Revisiting British royalty myths in Alan Bennett’s The Uncommon Reader
In his novella The Uncommon Reader (2006/2008) English writer Alan Bennett (1934 – ) fictionally depicts the way in which one of the most prestigious institutions of Britishness, Queen Elizabeth II (1952 – ), turns from a highly institutionalized symbol into a real person and a very uncommon reader....
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| Published in | Khazar journal of humanities and social sciences Vol. 17; no. 1; pp. 5 - 24 |
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| Main Author | |
| Format | Journal Article |
| Language | English |
| Published |
01.04.2014
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| Online Access | Get full text |
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| Summary: | In his novella The Uncommon Reader (2006/2008) English writer Alan Bennett (1934 – )
fictionally depicts the way in which one of the most prestigious institutions of Britishness,
Queen Elizabeth II (1952 – ), turns from a highly institutionalized symbol into a real person
and a very uncommon reader. The article explores Bennett’s fictional reconsideration of
common myths connected to the British monarchy, a process which is activated by the
Queen’s new fondness for reading. The paper develops a possible reinterpretation of these
myths, seeking to prove that Bennett’s fictional exercise also sparks off the reflection of a
number of common public concerns connected to the British monarchy and its position in
relation to the social, economic or political life of contemporary Britain. |
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| ISSN: | 2223-2621 2223-2621 |
| DOI: | 10.5782/2223-2621.2014.17.1.5 |