Henna
Ala-Lehtimäki
Doctoral Researcher, History and Archaelogy

Contact

Areas of expertise

Cultural History
19th Century England
Masculinity
Classical Reception
Ancient Rome

Biography

I am working on my doctoral dissertation "The use of ancient Greek and Roman mythological narratives in constructing masculinities in 19th century English comedy". In it I research the ways in which these mythological narratives were adapted to the English stage, and how the comic plays constructed masculinities. I am also a researcher in the Finnish Institute in Rome's project group, which focuses on the relationship between nature and the ancient Romans.

Previously I have written about the representation of old bachelors in 19th century English literature and newspapers. My fields of interest include those of 19th century culture, study of masculinities and classical reception.



Research

In my dissertation I research the construction of masculinities in 19th century England through classical comedies. I am interested in how ancient Greek and Roman narratives were re-used to create new modes of meaning in different contexts. Part of my dissertation is a contribution to the project "Portrayals of pain and models of masculinity: the suffering male body in Western art and culture", funded by the Kone Foundation.