''Bush Studies'' is a short story collection by
Barbara Baynton that presents Australian bush life in the early colonial period as dangerous and isolating for the women.
Analysis
Baynton's short stories and novel were noted at the time of their publication, and since,
for their grim realism and depiction of female suffering.
In contrast to other writers of "pioneer bush" narratives, this suffering is portrayed by Baynton as arising not only from the harsh environment, but from male attitudes and power. This represents an alternative view to the romanticism of the bush and "
mateship
Mateship is an Australian cultural idiom that embodies equality, loyalty and friendship. Russel Ward, in ''The Australian Legend'' (1958), once saw the concept as central to the Australian people. ''Mateship'' derives from '' mate'', meaning ...
" propagated through periodicals such the ''
Bulletin
Bulletin or The Bulletin may refer to:
Periodicals (newspapers, magazines, journals)
* Bulletin (online newspaper), a Swedish online newspaper
* ''The Bulletin'' (Australian periodical), an Australian magazine (1880–2008)
** Bulletin Debate, ...
'', and by
bush ballad
The bush ballad, bush song or bush poem is a style of poetry and folk music that depicts the life, character and scenery of the Australian bush. The typical bush ballad employs a straightforward rhyme structure to narrate a story, often one of ...
eers such as
Henry Lawson
Henry Archibald Hertzberg Lawson (17 June 1867 – 2 September 1922) was an Australian writer and bush poet. Along with his contemporary Banjo Paterson, Lawson is among the best-known Australian poets and fiction writers of the colonial perio ...
and
Banjo Patterson.
''Bush Studies'' was first published in
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
in 1902, as Bayton was unable to find an Australian publisher.
Contents
* "A Dreamer"
* "Squeaker's Mate"
* "Scrammy 'And"
* "Billy Skywonkie"
* "Bush Church"
* "
The Chosen Vessel
"The Chosen Vessel" is a dramatic short story by the Australian writer Barbara Baynton, first published in ''The Bulletin (Australian periodical), The Bulletin'' on 12 December 1896. It recounts the story of an outback woman left alone with her ...
"
Other works (selected)
Novel
* ''Human Toll'' (1907)
Collections
* ''Cobbers'' (1917)
Individual works
* ''Fragments: 1 Day-Birth'' (1899) - poem
* ''A Dreamer'' (1902) - short story
References
External links
Full text - Sydney University SETIS - ''Bush Studies'' by Barbara Baynton*
Barbara Baynton: Liar or Truth-teller* *
1902 short story collections
Australian short story collections
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