NATIONAL IDENTITY in SCOTTISH and SWISS CHILDRENIS and YDUNG Pedplets BODKS: a CDMPARATIVE STUDY
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NATIONAL IDENTITY IN SCOTTISH AND SWISS CHILDRENIS AND YDUNG PEDPLEtS BODKS: A CDMPARATIVE STUDY by Christine Soldan Raid Submitted for the degree of Ph. D* University of Edinburgh July 1985 CP FOR OeOeRo i. TABLE OF CONTENTS PART0N[ paos Preface iv Declaration vi Abstract vii 1, Introduction 1 2, The Overall View 31 3, The Oral Heritage 61 4* The Literary Tradition 90 PARTTW0 S. Comparison of selected pairs of books from as near 1870 and 1970 as proved possible 120 A* Everyday Life S*R, Crock ttp Clan Kellyp Smithp Elder & Cc, (London, 1: 96), 442 pages Oohanna Spyrip Heidi (Gothat 1881 & 1883)9 edition usadq Haidis Lehr- und Wanderjahre and Heidi kann brauchan, was as gelernt hatq ill, Tomi. Ungerar# , Buchklubg Ex Libris (ZOrichp 1980)9 255 and 185 pages Mollie Hunterv A Sound of Chariatst Hamish Hamilton (Londong 197ý), 242 pages Fritz Brunner, Feliy, ill, Klaus Brunnerv Grall Fi7soli (ZGricýt=970). 175 pages Back Summaries 174 Translations into English of passages quoted 182 Notes for SA 189 B. Fantasy 192 George MacDonaldgat týe Back of the North Wind (Londant 1871)t ill* Arthur Hughesp Octopus Books Ltd. (Londong 1979)t 292 pages Onkel Augusta Geschichtenbuch. chosen and adited by Otto von Grayerzf with six pictures by the authorg Verlag von A. Vogel (Winterthurt 1922)p 371 pages ii* page Alison Fel 1# The Grey Dancer, Collins (Londong 1981)q 89 pages Franz Hohlerg Tschipog ill* by Arthur Loosli (Darmstadt und Neuwaid, 1978)9 edition used Fischer Taschenbuchverlagg (Frankfurt a M99 1981)p 142 pages Book Summaries 247 Translations into English of passages quoted 255 Notes for 58 266 " Historical Fiction 271 RA. Ballantynal Hunted and Harriedq with illustrationev Oames Nisbet & Coo Ltd. (Londong 1894)t 195 pages Robert Schedlert Der Schmied van GSschenen. (Aaraug 1919). edition used ill, by Felix Haffmanng Sauerl*a*nder (Aaraup 1971) eleventh reprintingg 265 pages Iona McGragorg The Popin, LU (London# 1969),, edition used Puffin Books (Harmondswortht 1979)9 187 pages Adolf Hallarp 11reginat ill, Felix Hoffmannt Sauerlinder (Aaraut 1965) third reprintingt 189 P8988 Back Summaries 328 Translations into English of passages quoted 336 Notes for 5C 346 De Advonture 350 ReLe Stevensong Kidnapoed and Catriona (Londong 18869 Londong 1893)9 edition usedg Chambers Centenary Edition (Edinburghg 1980)9 211 and 265 pages Niklaus Boltq Svizzero (Stuttgarty 191Z)p edition usedv ill* Klaus Brunnert Friedrich Rheinhardt Verlag (Basslq 1979) 242 pages Allan Campbell McLesnq Master of Morgana (Londong 1960)v edition usedg Collins Lions (Londong 1974)g 192 pages Hans Schmitterp Verwirrung an der N 19,9 Aare-Varlagg Schweizer Jugend-Verlag (Solothurng 1967. )v 190 pages Book Summaries 407 Translations into English of passages quoted 416 Notes for 50 427 iiio Dane PARTTHREE 6* Minority Languages and Cultures 430 Appendix It Maps 463 Appendix 2s Journeys 470 7, Illustrations 474 Acknowledgment 561 8. Conclusion 565 Bibliography 575 a Please note that contents of PART THREE 3hould read as follows: 6. Ninority Languages and Cultures 430 kranslations 456 ivotes for Chapter Six 458 A, )pendix 1: Maps 463 Appendix 2: Journeys 470 ?. Illustrations 474 Translations 557 Notes for Chapter Seven 563 8. Conclusion 565 Aotes for Chapter Eight 574 bibliography 575 iv. PREFACE This thesis is primarily an attempt to discover how a sense of nationality develops and which factors go to shape it, The hypothesis proposed is that a childts developing sense of national identity is influenced by ideas embodied in the storiesp rhymes and songsp imported to him originally by adults from an early age or read by him at a later stage, The hypothesis is explored in several ways. The general pattern of development in children's literature is examined with particular reference to Scotland and Switzerland, The influence of historicalg geographical and socio-economic factors in the two countries is assessed in relation to children's books. Selected pairs of bookag written about 1870 1970t and in as far as they proved availableg are analysed in depthe Children's books from the minority languages and cultures within both countries are briefly discussed* Finally# because illustration and children's books are seen to be so closely connectodg representative examples of children's book illustrations are compared* The validity of the original hypothesis is discussed in the concluding chapter. It is made clear in the introduction and also in the body of the dissertation that I have had much help from many sources. First of all I must thank the staff of the 'Schweizerisches Jugendbuch-Institutl in ZU'richt especially Verona Rutschmannj, the staff also of the International Youth Library in Munichp in particular the then Directort Walter Scharf* I owe much to my two supervisarap Derek Bowmant of the German and Ian Campbell from the English Literature Departments of the University of V41 Edinburgh. I also remember with gratitude Dario Williamson who typed and retyped this lengthy work with inexhaustible good humour and skillq as well as Fez Faraday and Leon Litvack who checked the typescript with exemplary cars, I must also thank my childreng Michael and Catriona Rowst Douglas and Alison Kingg for constant support and constructive criticismg but most of all I am indebted to my late huabandq Professor Donald Rsidq without whose helpt this research could not have been undertaken* The thesis is dedicated to him* ADDENDA Mention must be made too of most willing and expert assistance given by Catriona MacKinnon from Eriskayq who read Gaelic children's books with mag and by Thomas Diethelm who was always at hand to answer any "Schwyzard0tsch" query. vi, I declare that this entire work has been written by me and that no part of it haa been previoualy published. Lt, 4.1 IL'- vii. ABSTRACT The purpose of this thesis is to propose the hypothesis that a child's developing sense of national identity is influenced by ideas embodied in the storiesp rhymes and songs imparted to him by adults or contemporaries from an early age or read by him at a later stagee The hypothesis is explored by 1) examining the pattern of development in Children's Literature in generalv but with particular reference to Children's Books in Scotland and Switzerlandq including also a brief survey of books in the minority languages of these two countriest 2) by assessing the influence on these books of historical, geographical and socio-sconomic factorag 3) by comparing selected individual books from both countries, as far as they were evailablep written around 1870 and around 1970, 4) by comparing representative examples of illustrations from children's books. By survey and analysis a conclusion was reached about the original hypothesis, It was deduced that the whole wealth of popular Juvenile literature provides the child with a back- ground against which he can construct his imaginary country. It cannot be provadq because of the imponderable nature of the material under discussiong that a child receives nationhood through literature in its many aspects. It is cleart howevert that this particular genre of literatureq addressed specifically to children and young peopleg certainly reflects and influences a shifting conception of nationality* It is no passive form of entertainmentp but a continuous dialogue about the picture of national identity to be transmitted to future generations. AN le CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION In the seventies there was much discussion about the merits or demerits of Devolution. In Scotland the Royal High School was prepared to welcome the new Scottish Assemblyg and during that period attempts were often made to define 'national identity' which was soon discovered to be 'a subject of engrossing significance and diverting complexityl. The roots of our identity seemed to stretch back into childhood, to the attitudes of those who looked after or played with ust for children pass an their own lore to each 2 other Just as stories we were told or later read also contributed, We certainly inherited a tradition from the old heroes and there arose the question of a possible connection between 'national identityt and children's literature, It was not yet realised that like 'national identity' 'children's literature too abounds in contr! sdictionsg ambiguities and arguments making it a fascinating but 3 necessarily complex field of study'. Initial intsiest was not so much in children and their books as in national identity. After the Second World War I was privileged to meet and know men and women who had been in the Resistance in a number of European countries and who had come to London to be rehabilitateds Many of them came from relatively small countries: Holland# Denmarkq Norway, Czechoslovakiaq Poland and Yugoslavia. I was struck time and time again by the depth of their national feeling and their desire for freedom* I wondered how these emotions had been nurtured within them 2. and thought they could probably be traced to early childhood, Years laterg on returning to my homeland Scotlandq I was surprised by the strength of national identity still so evident in a nation which had relinquished its sovereignty in 1707* It had simply never occurred to the people round about me that they were anything other than Scottish. I asked myself how such a feeling was kept alive and deduced that part of the answer might be found in the stories told and the songs sung to children at an early age. The tales or ballads would originally have been devised by grownups and would reflect the attitudes they passed on sometimes subconsciously to their children, In this way the two concepts of national identity and story-telling became fused in my mind and I began to devise a piece of research which might or might not reveal a connection between the two.