Off the Beaten Track? Divergent Discourses in Victorian Women’s Travelogues

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• A Short Trip Through Theory
• Victorian Ladies at Home and Abroad
• Imperium in Imperio - Women's Role in Victorian Society
• Roads to Freedom - Victorian Women On The Move
• On Tour With Lucie Duff Gordon and Amelia B. Edwards
• Shahrazad's Kingdom – The Real Egypt of Lady Duff Gordon
• Temples for Breakfast – The Ancient Egypt of Miss A. B. Edwards

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This paper examines Victorian women's travelogues as a means of understanding how these women used travel to navigate the complex social and political landscape of the Victorian era. It investigates the ways in which these travelogues reflect the dynamic relationship between power, knowledge, and the representation of "Other" cultures during a period of significant imperial expansion.

• The role of travelogues in shaping perceptions of colonial cultures and constructing British identity.
• The interplay between power, knowledge, and the authority of the eyewitness in Victorian women's travel writing.
• The ways in which Victorian women challenged traditional gender roles through their travels and writings.
• The impact of imperial discourses on the representation of "Other" cultures in Victorian travelogues.
• The evolution of women's travel writing as a literary genre and its contribution to broader social and cultural debates.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Introduction: This chapter introduces the theoretical framework for the paper, focusing on the relationship between power, knowledge, and the authority of the eyewitness in Victorian women's travelogues. It highlights the importance of travel as a tool for understanding the world and the impact of imperial discourses on the representation of "Other" cultures.
• A Short Trip Through Theory: This chapter delves into the theoretical underpinnings of the paper, examining concepts such as "Othering," representation, and the construction of identity in the context of colonial encounters. It introduces key thinkers such as Stuart Hall and Linda Colley, whose work provides insights into the dynamics of imperial power and the role of travelogues in shaping perceptions of colonized cultures.
• Victorian Ladies at Home and Abroad: This chapter explores the social and political context of Victorian women's travel, examining the limitations imposed by patriarchal structures and the opportunities presented by the expanding British Empire. It discusses the "separate spheres" ideology and its influence on women's public roles, as well as the ways in which women navigated these constraints through their travels and writings.
• On Tour With Lucie Duff Gordon and Amelia B. Edwards: This chapter examines the travelogues of two prominent Victorian women, Lady Duff Gordon and Amelia B. Edwards. It analyzes their unique perspectives on Egypt, exploring the ways in which their writings challenge traditional Western views of the "Other" and contribute to the evolution of travel writing as a literary genre.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This paper explores key concepts such as Victorian travelogues, imperial discourses, gender roles, colonial encounters, representation, "Othering," and the construction of identity. It delves into the impact of these themes on the experiences and writings of Victorian women travelers, highlighting their contributions to the growing imperial library and their influence on contemporary debates about gender, power, and knowledge.