"With reference to at least two novels published after 1870, examine ways in which they disclose anxieties about male and/or female sexuality at the end of the nineteenth century."
"With reference to at least two novels published after 1870, examine ways in which they disclose anxieties about male and/or female sexuality at the end of the nineteenth century." Alex Coby, Physics III H.10. MODERN LITERATURE AND DRAMA Dr Siv Jannson The end of the nineteenth century was, like the end of the twentieth, a time filled with fear, anxiety and panic. All major issues in society at any time are generally represented in the literature of the time and this was certainly the case at the end of the nineteenth century. There were many reasons for anxiety; the collapse of empire, the rising Women's emancipation movement and the rise of the theories of Darwin and Freud, amongst others. The primary anxiety at the time, in my opinion, was the fear of 'perverse' sexuality, be it the empowerment of women and the 'decadent', or homosexual man. The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde and The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson both illustrate this fin de siècle sexual anxiety to great effect, and it is on these two novels that I will concentrate. They approach these anxieties in different ways, and while Dorian shows the personal anxieties felt by the homosexual in fin de siècle England, Jekyll and Hyde exposes the anxieties felt towards the homosexual: As Showalter said, Jekyll and Hyde can be most convincingly read as a fable of fin de
Of the vampire tales to date, Bram Stoker's Dracula has unquestionably become the most popular and the most critically examined.
Of the vampire tales to date, Bram Stoker's Dracula has unquestionably become the most popular and the most critically examined. It constitutes, however, the culmination of a series of nineteenth-century vampire tales that have been overshadowed by Stoker's 1897 novel. To be sure, many of the earlier tales provide little more than a collective history of the vampire lore Stoker incorporated in Dracula, but Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's little known Carmilla (1872) is the original tale to which Stoker's Dracula served as a response. In Carmilla Le Fanu chronicles the development of a vampiric relationship between two women, in which it becomes increasingly clear that the lesbian relationship between Carmilla and Laura defies the traditional structures of kinship by which men regulate the exchange of women to promote male bonding. On the contrary, Le Fanu allows Laura and Carmilla to usurp male authority and to bestow themselves on whom they please, completely excluding male participation in the exchange of women, as discussed by Claude Levi-Strauss and Gayle Rubin. Stoker later responded to Le Fanu's narrative of female empowerment by reinstating male control in the exchange of women. In effect, Dracula seeks to repossess the female body for the purposes of male pleasure and exchange, and to correct the reckless unleashing of female desire in Le Fanu's Carmilla. In Victorian
In order to perform a textual analysis of chapter 5 "Incident of the Letter" within Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde several issues need to be considered.
In order to perform a textual analysis of chapter 5 "Incident of the Letter" within Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde several issues need to be considered. Such as the concept of discourse within the narration of the chapter, the theoretical/ analytical tools of figurative language and genre. Also the meanings of the chapter need to be discussed such as the structure and language use, the broader cultural and representational issues and the chapters relationship with the rest of the novel. And lastly what broader and thematic roles it plays. Concept of Discourse "Discourses are ways of speaking associated with particular institutions and the conventions and values of those institutions." (Schirato and Yell, 2003, pg 61). Within chapter 5 there is evidence of at least three different discourses. The Homosexual discourse, the medical discourse and the legal discourse. The chapter is made up of two very distinct discourses. The first half has evidence of the medical discourse and the second half has the legal discourse. Throughout there are also hidden indications of the homosexual discourse. The medical discourse is seen very early on for the chapter starts off with Utterson being led to Dr Jekyll's medical lab by Poole where he conducted his experiments. On his way Utterson pays close attention to all he sees, noticing that the lab is set up for chemical experiments rather than
"Gothic...reflects humanity's quest to aspire to great things, but also to hide in shadowy spaces. It represents perpetual human ambition, and the constant threat of human failure"
"Gothic...reflects humanity's quest to aspire to great things, but also to hide in shadowy spaces. It represents perpetual human ambition, and the constant threat of human failure" The Gothic novel is characterised by horror, transgressive violence, supernatural effects and a taste for the mediaeval. Horace Walpole heralded the arrival of the gothic genre in 1764 with his archetypal novel: The Castle Of Otranto. The success of this catastrophic story led the way for an analogous torrent of gothic releases such as William Beckford's Vathek (1786) and Mathew Lewis' The Monk (1796). By 1818, Mary Shelley's perennial masterpiece; Frankenstein had been released, its arrival marked a new chapter in the gothic genre; by combining her knowledge of feminist authors such as Radcliffe and her reading of patriarchal tales such as those listed above, Shelly was able to actively critique previous gothic traditions while still managing to create a great myth. Like many of the stories before, Frankenstein reflects humanity's quest to aspire to great things. Shelley subtitled her novel; The Modern Prometheus, by doing this she is reinforcing her protagonist's great endeavours while infusing inevitable failure. The subtitle refers to the figure in Greek mythology who was responsible for a conflict between mankind and the gods. Prometheus stole fire from Zeus in order to help people
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein: Some of the Medical, Ethical and Legal Issues Presented by the Novel Today.
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein: Some of the Medical, Ethical and Legal Issues Presented by the Novel Today Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay To mould me man? Did I solicit thee From darkness to promote me? - Paradise Lost1 A Brief Synopsis of Frankenstein Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus as Mary Shelley subtitled it, was first published in 1818. It tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a student in anatomy and physiology. He becomes set on finding the source of life, both for the personal acclaim it will bring him but also, he claims, to better the human race. Frankenstein secretly collected the body parts from which to build his creation, he then infused the creature with "the spark of being".2 Upon the creature's animation Frankenstein's triumph turned to terror, and he ran away and abandoned his hideous 'child'. We later learn that, despite his horrible appearance, the creature possessed an intelligence and benevolence that exceeded that of any of his human counterparts. Contextual Similarities Between 1818 and 2004 Shelley was writing during the Enlightenment, a movement which aimed to free the human race from superstition and the unexplainable through science. This faith in the power of science is reflected in the words of Victor Frankenstein's professor: "They [the scientists] have acquired new and almost unlimited powers; they can command the
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It is necessary only to substitute kisses for intercourse and semen for blood to be left with a novel as sexually explicit as any of the time" [1] Bram Stokers Dracula has held a fascination for both the public
"It is necessary only to substitute kisses for intercourse and semen for blood to be left with a novel as sexually explicit as any of the time" 1 Bram Stokers Dracula has held a fascination for both the public and literary professionals alike for over a century, in fact, since it was first published in 1897; it has never been out of print. No other Gothic character has been able to hold universal appeal in quite the same way, but why society should find this morose, rigid and monstrous creature so alluring is a mystery that has compelled many to attempt to solve. In the 1970s there were only a few articles on Dracula and a long, tedious biography of the author Bram Stoker. Consequently most peoples' perceptions of Dracula were wholly influenced by the Hammer Horror films in which Dracula was portrayed as a two dimensional, out and out evildoer. Not many people had seriously read the actual book or questioned its message. However, by the late Eighties and, more importantly, the Nineties, (which celebrated the centenary in 1997 of Stokers classic); there came a surge of interest in the actual sub-text of Dracula. Many respected writers and academics have uncovered fascinating themes within the book that appear to reflect the fin-de-siecle anxieties of the times especially the issues surrounding sex and sexuality. Dracula's conception in 1897 coincided with the peak of
A feminist analysis of Dracula
A feminist analysis of Dracula There has been, thankfully, a great shift since the chastened "New Women" of Bram Stoker's Dracula, as noted by critic Phyllis A. Roth "For both the Victorians and twentieth century readers, much of the novel's great appeal comes from its hostility toward female sexuality"1 That hostility has been a source for female transformation from the post feminist era of the 1960's to the present day. Stoker's familiarity with the feminist movement in Victorian England and his apparent support of equality between men and woman based on an intellectual level leaves us with the question of why does his support appear to draw the line when it comes to sexual equality. Stoker's personal life regarding his different relationships with women is what may suggest the motivations behind his ambivalence towards the "New Woman". So it can be said that Stoker's treatment of women in Dracula does not stem from his hatred of women in general but from his ambivalent reaction to the concept of the "New Woman". Stoker's Dracula is a window through which we can see the Victorian society. We see how Stoker is sympathetic towards the limitations placed upon women in the society, but he also does not see women as completely equal. The absence of total equality in "Dracula" shows a view point which is somewhere between Victorian standards of the 1890's and where we like
What influence has the experiences in Mary Shelley's life had on the novel Frankenstein?
What influence has the experiences in Mary Shelley's life had on the novel Frankenstein? Mary Shelley's experiences have had a large impact on the themes and issues in her novel Frankenstein. It is considered by some to be a birth myth, because of the influence Shelley's experiences of motherhood has had on the novel. Further, the novel reveals numerous allusions to Shelley's life. The novel explores the retribution visited upon Monster and creator for incomplete infant care, and several of the characters are representations of individuals in Shelley's life. This essay explores the issues of the birth myth and family relations that are identifiable in the novel and argues that Shelley's life and her experiences have inspired the themes of creation, birth and family in the novel Frankenstein. Frankenstein is perceived as a birth myth because of the themes of maternity and parenthood alluded to within the novel. Mario Praz comments, "All Mrs. Shelley did was to provide a passive reflection of some of the wild fantasies which were living in the air about her." These fantasies or issues that existed in Shelley's life are identified in the novel as issues of birth, creation, neglect, and confusion. For example, in Frankenstein, birth is presented as a hideous thing. For birth to be possible, Victor must collect bones and decomposing body parts, among other things, in order for
A commentary on a passage from Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's Frankenstein.
Yr 11 IB English: Dianna Gu 11M4 A commentary on a passage from Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's "Frankenstein". The passage from Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's "Frankenstein" is a warning to society that we cannot let science get too far out of hand; that knowledge entails social responsibilities. She writes in the style of the 19th Century Romantic Movement, portrayed though her long sentence structures punctuated with commas, colons and semi-colons. The syntax is often inverted from that of modern writing; word use is also different from that of modern writing. The passage is written in first person narration, which means that the reader rarely sees anything outside of the narrator, that is from Frankenstein's perspective. Hence the tone of the writing is mostly reflective and self-critical, but is frequently changing throughout the passage. The passage is very "Gothic" and explores indecisiveness, horror and pity. The passage commences "I sat one evening in my laboratory" which conveys a feeling that there is nothing unusual in his sitting there. The word "evening" is the height of the line, thus stressing the time of day. The "evening" is often associated with dying and mystery, and so a sense of murky mystery is immediately created in the passage with the "the sun had set, and the moon was just rising from the sea" which depicts a clear picture of the atmosphere. It
Fade in - Creative script writing.
FADE IN: . EXT. COUNRYSIDE. DAY The weather is dull. There is a small village of large detached houses in the middle of nowhere. There are fields for miles with sheep and cows grazing. A house sits proudly in its grounds. There is a lonely swing, moving in the wind. The woods around the house, whistle and sway. 2. INT. KITCHEN. DAY The kitchen is large with a country feel about it. All the wooden beams are in view. There is an auger at the back with large surfaces at each side of it. There is also a cooker at the far end with a pan boiling on one of the front rings. There is a wooden table in the middle of the room set for two. The clock on the wall is at 12:15pm. Amy is in her early 30's wearing a long pleated dress. Her long blonde hair is tied back in low ponytail. Amy places a glass of juice and a cup of tea on the table. AMY (Shouting) Shelly.......Dinner Amy drains the pan from the stove and serves the food on to the plates, she then takes the chops out of the auger and puts them on the plates. Amy puts the plates on the table and walks to the door. AMY (Shouting) Shelly Amy sits down to her dinner. The clock is now at 12:35pm. Amy places her knife and fork on the table, looking puzzled she gets up from her chair. 3. INT. BEDROOM. DAY The room is spacious, with plenty of clutter around. There are posters of male pop stars on the wall. On the