[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-detail-134602-en":3,"doc-seo-134602-105":30,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":96},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",{"doc_id":7,"user_id":8,"nickname":9,"user_avatar":10,"doc_module":4,"category_id":11,"category_name":12,"doc_title":13,"doc_description":14,"doc_content":15,"file_id":16,"file_url":17,"file_type":18,"file_size":19,"view_count":20,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":20,"is_downloadable":20,"audit_status":20,"page_count":21,"language":22,"language_code":23,"site_id":24,"html_lang":23,"table_of_contents":25,"faqs":26,"seo_title":27,"seo_description":14,"update_tm":28,"read_time":29},134602,1374391974468,"Eden","https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_29158cc5080c5b710cf443261637dec0",8,"Research & Report","Popular Romance & Orientalist Fantasy 1721-1930 - Rapeeporn Pauline Suwanban PhD","This thesis uncovers a history of popular romance from 1721 to 1930, tracing how recurring racial stereotypes of Middle Eastern, North African, Mediterranean, and East Asian cultures shaped early genre development. It argues that the genre’s motive to incite pleasure operates through repeating foreign character types, particularly the emergence of a mixed-race hero named the “Oriental Beast.” By analyzing captivity narratives, a Gothic novel, mass-market fiction, and visual culture, it shows a shift from a fearful romantic Orient to an aspirational home, and links findings to the Romance Writers of America’s collapse after racism allegations.","Popular Romance & Orientalist Fantasy 1721-1930  \nRapeeporn Pauline Suwanban PhD  \nBirkbeck, University of London 2024  \nDeclaration  \nI declare that the work presented in this thesis is my own.  \nContent Warning  \nThis thesis engages at length with material that contains racist content, as well as threat and harm against female bodies.  \nAbstract  \nThis thesis uncovers a history of popular romance from 1721-1930. It argues that there are recurring racial stereotypes of Middle Eastern, North African, Mediterranean and East Asian cultures which have contributed to the early development of the genre. The primary motive of the genre, which is to incite pleasure is enabled by repeating foreign character types, especially the emergence of a mixed-race hero – named the Oriental beast. By examining eighteenth-century captivity stories, a Gothic novel, early twentieth-century mass-market fiction and visual culture, the thesis tracks the representation of the romantic Orient from a fearful destination to an aspirational home. It concludes by drawing attention to the contemporary relevance of its findings regarding the romance publishing industry, includingthe downfall of the trade association, the Romance Writers of America, following allegations of racism.  \nAcknowledgements  \nThis thesis would not have existed without Marina Warner, who saw the potential in my ideas before I could. I am indebted to Ros Ballaster and Deborah Lutz as their critique has enriched the project in unexpected ways. I would like to thank Amy Burge who encouraged me to expand my concept of the Oriental beast, as well as the support of the editorial board of the Journal of Popular Romance Studies, the International Association of Popular Romance, the University of Birmingham School of English, and the Midlands Arts Centre. I am grateful for the enthusiasm of the Victorian Popular Fiction Association, the ‘Breaking Bounds’conference leaders at the University of Portsmouth, and Sam Hirst from ‘Romancing the Gothic’, who provided insight to my ideas on Zofloya. A special thanks to my dynamic colleagues at the Birkbeck School of Arts and Ali Williams for her endless book recommendations. And lastly, thank you to my parents and Josh, who embodies the true meaning of romance.  \nContents  \nIntroduction…6  \nChapter One: Female Captives…28  \nEliza Haywood (1721-7) & Penelope Aubin (1721-3)  \nElizabeth Marsh (1769) & Lady’s Magazine (1770-2)  \nChapter Two: Dark Gothic Lovers…74  \nCharlotte Dacre Zofloya (l806) & M.G. Lewis Isle of Devils (1827)  \nChapter Three: Lady Travellers…106  \nLady E.S. Stevens The Veil (1909)  \nLady Jane Digby (1807-1881) & Isabelle Eberhardt (1877-1904) Chapter Four: Oriental Beasts…136  \nE.M. Hull The Sheik (1919)  \nChapter Five: More Oriental Beasts…169  \nBook design, magazine stories, advertisement and film imagery (1921-30)& visual representations ofthe ‘Yellow Peril’ villain (1913-9)  \nConclusion…200  \nAppendix…211  \nBibliography…218  \nIntroduction  \nThis thesis on Popular Romance & Orientalist Fantasy 1721-1930 aims to uncover a hidden history of the popular romance genre from the eighteenth to the early twentieth century. Parts of this history contain overlooked, recurring racial stereotypes of Middle Eastern, North African, Mediterranean and, as I discover, East Asian cultures. The racialised themes which resurface over time contributed to the growth of the genre but has caused lasting issues within the industry. Whilst the primary motive of the genre is to incite pleasure, romance’s complex relationship with race continues to affect scholars, publishers, writers, and readers today. This is evident in the collapse of an international trade association called the Romance Writers of America (RWA) following allegations of racism in 2020. I argue that the pleasurable content found in the early development of the genre is enabled by the functions of a repeating foreign character type, whom I have called ‘the Oriental Beast’, and especially by ","cbCaitMpzlaIvQLK","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaitMpzlaIvQLK","pdf",2069204,1,232,"English","en",105,"# Introduction\n## Female Captives\n## Dark Gothic Lovers\n## Lady Travellers\n## Oriental Beasts\n## More Oriental Beasts\n## Conclusion\n# Appendix\n# Bibliography","[{\"question\":\"What time period and main subject does the thesis cover?\",\"answer\":\"The thesis examines popular romance and Orientalist fantasy from 1721 to 1930, focusing on recurring racial themes and how they developed within the genre.\"},{\"question\":\"What recurring figure does the thesis identify in romantic narratives?\",\"answer\":\"The thesis argues that pleasure is enabled by repeating foreign character types, especially the emergence of a mixed-race hero termed “the Oriental Beast.”\"},{\"question\":\"Which sources does the thesis use to trace representations of the romantic Orient?\",\"answer\":\"It examines eighteenth-century captivity stories, a Gothic novel, early twentieth-century mass-market fiction, and visual culture to track changes in how the Orient is portrayed.\"},{\"question\":\"How does the thesis connect historical findings to contemporary issues?\",\"answer\":\"It highlights contemporary relevance by pointing to the collapse of an international trade association, the Romance Writers of America, after racism allegations in 2020.\"}]","Popular Romance & Orientalist Fantasy 1721-1930 - 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