History and the Construction of the Child in Early British Children's Literature
History and the Construction of the Child in Early British Children's Literature

Author: Jackie C. Horne

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2016-04-22

Total Pages: 298

ISBN-13: 1317121694

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How did the 'flat' characters of eighteenth-century children's literature become 'round' by the mid-nineteenth? While previous critics have pointed to literary Romanticism for an explanation, Jackie C. Horne argues that this shift can be better understood by looking to the discipline of history. Eighteenth-century humanism believed the purpose of history was to teach private and public virtue by creating idealized readers to emulate. Eighteenth-century children's literature, with its impossibly perfect protagonists (and its equally imperfect villains) echoes history's exemplar goals. Exemplar history, however, came under increasing pressure during the period, and the resulting changes in historiographical practice - an increased need for reader engagement and the widening of history's purview to include the morals, manners, and material lives of everyday people - find their mirror in changes in fiction for children. Horne situates hitherto neglected Robinsonades, historical novels, and fictionalized histories within the cultural, social, and political contexts of the period to trace the ways in which idealized characters gradually gave way to protagonists who fostered readers' sympathetic engagement. Horne's study will be of interest to specialists in children's literature, the history of education, and book history.

The Young Franc Tireurs, And Their Adventures In The Franco-Prussian War
The Young Franc Tireurs, And Their Adventures In The Franco-Prussian War

Author: G.A. Henty

Publisher: BoD – Books on Demand

Published: 2023-07-01

Total Pages: 254

ISBN-13: 9358597003

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"The Young Franc Tireurs, and Their Adventures in the Franco-Prussian War" is a historical adventure novel written by G. A. Henty. The book is set during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871 and follows the experiences of a group of young French boys who become involved in the conflict. The Franco-Prussian War was a significant conflict between the Second French Empire, led by Napoleon, and the Kingdom of Prussia, which eventually led to the establishment of a unified German Empire. The war was marked by numerous battles and sieges, with Prussian forces ultimately emerging victorious. In Henty's novel, the young protagonists, known as the "Franc Tireurs," join the French forces and participate in various military campaigns and skirmishes throughout the war. They engage in espionage, undertake daring missions behind enemy lines, and witness firsthand the challenges and horrors of war. As with many of Henty's works, "The Young Franc Tireurs" aims to provide historical education and moral lessons within an exciting narrative. "The Young Franc Tireurs, and Their Adventures in the Franco-Prussian War" remains a notable contribution to Henty's extensive collection of historical novels and offers readers a glimpse into the tumultuous period of the Franco-Prussian War through the eyes of courageous young protagonists.