Date of Award
1-1-2013
Language
English
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
College/School/Department
Department of English
Content Description
1 online resource (ii, 57 pages)
Dissertation/Thesis Chair
Ronald A Bosco
Committee Members
Helene E Scheck
Keywords
Bejamin Franklin, Biography, Biography as a literary form
Subject Categories
American Literature | United States History
Abstract
This Thesis is a case study in biographical subjectivity. We are taught in primary school to trust biographies, as they are meant to objective. However, the truth is each biographer brings with them their own bias, and thus leaves with their own perception of their subject. I chose to focus on Benjamin Franklin because a good example of this phenomenon. Franklin's fascinating and full life brings with it a treasure trove of biographical speculation. Each Biographer, in constructing their own version of Franklin, manipulates the facts of Franklin's life. I traced Franklin's biographical legacy through time, from the 1800's to present day, and gave examples how each biographer constructed their own version of Franklin.
Recommended Citation
Starr-Baier, Alex, "The subject as subjective : Benjamin Franklin's biographers" (2013). Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024). 1019.
https://scholarsarchive.library.albany.edu/legacy-etd/1019