This dissertation explores conceptions of nationalism in early modern English
literature and culture. Specifically, it examines multiple definitions of nation in dramatic
works by William Shakespeare (Cymbeline), John Fletcher (Bonduca), Thomas Dekker
(The Shoemaker's Holiday), and Robert Daborne (A Christian Turned Turk) as well as in
antiquarian studies of England by William Camden (Britannia and Remains Concerning
Britain) and Richard Verstegan (Restitution of Decayed Intelligence). This dissertation
argues that early modern English nationalism is a dynamic phenomenon that extends
beyond literary and historical genres typically associated with questions of national
identity, such as history plays, legal tracts, and chronicle histories. Nationalism, this
dissertation demonstrates, appears in Roman-Britain romances and tragedies, city
comedies, and both dramatic and prose accounts of piracy. Nation appears in myriad
voices - from ancient British queens to shoemakers and pirates. And the nationalisms
they articulate are as varied as the genres in which they appear as nation is negotiated
both across and within these works. Furthermore, this dissertation illustrates that not only are concepts of nation and
national identity being explored, the very terms on which to construct nation are being
defined and re-defined. Nation is variously filtered through a myriad of issues including
the influence of the monarch (particularly James I), origin, language, gender, class,
ethnicity, religion and national rivals. This dissertation also discusses works which
move us beyond our pre-conceived notions about nation by advocating more corporate
cosmopolitan models. The models are based on such qualities as membership,
occupation, productivity and the pursuit of wealth rather than birth order or location.
These corporate and piratical nationalisms extend beyond the confining geopolitical
borders of most concepts of nation.
Early modern English nationalism is not singularly defined by the monarch, the
church, the legal system, or even antiquarian studies of Britain and England. It is not
singularly defined by any one voice or text.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:tamu.edu/oai:repository.tamu.edu:1969.1/ETD-TAMU-1786 |
| Date | 02 June 2009 |
| Creators | Morrow, Christopher L. |
| Contributors | Marchitello, Howard |
| Source Sets | Texas A and M University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Book, Thesis, Electronic Dissertation, text |
| Format | electronic, application/pdf, born digital |
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