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Crisis in colonialism: The South Seas writing of Robert Louis Stevenson

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Date Issued:
2006
Summary:
The South Seas Writing of Robert Louis Stevenson reveals a crisis in colonialism: Stevenson saw how colonial exploitation of natives for their island resources was corrupting the morality of imperial countries, while colonialism also brought disease and conflicts to the remote margins of empire. Stevenson exposes how unfounded was Victorian imperial ideology of cultural and religious superiority. He objects to the colonial powers' policies that tend to wipe out native cultures. His travel narratives and fiction not only voice this objection to colonial usurpation, but also stand up for the native peoples who strive to establish a literary voice of their own. In this way Stevenson anticipates the post-colonial age when colonized peoples fight for their independence, and when their own voices help establish their legitimate cultural heritage.
Title: Crisis in colonialism: The South Seas writing of Robert Louis Stevenson.
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Name(s): MacLaren, Robert B.
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Buckton, Oliver, Thesis advisor
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Issuance: monographic
Date Issued: 2006
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 70 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: The South Seas Writing of Robert Louis Stevenson reveals a crisis in colonialism: Stevenson saw how colonial exploitation of natives for their island resources was corrupting the morality of imperial countries, while colonialism also brought disease and conflicts to the remote margins of empire. Stevenson exposes how unfounded was Victorian imperial ideology of cultural and religious superiority. He objects to the colonial powers' policies that tend to wipe out native cultures. His travel narratives and fiction not only voice this objection to colonial usurpation, but also stand up for the native peoples who strive to establish a literary voice of their own. In this way Stevenson anticipates the post-colonial age when colonized peoples fight for their independence, and when their own voices help establish their legitimate cultural heritage.
Identifier: 9780542576119 (isbn), 13336 (digitool), FADT13336 (IID), fau:10186 (fedora)
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2006.
Subject(s): Stevenson, Robert Louis,--1850-1894--Travel--Oceania
Stevenson, Robert Louis,--1850-1894--Criticism and interpretation
Imperialism in literature
Politics and culture
Colonies in literature
Oceania--In literature
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13336
Sublocation: Digital Library
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author, with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.