Catherine Peck
About
My research project
The country cottage in nineteenth-century literatureMy research explores the cultural history of the English country cottage and its portrayal in nineteenth-century literature. During this period, the cottage was frequently perceived as an idyllic, picturesque dwelling in the English countryside. Studies of the cottage, however, have identified a clear debate between this idyllic perception and a grimmer reality of the hardships of nineteenth-century cottage life. Through studying a range of fiction for children and adults, I will assess how nineteenth-century authors responded to this debate; whether they too sought to romanticize the cottage, or to expose this reality.
Supervisors
My research explores the cultural history of the English country cottage and its portrayal in nineteenth-century literature. During this period, the cottage was frequently perceived as an idyllic, picturesque dwelling in the English countryside. Studies of the cottage, however, have identified a clear debate between this idyllic perception and a grimmer reality of the hardships of nineteenth-century cottage life. Through studying a range of fiction for children and adults, I will assess how nineteenth-century authors responded to this debate; whether they too sought to romanticize the cottage, or to expose this reality.