The volcano in French spectacles from the eighteenth to the twentieth century

Abstract

The thesis offers a new media historical approach to the study of the volcano, a deeply embedded symbol in the French cultural imaginary, that acquired rich layers of revolutionary connotations through political events that shook the nation. It argues that from the eighteenth century onwards the volcano has operated as a constant locus for innovation and experimentation with both existing and emerging media forms. It pays attention to the different channels which were used to communicate knowledge, news and information about volcanoes, to create immersive and innovative forms of spectacle and entertainment, bringing viewers closer to the moment of catastrophe, and which used the volcano as a vehicle for communicating troubling emotions and desires, otherwise difficult to express. It draws upon a media archaeological method (topos study) to trace these different attempts to capture the energy and power of the volcano and show how these invocations of the volcano were symptomatic of the times and places in which they appeared.

Date of Award	1 Jun 2023
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	King's College London
Supervisor	Sanja Perovic (Supervisor) & Emma Bielecki (Supervisor)