Journeys in storytelling

: representations of Iran in British travel writing (1800-1859)

Abstract

When the first wave of British diplomats journeyed to Iran in the opening decades of the nineteenth century, they observed a trait that seemed to define every area of Iranian life: duality. To James Morier, John Malcolm, and James Baillie Fraser, the behaviors, thoughts, artforms, and cultural practices of Iran’s people appeared inherently contradictory yet inseparable from the very subjects with which they were in conflict. At this time, Iran was relatively unknown to Britain. As these early travelers embarked on voyages of cultural and anthropological exploration, they witnessed the hostilities between Iran’s newly established Qajar dynasty, its warring regional tribes, and an increasingly powerful clerical class. Meanwhile, Iran’s jarring encounters with British, Russian, and French imperial power during this period forced the nation to confront some unpleasant realities about the shortcomings of its ruling establishments.

Travel and its themes of uncertainty, instability, introspection, and retrospection would serve as the framework for the representations of Iran that these writers brought to the British public. These works are critical and insightful, and played a crucial role in shaping British attitudes about Iran. Central to their observations of Iranian duality is a tension between the nation’s institutional powers and its people, whose understanding of their wider cultural history often conflicts with dynastic and clerical policy. That tension’s portrayal in the works of Morier, Malcolm, Fraser, and Edward FitzGerald will be the primary focus of this study.

Date of Award	2 Jul 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of St Andrews
Supervisor	Sara Lodge (Supervisor) & Ali Ansari (Supervisor)