'A Room of Their Own': Heritage Tourism and the Challenging of Heteropatriarchal Masculinity in Scottish National Narratives
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‘A ROOM OF THEIR OWN’: HERITAGE TOURISM AND THE CHALLENGING OF HETEROPATRIARCHAL MASCULINITY IN SCOTTISH NATIONAL NARRATIVES by CARYS ATLANTA O’NEILL B.A. Furman University, 2015 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the Department of History in the College of Arts and Humanities at the University of Central Florida Orlando, Florida Fall Term 2019 Major Professor: Amelia H. Lyons © 2019 Carys Atlanta O’Neill ii ABSTRACT This thesis explores the visibility of women in traditionally masculine Scottish national narratives as evidenced by their physical representation, or lack thereof, in the cultural heritage landscape. Beginning with the 1707 Act of Union between Scotland and England, a moment cemented in history, literature, and popular memory as the beginning of a Scottish rebirth, this thesis traces the evolution of Scottish national identity and the tropes employed for its assertion to paint a clearer picture of the power of strategic selectivity and the effects of sacrifice in the process of community definition. Following the transformation of the rugged Celtic Highlander from his pre-Union relegation as an outer barbarian to his post-Union embrace as the epitome of distinction and the embodiment of anti-English, anti-aristocratic sentiment so crucial to the negotiation of a Scottish place in union and empire, this thesis hones in on notions of gender and peformative identity to form the basis for an analysis of twentieth and twenty-first century national heritage dynamics. An innovative spatial study of monuments and memorials in the Scottish capital city of Edinburgh highlights the gendered inequity of memorialization efforts and the impact of limited female visibility on the storytelling potential of the cityscape. Such a perspective not only adds a distinct visual component but also brings my study full circle by exemplifying contemporary discussions on the role of gender in narrative-setting, the sociocultural relevance of monuments and memorials, and the nature of representation in public spaces. iii “And one day she discovered that she was fierce, and strong, and full of fire, and that not even she could hold herself back because her passion burned brighter than her fears.” – Mark Anthony To Sue, Michelle, and Erica, the strongest women I know, and to all the heroines of our clan who have instilled in me the desire to expand my own horizons, test limits, push boundaries, and make the world better for it. Thanks for never doubting me. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank the following people for their contributions to this thesis: To Dr. Amelia Lyons for pushing me to my scholarly limits and helping to make me the historian I didn’t know I could be. From crucial advice my very first days in the program to guidance and mentorship as my advisor and thesis chair, this degree would not have been possible without you. I am thankful for every wearisome conversation, every late night email, and every triumphant smile shared in between. To Dr. Rosalind Beiler for expanding my perspective and pushing me to think critically about identity and belonging in new ways. The opportunity to research alongside you for two years and gain the skills necessary for my own work with digital tools was invaluable. To Dr. Caroline Cheong for helping me to understand the world of heritage management as an offshoot of public history and an intrinsic part of historical understanding. You provided me with the skills and the framework that now underpin a good portion of this thesis. To Dr. Fon Gordon for continuing to challenge my understanding of tourism and its impact on those on the periphery of dominant narratives. I wish I could have taken more courses with you. To Dr. Tiffany Early-Spadoni for encouraging my digital explorations and for sharing your own work as examples. Your support during my time at UCF has been instrumental. To the UCF Department of History and the UCF College of Graduate Studies for your funding and support. Thanks also to the UCF Library and ILL Office for connecting me with a great deal of my source materials. The institutional support has been invaluable. To Dr. Carolyn Day for encouraging my love of British history and being the biggest cheerleader at Furman and beyond. You are historian goals. To Dr. John Barrington for piquing my interest in Scotland and guiding foundational research as an undergraduate at Furman. Our 2014 trip was where this all began. To my UCF history family, Porsha Dossie, Matt Patsis, Callie Henson, Luke Bohmer, Kody Whittington, Gramond McPherson, Drew Padgett, Onyx de la Osa and Holly Baker for keeping me sane through capstone and thesis hours. Knowing that you’re not alone in any of this is perhaps the biggest comfort of all. The commiseration and camaraderie was a lifesaver. And finally, to my fiancé, Erica Robes, for encouraging me to pursue all of life’s passions and for the countless late nights spent reassuring me that this project was still one of them. None of this would have been possible without you. If this thesis has taught me one thing, it’s that I am stronger for knowing you (and that you’re a whiz with Microsoft Word). Love you my darling. v TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................... vii IMPORTANT ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................... ix INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1 Methodology and Research Considerations ................................................................................ 5 Organization ................................................................................................................................ 7 CHAPTER ONE THE HUNTING OF A SCOTTISH SNARK: INVENTING A NEW NORMAL IN EIGHTEENTH- AND NINETEENTH-CENTURY SCOTLAND ...................... 10 1.1 Historical Background: The Union Legend ........................................................................ 11 1.2 Salvaging Scotland: Early Foundations .............................................................................. 21 1.3 Sir Walter Scott and the Cementing of the Scottish Myth .................................................. 29 1.4 Queen Victoria and the Making of a Highland Husband .................................................... 38 1.5 Defending the New Status Quo........................................................................................... 42 1.6 Waging The Battle Over Memory ...................................................................................... 45 1.7 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 50 CHAPTER TWO THE LAND OF MISTS AND MYTHS: HERITAGE AND PATRIMONY IN NINETEENTH- AND TWENTIETH-CENTURY SCOTLAND ................................................ 52 2.1 The Birth of an Industry: Literary Inroads and the Tourism Boom .................................... 53 2.2 “Through Celtified Eyes”: Expectation and the Push for Authenticity .............................. 57 2.3 Monuments and the Traveler’s Itinerary: Grounding Heritage in Space ............................ 62 2.4 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 89 CHAPTER THREE THISTLE, QUEEN OF THE WEEDS: RECLAIMING WOMEN’S SPACE IN THE SCOTTISH NARRATIVE ............................................................................................. 94 3.1 Digital Mapping and the Nature of Visibility ..................................................................... 97 3.2 Gender and the Preservation of National Priorities .......................................................... 110 3.3 The Challenging of Masculine Overlordship in Scottish Heritage ................................... 120 3.4 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 126 CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................... 129 LIST OF REFERENCES ............................................................................................................ 137 Primary .................................................................................................................................... 137 Secondary ................................................................................................................................ 149 vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: The major regions of Scotland, including the Highlands, Lowlands, Islands, and Borders. Pins indicate major cities with a capital at Edinburgh. Image created by author .. 15 Figure 2: The progression of the Kingdom(s) following major acts of union or disunion. Colors indicate separate rulers. Image created by author ................................................................. 16 Figure 3: Key sites in the Jacobite Risings of 1715 & 1745 across Scotland and England. Pins indicate major cities with capitals at Edinburgh and London respectively. Crossed swords indicate battle sites. Image created by author ....................................................................... 18 Figure 4: Unknown artist, “James Drummond, Third titular Duke of Perth, 1713-1746.