Secret Wars

<p><em>Secret Wars</em> is a novella that takes place from 1803-1805. From 1802-1803 England and France gained a brief peace under the Treaty of Amiens. But tensions escalated quickly, and combat renewed in mid-1803, not to be resolved until Napoleon had been deposed. The politicians and radicals active in this period fascinate historians, but there is less attention given to the common citizens affected by France’s bewildering climate of change and conflicting ideas.</p> <p><em>Secret Wars </em>features an array of characters from both France and England. Major characters include Willace Camerson, an English journalist; Mathieu Levesque, a Royalist navy-captain; Manu de Vallier, a French woman; Marie Holmwood, an English woman and Willace’s unwilling love-interest; and M. de Vallier, a Royalist aristocrat. Also prominent is Vice-Admiral Villeneuve, a real historical figure who often goes overlooked.</p> <p>This novella focuses on the complex relationships between people of different cultures and politics, as well as the notions of loyalty during wartime. Willace Camerson’s attempts to avoid marrying to his childhood friend causes him to embark on an increasingly risky search for knowledge, while Mathieu Levesque stolidly does his duty until he starts to question the extent of his own loyalties. Meanwhile Manu and Marie, despite their differing politics and the machinations of their fathers, find eventual happiness together.</p> <p><em>Secret Wars</em> investigates themes of duty, propaganda, friendship, and honesty in a society where the truth can be dangerous. Throughout this work each character reveals different ideas about what these words mean in a difficult period of history.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

English

Year dc:date.available

2019

Author dc:creator

• Rodgerson, Kaleigh

Contributors dc:contributor

• Caroline Krzakowski

• Novel
• Napoleonic Wars
• France
• England
• LGBT
• Espionage
• Battle of Cape Finisterre
• European History
• Fiction
• Literature in English, North America

Repository record dc:identifier

https://commons.nmu.edu/theses/575

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:commons.nmu.edu:theses-1606