Alexander the Great and the English novel

This work focuses on the manner in which Alexander the Great is received and reconfigured within the confines of the contemporary English-language novel. The Macedonian king has held the attention of writers and artists throughout the centuries; this dissertation seeks to investigate how modern authors, working at a remove of centuries, with limited evidence, have contrived to fashion coherent literary narratives from his life, and how this process is influenced by the authors and the society for which they write. The theoretical backbone of this approach is provided by reception theory, which provides a useful technical vocabulary and outlook by which to approach the phenomena which affect the comprehension of, and subsequent re-appropriation, of cultural artifacts.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Department of English Language and Literature

Year dc:date.issued

2012

Author dc:creator

• Howell, Patrick

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Anderson, Peter

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/11948

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/11948