Arts and Humanities Commons^™

A Critique Of Puritan Values And Social Restrictions, Laura Guebert

Scholars Week

This paper outlines and discusses Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter through the lens of feminist and social critiques. It attempts to draw attention to the fates of both male and females characters in the story according to their personality and status. Therefore, by examining the complex treatment and relationships between the four principle characters of The Scarlet Letter and their author, Hawthorne’s use of a feminist critique can be understood as a wider criticism of Puritan and, by extension, mid-nineteenth century social and moral restrictions and expectations.

"One Accord Of Sympathy": The Relationship Between Narrator, Reader, And Puritans, Brianna E. Taylor

Scholars Week

Ambiguous narration in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter creates a reader that is simultaneously an insider privy to uncertain narrative report and an outsider sympathetic to Hester’s ignominy. While current reader response criticism explores narrative techniques of ambiguity and sympathy in isolation, this paper analyzes how these techniques are used in conjunction to establish a relationship between narrator and reader. The narrator’s role as storyteller and gossip, accepting explanations of a rational contemporary audience and superstitious Puritans, both defies Puritan inflexibility and creates intimacy that includes readers in this community. At the same time, a sympathetic relationship with Hester distances …

Puritanism In Mid-Seventeenth Century England, Matthew J. Buchanan

Scholars Week

England experienced great societal changes in the seventeenth-century. Deep rooted tensions between the monarchy and Parliament cumulated in a Civil War and the decapitation of a king. In the end, an oppressive Puritan led regime would take control of English politics. This presentation seeks to answer the question of what characteristics of the Puritans allowed them to achieve increased political power? A review of both primary and secondary sources demonstrates that the rise of Puritan political influence was brought about by combining the already divisive climate of English society with the Puritan’s unique religious ideology, political preferences, and socioeconomic standing.

Research And Study Of Fashion And Costume History Spanning From Ancient Egypt To Modern Day, Kaitlyn E. Dennis Miss

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Through a generous donation to Morehead State University, research has been conducted on thousands of slides containing images of artwork and artifacts of historical significance. These images span from Egyptian hieroglyphs to the inaugural dress of every first lady of the United States. The slides are in the process of being recorded and catalogued for future use by students in hopes of furthering academic comprehension and awareness of the influence of fashion and costume history through the ages. Special thanks to the family of Gretel Geist Rutledge, faculty mentor Denise Watkins, as well as the Department of Music, Theatre, and …

Greatness From Small Beginnings: Amy Hennig And The Women Of The Uncharted Series, Rachel Wood

Posters-at-the-Capitol

“Greatness from Small Beginnings: Amy Hennig and the Women of the Uncharted series,” Rachel Wood, Faculty Mentor Andy Black, English & Philosophy Department

Amy Hennig, creative director and writer for the Uncharted video game series, has had a great impact on the world of interactive storytelling, namely with her portrayal of female characters in the action-adventure genre. During her time at Sony-owned developer Naughty Dog, Hennig encouraged gamers and developers alike to redefine the genre through in-depth storytelling and well-rounded characters. This paper explored how these female characters, while unique in their backgrounds and roles within the games’ plots, represent …

Education And Literature In The Third Reich, Maegann L. Hardison

Posters-at-the-Capitol

This research examines education in the Third Reich and specifically focuses on children's literature. German children were exposed to different persuasive techniques and influences that dramatically impacted their culture and mindset. The purpose of this research is to explain how the propaganda used in the educational system was directed towards the German youth. The use of this propaganda reveals the reasons why many children grew to defend the Führer and their Volk.

Imperial Correlations Between The German Kaiserreich In Eastern Europe And The Third Reich In Eastern Europe, Laura Guebert

Posters-at-the-Capitol

This project is an examination of correlations between imperial enterprises of the Second German Empire and the Nazi Reich through the lenses of global and imperial critiques. The two primary case studies are the German Ober Ost and Nazi-occupied Eastern Europe, particularly the General Government. This research draws heavily on certain themes and theories developed by leading historians of modern German and Eastern European history, including Timothy Snyder, Alexander Watson, Ben Kiernan, Shelley Baranowski, and Peter Fritzsche. By understanding the shared trends of empire and genocide, it is my aim to bring the actions of the National Socialists out of …

Witchcraft In Scotland In Early Modern Europe, Chloe Chaplin

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Chloe Chaplin

Dr. Kathy Callahan, Faculty Mentor

Dept. of History

Witchcraft in Scotland

This research project centered around witchcraft in Scotland and England in Early Modern Europe (roughly late 15^th century to mid 18^th century). The witch hunts characterized Europe during this time; our research initially looked at how England and Scotland compared to the European continent in the frequency of witch hunts, victimhood, and the specific details of the hunt. Scotland and England differed in that Scotland resembled the witch hunts of the continent whereas England was less prone to witch hunts. England suffered less witch hunts …

Transnational Influences Of Early Jesuit Scholars And Explorers In The New World From 1560-1700, Lydia K. Biggs Ms.

Scholars Week

Expansion and exploration of foreign territories such as the New World and the Far East by Europeans grew rapidly during the 16^th and 17^thcenturies. Exploration of these new area lead to developments in understanding of the new places, and the Society of Jesus was one of the forces that facilitated this worldwide social exchange. The purpose of this research is to explore how The Society of Jesus had transnational influences due to their early explorations and scholarly work done within New France in the 1600s. The Society of Jesus has been studied repeatedly from a Eurocentric point …

Finding The Truth: An Examination Into The Use Of Rhetoric In Thucydides, Eryn Pritchett

Scholars Week

For centuries, scholars have looked to Thucydides as truth--a factual and accurate account of the Peloponnesian War--due to his thorough use of critical analysis and logical deduction. Unlike his predecessor, Herodotus, Thucydides dodged the critical and literary analysis that has plagued Herodotus for years. However, in the past few decades historians have began to realize that Thucydides is far more than facts on paper. This research project will show that Thucydides use of Athenian rhetoric transforms his work from that of historical accuracy into a "possession for all time," redefining the way other historians would construct their own narrative. (Thucydides, …

The Evil That Men Do: Genocide In The Twentieth Century, Tracey Newport

Scholars Week

In the past one hundred years, there has been an ongoing mission of the civilized world to prevent the atrocities of genocide from happening. While admirable in thought, the policies taken to prevent them have failed. With early warning signs in situations of genocide being different in each case it is hard to determine when genocide is imminent. The lack of knowledge about the situation proves to be a serious problem to global actors that are required to work within the information available to them. By using three different case studies of genocide with each occurring within different contexts; the …