UC San Diego UC San Diego Electronic Theses and Dissertations Title To rise by Enterprize : : Opportunism and Self-Interest in British Atlantic Literature, 1700- 1854 Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0253c3bv Author Filkow, Amie Bess Publication Date 2014 Peer reviewed|Thesis/dissertation eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO “To rise by Enterprize”: Opportunism and Self-Interest in British Atlantic Literature, 1700-1854 A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Literature by Amie Bess Filkow Committee in charge: Professor Sara Johnson, Chair Professor Lisa Lampert-Weissig Professor Kathryn Shevelow Professor Cynthia Truant Professor Daniel Vitkus 2014 Copyright Amie Bess Filkow, 2014 All rights reserved. SIGNATURE PAGE The Dissertation of Amie Bess Filkow is approved, and it is acceptable in quality and form for publication on microfilm and electronically: _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ Chair University of California, San Diego 2014 iii DEDICATION DEDICATION For my mother, the reader and my father, the entrepreneur. And for Paul, for everything. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Like any great adventure, writing this dissertation has been alternately thrilling, terrifying and rewarding. I may have steered the ship, but I owe my survival to the crew of mentors, family and friends who supported and encouraged me throughout this long and grueling journey. My committee chair, Sara Johnson, championed this project from the beginning, even when its comparative and historical scope seemed over-ambitious. Her work on the Caribbean as part of an extended, revolutionary Americas kindled my interest in the region and taught me to complicate representations of slavery and read British literature in its Atlantic-world context. I am incredibly grateful for her honesty, advice and insightful feedback over the years, especially in the hectic final months of my dissertation. Kathryn Shevelow’s contagious interest in eighteenth-century British literature and cultural history inspired me to approach the period from under-examined spaces and subjectivities. As a supervisor, Kathryn’s ability to put things into perspective calmed my nerves and helped me see the bigger picture. Her kindness and enthusiasm often kept me going, and her experience kept me grounded. Both Sara and Kathryn maintained their commitment to my project and offered their encouragement, even when distance made it so difficult. The impact of their mentorship is tremendous, and I cannot thank them enough. Lisa Lampert-Weissig’s innovative research on Medieval cultural studies, race and monstrosity continues to fascinate me. In her graduate seminar I learned how to work with representations of difference in pre-modern periods. I also learned much from v her as a teacher, and her camaraderie and generosity have always been immensely appreciated. I am honored and humbled that Daniel Vitkus, whose work on early modern cross-cultural studies I was introduced to in Lisa’s class, warmly agreed to join my committee in the eleventh hour. And I thank Cynthia Truant for her expertise in eighteenth-century European history, for her interest in my project, and for her continued support. Three former committee members at UCSD were indispensable in the development of my project. Don Wayne was a caring early mentor who listened to my big ideas and read the very first paper I wrote that attempted to historicize representations of entrepreneurship. Daniel Vickers generously offered his time and gave incisive feedback that helped me to identify “the bee in my bonnet.” He encouraged me to look at seafaring and piracy in terms of a complex lived reality, and positioned Atlantic historiography as an ongoing dialogue. I will always be grateful for Lisa Lowe’s keen critical insight, good humor and commitment. I benefited enormously from our discussions on eighteenth- and nineteenth-century political philosophy, which informed my arguments about Enlightenment ideology, universalism and race. And while Stephanie Smallwood was not officially on my committee, her graduate seminar on early American historiography and her mentorship in Atlantic and slavery studies had a major influence on the direction of my study. As an undergraduate in English at UCLA and the University of Winnipeg, I benefited from the guidance of Timothy S. Murphy and Robert Budde, who saw potential and encouraged me to pursue graduate school. My first adventure in eighteenth-century studies was in Max Novak’s fiction class at UCLA, where I discovered that canonical vi literature could not only be witty and provocative but subversive and even dangerous. Back then, I didn’t fully appreciate what it meant to have Professor Novak teach me Defoe, but now that rare opportunity is one I will never forget. Several staff members at UCSD deserve acknowledgment for making my time in graduate school such a positive one. Ana Minvielle and Thom Hill were not only organized and effective administrators, but always cared deeply about students’ well- being. Dawn Blessman, Patricia Valiton, Kristin Carnohan and Patrick Mallon made sure that nothing fell through the cracks—a considerable challenge once I moved to Canada. Teaching in the Making of the Modern World program was an incredible opportunity for me to study comparative cultural history; my dissertation has undoubtedly benefited from this exposure. I am a better teacher thanks to Jackie Giordano and Doug McGetchin’s brilliant pedagogical mentorship. Along with Matthew Herbst and Mollie Martinek, Jackie and Doug ran an excellent, well thought-out program that made teaching a genuine pleasure. Far from home, the friends I made at school made school feel like home: Jamie Rosenthal, Paige Prindle, Emily Kugler, Leslie Hammer, Elle Weatherup, Mike Grattan, Gabriel Jones, Neel Ahuja, Aimee Bahng and John Higgins each made a difference, bigger than they might think. I want to thank my childhood best friends, Kristin Bingeman and Amanda Hayward Drake, for high tea, baby showers, trash disco and long- overdue reunions, and for their many years of friendship. Although words are my trade, I cannot begin to find the right ones to convey the extent of my gratitude to my family. My parents, Ronna and Colin Filkow, have always been my biggest cheerleaders. They have supported my dreams not just with enthusiastic vii encouragement but with steadfast dedication, most significantly in the months and years they helped me with childcare (sometimes 24/7) while I worked on my dissertation. Their pride in my achievement is perhaps more rewarding than the degree itself. I want to thank my father in-law, Tom LaPointe, for being an astute copyeditor, historical consultant, and on-call handyman. And I am utterly, eternally grateful to my mother-in- law, Sandy LaPointe, for countless hours of childcare, unconditional support, and many, many delicious meals. I can honestly say that without the help of these four incredible people, this project would not have been possible. Having three kids enroute to the PhD slowed the process down considerably, but I would not have done it any other way. One day I hope my children will understand how much more this accomplishment means because I can share it with them: Leo, who changed my life forever and for the better and who taught me what it feels like to have my heart walk around outside my body; Asher, who makes life interesting, makes me laugh, and has taught me more about individualism than any dissertation ever could; and Sylvie, whose brightness and joy make it all worthwhile. My husband, Paul LaPointe, embarked on this adventure with me long before either of us knew our destination. He has been there for all of it: the good, the bad and the ugly, and has not once doubted my ability to “do this.” I thank him for his patience, his trust, his friendship, his humor, and his unwavering support. He is a brilliant scholar, a passionate citizen, a DIY genius, a kitchen-table comedian, and the world’s greatest dad. His love has kept me afloat. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS SIGNATURE PAGE ......................................................................................................... iii DEDICATION ................................................................................................................... iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................ v TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................... ix LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... xi VITA ................................................................................................................................. xii ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION ........................................................................ xiv INTRODUCTION Free Agents: Opportunism and Ideology ............................................ 1 The “Postcolonial” Eighteenth Century: Britain and the West Indies .............................. 10 Individualism