In Eva-Grace's own words:
Marxist literary theory argues that identity is determined entirely by external factors that act on society and the individual. These factors, be they historical, economical, or otherwise, and their effect on perception of identity permeate the writings of Marco Polo and other adventure authors of the time. In his highly fictionalized discussions of different peoples, Polo displays a hierarchical understanding of groups of people. Polo’s system of racial hierarchy focuses primarily on proximity to Christianity or other favorable identities of the time– intellectual and military prowess, and demonstrations of wealth, political loyalty, etc– to mark “better” groups, or races. In this way, “race” becomes more synonymous with religion and class, and interactions between these races are marked by favors and other systems of loyalty. Polo’s understanding of race as a hierarchical system tied to religion demonstrates the fluidity of social order and constructs. This paper will focus on Marco Polo’s Milione, where the Great Khan and his people are surrounded by “extralegal and informal” demonstrations of power which create a racial structure based on religious history and loyalty instead of a modern geographical definition of race. Dissection of this subjective treatment of individuals surrounding the Khan redefines race as an issue of proximity; race becomes synonymous with religion, and historical and social context serves as the definitive factor in understanding these boundaries.