Date of Award
6-2012
Document Type
Open Access
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Modern Languages and Literatures
First Advisor
Charles Batson
Language
Spanish
Keywords
colonialization, myth, folklore, stories, culture
Abstract
The island of Hispaniola is home to two sovereign nations with a bloody and complex history: Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Their disparate experiences with European powers and colonization and their different roads to independence fundamentally shaped their cultures and current political status. The evolution of culture and the intrusions of external influences and powers are visible in the popular myths and folktales of the two countries. After a close analysis of the respective folktales through a historical lens, the thematic and structural composition of the stories suggest that Haitian and Dominican cultures are similar, but still characterized by small yet fundamental ideological differences that date back to colonial times.
Recommended Citation
Block, Sara, "From Roosters to Talking Fish: A Comparative Study of Hispaniolas Societal Evolution Through Folktales and Myths" (2012). Honors Theses. 775.
https://digitalworks.union.edu/theses/775