Danger, risk-taking and masculinity on the British Grand Tour to the European Continent, c. 1730-1780
This thesis undertakes a revision of the eighteenth-century British Grand Tour through investigating the role played by danger, risk and hardship in its rationale and process of masculine formation. The question of why Grand Tourists risked the dangers of travel when many aristocratic male lines were dying out has puzzled various scholars. My research argues that danger was much more central to the Grand Tourâs culture and rationale than has previously been allowed. Examining manuscript writings from aristocratic and gentry families across several generations c. 1730-80, and focusing upon the importance of Grand Tour destinations beyond Italy, this thesis identifies how and why Grand Tourists willingly engaged with dangers as varied as moral hazard, war, mountains, disease and the risks and hardships of the road and sport. The Grand Tour was a crucial forum in which formative experiences of discomfort and danger could take place. Perceived as imbued with transformative properties that encouraged and confirmed the development of valued masculine internal and physical virtues, these experiences constituted a central element of masculine formation and culture. Scholars have largely ignored these activities
Goldsmith, Sarah Anne Maria
Danger, risk-taking and masculinity on the British Grand Tour to the European Continent, c. 1730-1780. This thesis undertakes a revision of the eighteenth-century British Grand Tour through investigating the role played by danger, risk and hardship in its rationale and process of masculine formation. The question of why Grand Tourists risked the dangers of travel when many aristocratic male lines were dying out has puzzled various scholars. My research argues that danger was much more central to the Grand Tourâs culture and rationale than has previously been allowed. Examining manuscript writings from aristocratic and gentry families across several generations c. 1730-80, and focusing upon the importance of Grand Tour destinations beyond Italy, this thesis identifies how and why Grand Tourists willingly engaged with dangers as varied as moral hazard, war, mountains, disease and the risks and hardships of the road and sport. The Grand Tour was a crucial forum in which formative experiences of discomfort and danger could take place. Perceived as imbued with transformative properties that encouraged and confirmed the development of valued masculine internal and physical virtues, these experiences constituted a central element of masculine formation and culture. Scholars have largely ignored these activities
danger risk taking masculinity british grand tour european continent undertakes revision eighteenth_century british grand tour investigate_role play danger risk hardship rationale process masculine formation question grand risk danger travel many aristocratic male line die puzzle various scholar argues danger much central grand tour culture rationale previously allow examining manuscript writing aristocratic gentry_family across several_generation focus_upon importance grand tour destination beyond italy identifies grand willingly engage danger vary moral hazard war mountain disease risk road sport grand tour crucial forum formative experience danger could take_place perceived imbue transformative property encourage confirm development value masculine internal physical virtue experience constitute central_element masculine formation culture scholars largely_ignore activity