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Lauren Blakeslee ’08 (Saylorsburg, Pa.) is conducting extensive research for a chapter in the new edition of TheCambridge Bibliography of English Literature this summer. The bibliography presently lacks a chapter on trans-Atlantic literature of the 18th century.
A double major in English and Spanish, Blakeslee is collaborating with Bianca Falbo, assistant professor of English, through Lafayette’s distinctive EXCEL Scholars program, in which students conduct research with faculty while earning a stipend. The program has helped to make Lafayette a national leader in undergraduate research. Many of the more than 160 students who participate each year share their work through articles in academic journals and/or conference presentations.
In a continuation of work Falbo began with psychology and English double major Jaclyn Smith ’07 (Saugus, Calif.), Blakeslee’s project requires extensive database research on a broad topic. The Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature is accepted internationally as the single most important reference work in its field.
“Basically, I’m looking for literature involving Great Britain and America,” explains Blakeslee. “For example, a letter written by a Pennsylvanian to his relative living in England, or a newspaper article published in London addressing the conflicts going on in the American colonies at that time, would be relevant sources.”
According to Falbo, 18th century trans-Atlantic literary relations provide a view of a culture during a time period when literature was very different from today.
“In the 18th century, readers and writers would have been more likely to use the term ‘letters’ than ‘literature,’ and letters would have included more kinds of writing including texts we might now classify, for example, as philosophy or history,” says Falbo. “It’s also interesting to describe a field that’s not identified with national boundaries, which is how, for most of the 20th century, literature has been studied.”
Though the laborious task of searching through Internet and other types of databases may be difficult, the history contained within the documents is worth the time.
“By immersing yourself in such old documents you really get a sense of the rising tensions between England and America, peaking around 1776,” Blakeslee says. “You see the divided perspectives, the shifts in loyalty, and the challenges facing each side both internally and externally which surfaced not only politically, but also in other aspects of society such as art, religion, or language. I am engaged in a volatile, exciting time period in American history.”
At the conclusion of her research, Blakeslee will select the most pertinent examples of trans-Atlantic literature and will construct the chapter with Falbo, which they will submit to the editors of the bibliography.
While most of Blakeslee’s work involves delving through archives, Falbo is confident in the importance of her student’s work.
“Lauren’s bright and seems to enjoy a challenge,” she says. “The work we are doing is really exploring new territory.”
Blakeslee is the captain of women’s Crew Club and plans to study abroad in Seville, Spain this fall. She received the Gilbert Prize, awarded to students who have demonstrated superiority in English, at this year’s Honors Convocation. She is a graduate of Pleasant Valley High School.
As a national leader in undergraduate research, Lafayette sends one of the largest contingents to the National Conference on Undergraduate Research each year. Forty students were accepted to present their research at this year’s conference.