Your servant, mephistopheles and an examination of queer folklore

• Main Author: White, Nor
• Other Authors: Waldron, Andrew
• Format: Thesis
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2023
• Subjects: Buckley; inuit
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14291/203744

In the past, most historical research has been influenced by the white, straight, cis-gendered male historians of the time, leading to a shallow perceptive that diminishes queer figures in history. LGBTQ+ and genderqueer individuals have long existed in history and appeared in several cultures’ folklore. This thesis will focus on genderqueer figures of folklore and explore their significance in their culture. It will also go into my experience directing a new queer-focused adaption of The Tragedy of Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe called Your Servant Mephistopheles by Else Buckley and Vale Prosper. Expanding from eurocentric research in queer folklore, this thesis examines Germanic, Sumerian, Greek, Norse, and Inuit folklore figures. It is important to acknowledge that there is a greater volume of western folklore because there are more written recordings of western folklore. However, this should not devalue the folklore of other cultures. Instead, this thesis will strive to focus on a wider range of world folklore more than just European folklore to emphasize why the exploration into folklore is necessary. Thesis (B.?) Honors College