Romantic History and the Historical Novel
Date of Award
2005
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelors
Department
Humanities
First Advisor
Wallace, Miriam
Keywords
Historical Novel, Romantic History, Fiction vs. Historical Narration
Area of Concentration
Literature
Abstract
The genre of the historical novel occupies an interesting place in literature. It is valued both as history and fiction, even though these would seem to be contradictory terms. This thesis begins by examining the differences and similarities between academic history and fictional narration--using the French Revolution as an example. Next it traces the path that leads from history to historical fiction, including authors such as Edmund Burke and Thomas Paine. The concept of 'Romantic history' is discussed, exemplified by Thomas Carlyle's The French Revolution: A History. Then specific examples of the genre of the historical novel are discussed. The texts are: Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities, Victor Hugo, Ninety-Three, Stendhal, The Red and the Black, and Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace. In the end, this thesis argues that both history and historical fiction occupy separate but valuable positions in historical discourse. Academic history allows the reader to delve into the specific facts of a moment, and historical fiction allows the reader to feel like he or she is a part of the moment. When read together, they portray a fuller picture of a particular historical moment as part of a metahistorical perspective.
Recommended Citation
Stein, Dwayne, "Romantic History and the Historical Novel" (2005). Theses & ETDs. 3584.
https://digitalcommons.ncf.edu/theses_etds/3584
Rights
This bibliographic record is available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. The New College of Florida, as creator of this bibliographic record, has waived all rights to it worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law.