Date of Award

12-2025

Degree Type

Masters Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

School

Humanities

Committee Chair

Dr. Eric Tribunella

Committee Chair School

Humanities

Committee Member 2

Dr. Nicolle Jordan

Committee Member 2 School

Humanities

Committee Member 3

Dr. Alexandra Valint

Committee Member 3 School

Humanities

Abstract

Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, a touchstone in children’s literature, is known among critics as the novel that popularized numerous piratical themes and tropes as well as the classic pirate archetype, which has been emulated in fictional pirates ever since. Long John Silver, the basis for this archetype, has been analyzed by these critics for over a century for his exciting personality, his moral ambiguity, and his thirst for freedom. Because of the incredible influence of Treasure Island and its pirate archetype, modern pirate literature, such as Miriam McNamara’s The Unbinding of Mary Reade, must reproduce many of the themes that Stevenson popularized in order to be recognized as piratical, yet it must also simultaneously adhere to the demands of a modern audience. McNamara, to appeal to this audience, positions a historical, cross-dressing female pirate figure as her main character, which not only mimics the classic themes that Silver popularized but also works to provide queer representation and a tale of gender transgression. Themes of freedom and ambiguity prevail throughout The Unbinding, as Reade rejects oppressive society on land in favor of truly expressing her undefined gender and sexuality on the open seas. By analyzing the influence of Treasure Island and its themes on the modern pirate genre through The Unbinding, McNamara’s novel reveals itself as a powerful, emulative tale of claiming freedom through piracy.

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