Thesis Theater: Laurel Stevens, "An Awareness of Debts: Dark Academia and its Source-Texts"

This recording from March 22, 2024.

Abstract
Dark Academia (DA), as a genre, is an offshoot of academic fiction that has become prominent over the last decade. After defining DA and exploring its roots, I dive into Intertextuality to ask why modern authors have chosen DA as their genre of choice as they reimagine elements of classic works. The works I chose to analyze are The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova (2005), which exists in connection with Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1897); Conversion by Katherine Howe (2014), which exists in connection with The Crucible by Arthur Miller (1953); Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth (2020), which exists in connection with The Story of Mary MacLane, alternatively titled I Await the Devil’s Coming by Mary MacLane (1902); and The Society for Soulless Girls by Laura Steven (2022), which exists in connection with Robert Louis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886). Authors give myths breaths of new life century after century, and works that have asked pointed questions of society and their readers often stay around long enough for new, younger readers to ask those same questions of their own changing societal contexts by building on the existing classical works. DA gives a structured power setting that can be treated as a sandbox of sorts for enquiring minds on how new people and places have altered responses to questions that have been asked again and again in literature.

About the Presenter
Laurel M. Stevens completed her undergraduate in English at Westminster College where she first delved into fantasy studies with Tolkien. Her masters coursework at Signum focused on Imaginative Literature and has allowed her to explore fantasy at greater depths and introduced her to areas of studies such as adaptation and Dark Academia. She reads and reviews heavily in modern fantasy and science fiction, yet remains interested in a wide range of literature.

About Signum Thesis Theaters
Each of our master’s students writes a thesis at the end of their degree program, exploring a topic of their choice. The Thesis Theater is their opportunity to present their research to a general audience, and answer questions. All are welcome to attend!

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