Finding Livingstone: An Examination of the Reputation of Dr. David Livingstone

Dr. David Livingstone, a nineteenth century Scottish missionary doctor and government-commissioned explorer, is popularly known as an iconic, self-sacrificing Victorian hero who tirelessly devoted his life to working in Southern, Eastern, and Central Africa. Since Livingstone’s death in 1873, scholars have analyzed the famous missionary’s life by delving into topics such as his fascinating travels, his medical and scientific discoveries, and his personal faith and political views. Informing this scholarship is the extensive documentation left by Livingstone, who intentionally provided his own accounts of his life and work as a means of crafting his reputation. This thesis seeks to examine Livingstone’s fascinating life and explore the ways in which the doctor’s reputation was intentionally constructed over the course of his lifetime. This thesis argues that Livingstone, with the help of several key individuals, successfully crafted an overall positive reputation through the emphasis of certain aspects of his identity, political ideology, and observations