This book explores the construction of the fin-de-siècle adventure hero: set against a romanticised vision of the past and a nostalgic ideal of gentlemanliness, but also forward-looking in terms of forging a future for Britain through the imperialist dream. The British Adventure Hero offers a unique focus on how the adventure hero’s masculinity is shaped by Victorian industrial, technological, and scientific developments, which influenced concepts of national identity both psychologically and physiologically. Central to exploring the relationship between the adventure hero and industrialisation are the original illustrations that were printed with the stories in periodicals and the first illustrated editions. This approach to studying the partnership between both text and illustrations demonstrates that the adventure story is a paradox: an outcome of invention, scientific, technological and industrial progress, yet also a supposed escape from nineteenth-century industrial modernity. The book traces this context through analysis of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island (1883), Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World (1912), Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days (1873), and Edgar Rice Burroughs’s Tarzan of the Apes (1912). Significantly, the book also examines how these authors’ perspectives on the idealised English identities of their heroes are informed by their Scottish, French, and American nationalities.

eBook - ePub
The British Adventure Hero
Industrial Gentlemanliness in Text and Image, 1870â1914
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
About this book
Trusted by 375,005 students
Access to over 1.5 million titles for a fair monthly price.
Study more efficiently using our study tools.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Front Matter
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Illustrating the Adventure Story and Defining the Hero: Robert Louis Stevensonâs Treasure Island (1883) and Edgar Rice Burroughsâs Tarzan of the Apes (1912)
- 3. Jules Verneâs Around the World in Eighty Days (1873) and the Industrialised Mobility of the Adventure Hero
- 4. Arthur Conan Doyleâs The Lost World (1912) and the Equipment and Encounters of the Industrialised Gentleman Abroad
- Back Matter
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can cancel anytime from the Subscription tab in your account settings on the Perlego website. Your subscription will stay active until the end of your current billing period. Learn how to cancel your subscription
No, books cannot be downloaded as external files, such as PDFs, for use outside of Perlego. However, you can download books within the Perlego app for offline reading on mobile or tablet. Learn how to download books offline
Perlego offers two plans: Essential and Complete
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.5M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
We are an online textbook subscription service, where you can get access to an entire online library for less than the price of a single book per month. With over 1.5 million books across 990+ topics, weâve got you covered! Learn about our mission
Look out for the read-aloud symbol on your next book to see if you can listen to it. The read-aloud tool reads text aloud for you, highlighting the text as it is being read. You can pause it, speed it up and slow it down. Learn more about Read Aloud
Yes! You can use the Perlego app on both iOS and Android devices to read anytime, anywhere â even offline. Perfect for commutes or when youâre on the go.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app
Yes, you can access The British Adventure Hero by Leo Hall in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Literature & World History. We have over 1.5 million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.