsix authors of historical fiction. An analysis of these interview transcripts and HilaryMantel’s Reith Lectures is used to argue that the writers’ approach to research, andengagement with sources, demonstrates a working methodology from which aspiring writersmay learn.
- Advisor / supervisor
- Goldie, David
- Resource Type
- Note
- Previously held under moratorium from 11 February 2019 until 20 April 2022.
- DOI
- Date Created
- 2018
- Former identifier
- 9912685893402996
Las relaciones
Elementos
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PDF of thesis T15100 | 2021-07-02 | Público | Descargar |