Example English dissertation topic 13:

Anti-Semitic characterisations within Shakespeare and Dickens: An evaluation of Shylock and Fagin

It is easy, from the perspective of more enlightened times, to view the attitudes of the past as barbaric. Indeed, Shapiro notes that, with regard to the portrayal of Shylock, ‘to avert our gaze from what the play reveals about the relationship between cultural myths and peoples’ identities will not make irrational and exclusionary attitudes disappear’ (1996: 228). However, this dissertation proposes that such attitudes are examined more objectively and with reference to discriminatory attitudes towards other marginalised sectors of the population, such as the disabled. Further, it explores whether it is up to the writer to mask the feeling of the times, rather than depict their contemporary reality. That which is respected today may not be respected tomorrow or yesterday; this study chooses to consider the changing fortunes of issues of societal disgust or acceptance such as child marriage and homosexuality in an historical context.

Suggested initial topic reading:

• Baker, W. (2002), ‘Shakespeare and minorities: An annotated bibliography, 1970-2000′, Reference Reviews, Vol. 16 (6), pp.25-35.
• Ferber, M. (1990) ‘The ideology of The Merchant of Venice’, English Literary Renaissance, Vol. 20, pp. 431-464.
• Krapf, E.E. (1955) ‘Shylock and Antonio: A psychoanalytic study on Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism’, Psychoanalytic Review, Vol. 42, pp.113-130.
• Lane, L. (1958) ‘Dickens’ archetypal Jew’, Publications of the Modern Language Association of America, Vol. 73, (1), pp. 94-100.
• Shapiro, J. (1996) Shakespeare and the Jews. New York: Columbia University Press.