The Greek Voyage

Abstract

During the spring semester of 2018, I took History 4497, a writing intensive course with an emphasis on European travel writing. My research focused on English travel writers of the late 16th and early 17th centuries voyaging to Greece. In my analysis, I examine the interactions early English travel writers experienced with the peoples of Greece. These interactions not only allow for an interesting first-hand insight of Greek life but provide reflections of the authors and their culture. Major themes discussed in my analysis include the anti-Greek bias, civilization versus barbarism, and non-elitist perception. I came to the conclusion that while formally-educated English travel writers’ perceptions of Greece were influenced greatly by the negative biases of their teachings, Thomas Dallam, an English organ-builder with no classical knowledge nor formal education, experienced his Greek voyage with a radically different perspective.