20 Sample Topics on a Dissertation in British Literature

Sometimes, selecting a topic can be the hardest part of starting a major writing assignment. Dissertations are particularly important during one’s academic career; as such, the topic should be given serious consideration. Thankfully, the wide array of British literature offers nearly endless topics for research. Indeed, the hardest part may actually be deciding upon a topic. Here are 20 ideas for a great dissertation about British Literature.

Dissertation Topics

1. Rebellion in British Literature: How Historic Rebellions Influenced Seminal Literary Works
2. Sarcasm as an Effective Literary Tool within Major British Literary Novels and Essays
3. Depiction of Warfare: How British Authors Politically Comment on the Gritty Realities of War
4. An Analysis of Nature Symbolism in Shakespeare’s Literary Works
5. The Evolution of Female Archetypes in British Literature
6. The Changing Matriarchal Role as Depicted in British Literature
7. How Textual Organization Affects the Reader’s Interaction with the Text: A Study of Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales
8. The Prologue: How Key British Literary Works Utilize the Prologue for the Audience’s Benefit
9. Weather as Symbol: How Beloved British Literary Classics Utilize Weather Symbolically
10. What’s in a Name: How the Naming of Characters Influences Audiences and Communicates Key Ideas in Classic British Literary Works
11. John Donne and William Shakespeare: An Analysis of the Male Poet’s Perspective of Love through Verse
12. An Examination of the Monologue: The Importance of Speaking to the Audience as Shown through Shakespeare’s Tragedies
13. J.K. Rowling and Shakespeare: How Classic Works Inspire Modern Blockbusters
14. The Role of Gender Stereotyping in Modern British Literature
15. The Influence of Religious Symbols in the Chronicles of Narnia
16. An Examination of Animals in Literature: Common Animal Appearances in Shakespeare, Orwell, and Dickens
17. The Role of the Afterlife: An Analysis of Dicken’s Works
18. Effective Techniques of the Macabre: An Investigation into the Early Gothic Novel
19. The Role of Intergenerational Conflict: An Examination of How Conflicts within Families are Portrayed within British Literature
20. The Role of Chivalry in Medieval British Literature

Be sure that you have access to and can find plenty of primary sources to support your ideas within the essay. Secondary sources are valuable as well. Just remember to cite all sources referred to or quoted within your academic writing.