| The reign of Alfred the Great has been a cultural touchstone for scholarly work, national identity, and personal significance for over a millennia. This thesis examines the conception of King Alfred as the founder of England and English identity using the theory of Historical Structuralism developed by William Sewell. Using structuralist theory, this paper conducts an analysis of the material and textual aspects of Alfred the Great's monarchy including: interpretation of The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Asser's Life of King Alfred, military reforms, and the administrative structure of Wessex. |
