Careers and Missions. On a missing link in texts on the Sea - the example of Rörd Knuten's expeditions (1744-1779)
- Work group: Giulia Halling, Mark Hengerer, Mathias Müller, Sofia Prummer, Sebastian Schäfer
The actual maritime turn opens up new fields of reseach. Consequentially, texts written not merely about the sea but written on sea deserve attention. However, the utilisation of such texts requires taking into account the position of "authors" on ships. In a detailed qualifying as well as quantifying analysis of a sailor's description of his life on sea (covering trips from 1744 to 1779), we exhibit the remarkable impact of different functions held on board as well as experience and the types of missions on the texts about life on sea. If, in principle, our point is unsurprising, it still is essential for making use of such texts. Besides, we propose some methodological procedures to enhance distinctiveness in "the fog which had gathered around us" (E.A.Poe).
The project was presented at the workshop "Maritime Literacy Cultures: Reading and Writing at Sea", 28.-29. October 2016 in Heidelberg (Cluster of Exczellence Asia and Europe in a global context) by Mark Hengerer, Mathias Müller, Sofia Prummer and Sebastian Schäfer.
Workshop: "Maritime Literary Cultures: Reading and Writing at Sea"