Tracking "Otherness" in 18th Century - Present British Literature

British Involvement in the Transatlantic Slave Trade

Britain was one of the most successful and dominant countries that participated in the transatlantic slave trade. This trade route was triangle shaped and would go from Europe to Africa, from Africa to the Americas, and then from there back to Europe again. Merchants in Europe exported goods such as gold and spices in exchange for African American people who would be working as slaves. The slaves were then transported to North and South America to be traded for cotton, tobacco, and sugar, which were then shipped back to Europe (hence the triangle trade) (Archives). The concept of buying African American people to then buy and sell along with other goods dehumanized those with darker skin and created the idea of them being an “other.” This will inevitably lead to a long, exhausting fight against systematic racism and discrimination, one that some may argue we are still battling today.

Archives, The National. “The National Archives - Homepage.” The National Archives, www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/bri….

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Mary Shelley’s Personal Revolt Against Slavery

It’s clear in her novel Frankenstein that author Mary Shelley wanted to call the readers’ attention toward racial issues and the role that race plays in society. Shelley, like her parents, was involved in both the political and academic spheres. She and her husband Percy came to oppose slavery and greatly detest Britain’s involvement in the slave trade. In fact, neither of them took sugar in their tea as a symbol of personal revolts against the slave trade. Though he’s made out of human parts, the creature in Shelley’s novel is detested by everyone he comes across and is made this “other” just because he is somehow different from everyone else. Her coding of the creature and him being socially outcast because of his appearance doesn’t seem like a coincidence giving the rise in calls for abolition at this time. Not only does being deemed an “other” create prejudices, but it’s evident in Frankenstein that it can also be very isolating. 

Bird. “Frankenstein’s Monster: Telling of Race and Otherness.” Medium, 2 Feb. 2021, fig-whittler.medium.com/frankensteins-monster-telling-of-race-and-otherness-3e72fcbf2e61.

Martyris, Nina. “How Percy Shelley Stirred His Politics into His Teacup.” NPR, 4 Aug. 2015, www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/08/04/429363868/how-percy-shelley-sti….

"Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley" by Richard Rothwell is licensed under CC BY-SA 

Disability in Victorian England: Stigmatized, Yet Progressive

Both mental and physical disabilities in Victorian England are best characterized as being “highly visible, yet deeply misunderstood” (“Disability…”). Many disabilities were heavily stigmatized and medical/institutional treatments, such as asylums, became more and more frequent. Though many people with disabilities were characterized as this “other,” this era proved to be more progressive in righting societal wrongs. In 1886, despite its blunt name, The Idiots Act was passed, which allowed for specialized education and care for those with learning disabilities. Although the “othering” of people with disabilities created a stigma surrounding disability (one that still echoes today), its happening during the progressive Victorian era is likely what led to numerous advancements in disability rights and equality. 

“Disability in Victorian England – Disability in Victorian Literature.” Uic.edu, 2026, rebekkabud.digital.uic.edu/?page_id=2.

"Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan - Victorian Era" by Notman is licensed under Public Domain 

Historic England. “Disability History Glossary | Historic England.” Historicengland.org.uk, 2024, historicengland.org.uk/research/inclusive-heritage/disability-history/about-the-project/glossary/.

“Gross Indecency” and the Trials of Oscar Wilde

In 1895, author Oscar Wilde brought forth a libel suit against the Marquess of Queensbury for accusing him of homosexuality and having relations with Sir Alfred Douglas – allegations which were true. When the suit was dropped, Queensbury retaliated with charges of gross indecency, which was essentially a British criminal legal term for being a homosexual. Wilde received two years of hard labor, but spent several months doing time in prison. During this time, evident by numerous laws that criminalized it, homosexuality was heavily looked down upon. Many individuals, like Wilde, were subject to heavy scrutiny and isolated from the rest of society, simply because of who they loved. This kind of “otherness” disparages people who love another of the same sex and is an attitude that is evident around the world still today (though some societies are becoming more accepting).

History.com Editors. “Oscar Wilde Trial.” HISTORY, 7 May 2018, www.history.com/articles/oscar-wilde-trial.

"Oscar Wilde and Alfred Douglas, 1893" is licensed under Public Domain 

League of Nations Mandate System: The Sykes-Picot Agreement and Extreme Nationalism in WWI

Nationalism is widely believed to be a cause of the First World War. Many European countries, including Britain, viewed themselves as highly superior in comparison to other places around the world. The British experienced a heightened sense of patriotism and a sense of moral superiority over Germany, and their fueling of harsh rhetoric toward enemy countries establishes the Central Powers as an “other,” and creates an us versus them mentality. Not only was the “otherness” created by means of viewing opposing countries as the enemy, but Middle Eastern countries were also “othered” when they were mandated to the British and French Empires. Arguably one of the most controversial outcomes of WWI, the League of Nations adopted the Mandate System, which required , “the legal control over certain territories [to be] transferred from a defeated power to a victorious one” (Gearon). As a result, the British Empire was granted mandates in Iraq and Palestine, taking over whole sovereign countries just because they could – essentially “othering” those who were already residing there. (This was also called the Sykes-Picot Agreement).  

Gearon, Eamonn. Was Britain Really Committed to Independence for Its Middle East Mandates, or Was the Mandate System Just Another Form of Empire Building? A Resource for Key Stage 4. 2017, www.history.ox.ac.uk/::ognode-637356::/files/download-resource-printabl….

School History. “Nationalism as a Cause of World War I | Facts & Information.” School History, 2019, schoolhistory.co.uk/notes/nationalism-as-a-cause-of-world-war-i/.

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The Elitism of British Boarding Schools in the 20th - 21st Centuries

Historically, boarding schools in general have been considered “elite,” with only wealthy families being able to afford to have their children attend. A practice that has been around since the British empire, today, the elitism of British boarding schools and their high price attract wealthy foreign families. In 2013, “32 per cent of the UK’s boarding school pupils are non-British nationals with parents living overseas, according to the Independent Schools Council, the representative body for the UK’s independent education sector” (Jacobs). The Independent Education Consults says that the appeal of boarding schools has to do with a centuries-long legacy of academic rigor, excellence, and opportunity. The eliteness that boarding schools establish, through their name and high price tag, establishes an “otherness” between social classes. While the wealthy can afford to send their children off to schools in other countries, hoping to receive a world-class education along with an abundance of opportunities, middle- and lower-class families end up sending their kids to public institutions. While public schools still provide quality education, they don’t come with the status or title of boarding schools. 

Independent Education Consultants. “The Appeal of Elite Boarding Schools in the UK, USA or Switzerland….” IndependentEducation, 11 Mar. 2026, www.independenteducationconsultants.co.uk/the-appeal-of-elite-boarding-…. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.

Jacobs, Emma. “Lessons in Britishness.” Ig.ft.com, 2013, ig.ft.com/sites/2015/special-reports/lessons-in-britishness/.

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