Edith Nesbit's later children's fantasy novels, 1907-1913: magic, socialism, and sexuality

Promsuttirak, Pisuda (2019) Edith Nesbit's later children's fantasy novels, 1907-1913: magic, socialism, and sexuality. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

This thesis examines Edith Nesbit’s children’s novels written between 1907 and 1913. Major works in focus include The Enchanted Castle (1907), The House of Arden (1908), Harding’s Luck (1909), The Magic City (1910), The Wonderful Garden (1911), and Wet Magic (1913). The study inquires into the ways in which Nesbit applies views about children and childhood to explore and express three major political ideologies: power, socialism, and sexuality.

Interrogating the connection between fantasy and agentic powers, the use of fictional child figures within the socialist context, and the connection between gender authority and sexual maturation, the analysis challenges the idealisation of childhood. Placing these novels in the Edwardian literary and socio-political contexts, the representation of children in Nesbit’s works reflects and questions the concurrent attitudes towards children and adults’ treatment of the young members of society.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Keywords: Edith Nesbit, children's literature, Edwardian children's literature, fantasy, socialism, sexuality, gender.
• Subjects: P Language and Literature > PR English literature; P Language and Literature > PZ Childrens literature
• Colleges/Schools: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Critical Studies > English Literature
• Supervisor's Name: Creasy, Dr. Matthew
• Date of Award: 2019
• Embargo Date: 8 February 2023
• Depositing User: Miss Pisuda Promsuttirak
• Unique ID: glathesis:2019-41005
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 13 Feb 2019 16:23
• Last Modified: 23 Aug 2024 09:11
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.41005
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/41005