Ysra Charife

BA in Philology (English and Portuguese), Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, University of Bucharest, 2022

ysra.charife@s.unibuc.ro

My journey towards joining the British Cultural Studies master’s program was sparked by the transformative experiences of my first year in college. These initial years of higher education significantly broadened my horizon, exposing me to a diverse array of subjects and ideas. As I progressed through my three years of undergraduate studies, a profound passion for British culture began to take root within me. It was a passion that deepened with each exploration of different facets of this culture, ranging from its rich literature and captivating art to its compelling theater and complex history. In my BA thesis I drew a comparison between two female protagonists, Jane Eyre from Charlotte Brontë’s novel Jane Eyre and Scheherazade from the classic One Thousand and One Nights by focusing on the integrated Eastern elements, the mirroring of the two female heroines in both novels and Charlotte Brontë taking a feminist-orientalist approach in her work.

In essence, my decision to pursue a British Cultural Studies master’s program is the culmination of my academic journey, my burgeoning passion for British culture, and my aspiration to delve into cultural research and writing that will not only enrich my own understanding, but also contribute to a broader appreciation of the cultural tapestry that shapes our world.