Representations of Americans in Grant Allen’s “The Great Ruby Robbery: A Detective Story”
Tales of the American West were highly popular in Victorian England. William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody’s Wild West Show was a particular hit with English audiences when it arrived in England in 1887: “From foreign dignitaries to Queen Victoria herself, Cody pulled in audiences from every station of Victorian society and presented them with his vision of heroic, indelible Americanism” (Robinson 1). Novels, written by both English and American authors, were widely read and published in England. The English were enthralled with the American West and its heroic cowboys. This attitude did not, however, extend to all Americans, and especially not American women. Victorian English attitudes towards Americans were not favorable, as is shown in Grant Allen’s short story, “The Great Ruby Robbery: A Detective Story,” through Allen’s representation of Persis Remanet. There were two primary reasons for this. One was Victorian England’s fear of all foreigners, whom they viewed as threats. …show more content…
This anxiety was not limited, however, to a theme in only women’s novels. Persis Remanet in Grant Allen’s “The Great Ruby Robbery” is one of these dollar princesses. In this story, the ruby necklace of Persis Remanet, a wealthy American woman visiting London, goes missing. Mr. Gregory, the police detective investigating the robbery, suspects Sir Justin O’byrne, an Irish baronet. Sir Justin wishes to marry Persis, but says she is too rich for him to marry because people will believe that her wealth is the only reason he wants to marry her. At the end of the story, it is revealed that Mr. Gregory is the thief and that he was building a case against Sir Justin to hide his
Tales of the American West were highly popular in Victorian England. William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody’s Wild West Show was a particular hit with English audiences when it arrived in England in 1887: “From foreign dignitaries to Queen Victoria herself, Cody pulled in audiences from every station of Victorian society and presented them with his vision of heroic, indelible Americanism” (Robinson 1). Novels, written by both English and American authors, were widely read and published in England. The English were enthralled with the American West and its heroic cowboys. This attitude did not, however, extend to all Americans, and especially not American women. Victorian English attitudes towards Americans were not favorable, as is shown in Grant Allen’s short story, “The Great Ruby Robbery: A Detective Story,” through Allen’s representation of Persis Remanet. There were two primary reasons for this. One was Victorian England’s fear of all foreigners, whom they viewed as threats. …show more content…
This anxiety was not limited, however, to a theme in only women’s novels. Persis Remanet in Grant Allen’s “The Great Ruby Robbery” is one of these dollar princesses. In this story, the ruby necklace of Persis Remanet, a wealthy American woman visiting London, goes missing. Mr. Gregory, the police detective investigating the robbery, suspects Sir Justin O’byrne, an Irish baronet. Sir Justin wishes to marry Persis, but says she is too rich for him to marry because people will believe that her wealth is the only reason he wants to marry her. At the end of the story, it is revealed that Mr. Gregory is the thief and that he was building a case against Sir Justin to hide his