Initially, there is a subtle feminist metaphor portrayed through the young female narrator's language. The sexual language, such as the "ecstasy of excitement", "thrusting", "pounding", "teasingly caressed me", is used to describe matters other than sex. These sexual connotations are repressed beneath a surface of alternative meanings, which could symbolise how a women's sexuality must also be repressed; a factor which enrages many feminists.
The passage of the young women from "her child", referring to her mother, to "his wife", suggests the girl is merely an object of possession, passed from person to person, holding no identity or true freedom for herself, which is another matter attacked by feminists.
However the Mother stands as a feminists champion, as she embodies the powerful female, who "shot a man-eating tiger with her own hand". Also, the fact that her husband left her an "antique service revolver" highlights the power the matriarchy holds, which should belong to a man. This elevates her to a position equal to men, under no repression at all; the epitomising the feminist ideal. The fact that she offers her daughter a choice in marriage; a pleasure not enjoyed by many poor women of the time, which suggests she believes in a women's right to free will and Independence.
Yet, we see from the young bride more qualities feminists disagree with, such as the fact her priority is to "bare an heir" for her new husband. This illuminates how women embrace the stereotypical version of adult femininity, losing any purpose in life but to bare children. Again, what delights her the most is that she is purely an object of desire; "how he must want me!". She sacrifices her own sexual identity for the wants of a man, a very 'un-feminist' characteristic.
Monday, 31 January 2011
Thursday, 27 January 2011
"She was suprised as the prince came into her" BAHA: themes in Fairytails
- Use of the number "3": Repetition three times.
- Beauty, especially within young women
- Evil Matriarch
- Conditions/Oaths
- Desire for children/ loss of children.
- Climbing the social and financial ladder
- Weak paternal figure
- Forests
- Magic
- Night/sleep
- Names serving only as roles
- Stealing
- Sexual undertones
- Clear perception of good and evil
- Gruesome, yet overlooked deaths
- Virtue
- Greed
- Marriage
- Instant love
- Talking animals
Evil Matriarch
Freud holds that tensions between a mother and daughter stem from the fact all daughters are in love with their fathers, thus jealousy on the mothers part drives a wedge between them and their child. These tensions between women and daughters are highlighted within most fairy tales: In "Hansel and Gretel" the step-mother wants to leave the children to starve, in Snow White, and Cinderella there are evil mothers and step-mothers both of whom hate their daughters and are jealous of their beauty. Plenty of fairy-tales do include a female villain.
The desire for children, and the fear of losing them.
Before the development of pensions, safe childbirth and treatments such as IVF, many children died in childbirth, aswell as their mothers. It was even more important to produce a healthy child as a women's primary role was to provide children. Children also were the sole carer for their parents when they became too old to care for themselves. All of these reasons made adults even more desperate to conceive and deliver, and there was a genuine fear of the loss of a child. Fairy tales often address this fear. Rapunzel's parents were desperate for a child, the woodcutter in Rumpelstiltskin was immensely proud of his child. Also, Fairy tales often include the taking of a child, usually through a previous deal, again addressing the fear of losing a child in previous years.
Beauty and virtue of women
A women's virginity and virtue were sometimes the only credit they possessed, and virginity was sacred to women and young girls; often a compulsory asset for marriage. Freud's "Madonna/Whore complex" underlines the importance of virtue and beauty, as once a women loses her virginity, she is an evil whore. Fairy tales often accentuate the beauty, good nature and virtue of the young women; Beauty's beauty and kindness is emphasised in "Beauty and the Beast", explicitly through her name.
The number "3"
There is a common use of the number three in many classic fairy tales; three main characters, three incidents or three tasks. in "The three little pigs", there are three main characters. In "Cinderella", there are three daughters, Cinderella and her two stepsisters. In "Snow White", the Queen tries three times to kill Snow White. In practice, the number "three" symbolizes perfection and completeness. For instance, the Holy Trinity is made up of three members: God, Christ and the Holy Spirit. In Geometry, a figure cannot be formed without three distinct points. Also, "three" is considered as the basic unit of a family- father, mother and child. The number gives security to the narrator, and the reader,because it is a "perfect and complete figure"
Forests
Forests are, in stories, a place of magic and the supernatural. Most contemporarily seen in "Harry Potter", where the students are scared to enter the "Forbidden Forest" in fear of the magical creatures who live there. Vast forests are an ideal setting to place magic, as you are isolated, away from civilisation, and allows verisimilitude to occur, especially as most fairy tales include magical elements such as witches and talking animals. "Hansel and Gretel", "Goldilocks", and "Beauty and the Beast" all are set in forests, perhaps for this purpose.
- Beauty, especially within young women
- Evil Matriarch
- Conditions/Oaths
- Desire for children/ loss of children.
- Climbing the social and financial ladder
- Weak paternal figure
- Forests
- Magic
- Night/sleep
- Names serving only as roles
- Stealing
- Sexual undertones
- Clear perception of good and evil
- Gruesome, yet overlooked deaths
- Virtue
- Greed
- Marriage
- Instant love
- Talking animals
Evil Matriarch
Freud holds that tensions between a mother and daughter stem from the fact all daughters are in love with their fathers, thus jealousy on the mothers part drives a wedge between them and their child. These tensions between women and daughters are highlighted within most fairy tales: In "Hansel and Gretel" the step-mother wants to leave the children to starve, in Snow White, and Cinderella there are evil mothers and step-mothers both of whom hate their daughters and are jealous of their beauty. Plenty of fairy-tales do include a female villain.
The desire for children, and the fear of losing them.
Before the development of pensions, safe childbirth and treatments such as IVF, many children died in childbirth, aswell as their mothers. It was even more important to produce a healthy child as a women's primary role was to provide children. Children also were the sole carer for their parents when they became too old to care for themselves. All of these reasons made adults even more desperate to conceive and deliver, and there was a genuine fear of the loss of a child. Fairy tales often address this fear. Rapunzel's parents were desperate for a child, the woodcutter in Rumpelstiltskin was immensely proud of his child. Also, Fairy tales often include the taking of a child, usually through a previous deal, again addressing the fear of losing a child in previous years.
Beauty and virtue of women
A women's virginity and virtue were sometimes the only credit they possessed, and virginity was sacred to women and young girls; often a compulsory asset for marriage. Freud's "Madonna/Whore complex" underlines the importance of virtue and beauty, as once a women loses her virginity, she is an evil whore. Fairy tales often accentuate the beauty, good nature and virtue of the young women; Beauty's beauty and kindness is emphasised in "Beauty and the Beast", explicitly through her name.
The number "3"
There is a common use of the number three in many classic fairy tales; three main characters, three incidents or three tasks. in "The three little pigs", there are three main characters. In "Cinderella", there are three daughters, Cinderella and her two stepsisters. In "Snow White", the Queen tries three times to kill Snow White. In practice, the number "three" symbolizes perfection and completeness. For instance, the Holy Trinity is made up of three members: God, Christ and the Holy Spirit. In Geometry, a figure cannot be formed without three distinct points. Also, "three" is considered as the basic unit of a family- father, mother and child. The number gives security to the narrator, and the reader,because it is a "perfect and complete figure"
Forests
Forests are, in stories, a place of magic and the supernatural. Most contemporarily seen in "Harry Potter", where the students are scared to enter the "Forbidden Forest" in fear of the magical creatures who live there. Vast forests are an ideal setting to place magic, as you are isolated, away from civilisation, and allows verisimilitude to occur, especially as most fairy tales include magical elements such as witches and talking animals. "Hansel and Gretel", "Goldilocks", and "Beauty and the Beast" all are set in forests, perhaps for this purpose.
Introductions
Introductions are a major part of the essay, primarily because they set out the key concepts, ideas and arguments you will address within the essay; giving you a clear vision of what you are going to write about. You can refer back to your introduction to help structure the essay, and a precise introduction will prevent you form going off on a tangent, so basically, keeping you focused on the task of the essay.
Also, if the introduction shows sophisticated, relevant vocabulary with clear, precise ideas and a good grasp of the concepts the title is asking you to address, the examiner may initially realise you are a strong candidate, and perhaps will mark positively throughout the essay.
A good introduction needs:
- If relevant; background to the concepts referred to. For instance, in Dracula, when considering science and religion, it would be useful to acknowledge the tensions between these two ideas at the time of writing.
- The main arguments you will debate within the essay.
- Precise, focused, yet sophisticated vocabulary.
- Ideas you will address within the arguments?
Also, if the introduction shows sophisticated, relevant vocabulary with clear, precise ideas and a good grasp of the concepts the title is asking you to address, the examiner may initially realise you are a strong candidate, and perhaps will mark positively throughout the essay.
A good introduction needs:
- If relevant; background to the concepts referred to. For instance, in Dracula, when considering science and religion, it would be useful to acknowledge the tensions between these two ideas at the time of writing.
- The main arguments you will debate within the essay.
- Precise, focused, yet sophisticated vocabulary.
- Ideas you will address within the arguments?
Monday, 17 January 2011
Elements of the Gothic in Chapter 21
Firstly, the whole action ridden chapter takes place at night, setting up the scene in the classic Gothic setting.
The aspect of religion and the supernatural is introduced initially through the operation Van Helsing conducts on Renfield. The trephening reminds us that both Dr Steward and Van Helsing are medical surgeons, as well as natural philosophers; a reality check used by Stolker to perhaps prevent the reader get lost in the supernatural elements of the novel. Other connotations to religion are the pronouns used for Dracula. Renfield ironically refers to him as 'Lord and Master', a reference to the Christian deity or God, suggesting implications of Dracula epitomising the anti-Christ. This therefore, would make Renfield a practitioner of devil-worship, clearly threading more Gothic elements into the chapter.
Sexual references are strong within this chapter, another classic Gothic aspect. Mina describes how as Dracula began to bite her, she was in a "half-swoon", which evokes a romantic feeling despite the horrific setting. She also "did not want to hinder him", suggesting she also succumbed to Dracula's seduction, just as Lucy had. The exchange of bodily fluids, this time by both characters again shows strong connotations to sex. By Mina seeing the blood "spurt out", then being forced to "suffocate or swallow", Stolker exhibits a clear parody of oral sex. The emphasis on her mouth reinforces this reference, as afterwards Mina rubs her lips to try and remove the "pollution".
However, there is an element of force in this scene that suggests rape rather than seduction, which is an important distinction for Mina portraying the innocent victim, as women being presented as victims is another significant element of the Gothic. Dracula is "forcing her face down on his bosom" and restraining her by holding her arms away, all while Mina's sleeping husband is next to her. This is also significant, as Dracula has invaded a marital bedroom, and the sexual references therefore would implicate adultery; resulting in the corruption of marriage, and therefore the corruption of Christian tradition, another Gothic element.
Symbolism of light and dark is also used in this chapter. Mina is describes as a "white-clad figure", white symbolising innocence, whilst Dracula is "clad in black", the use of the word "clad" in both descriptions explicitly provokes the direct contrast between the natures of the characters; innocent and evil.
Fear, perhaps the most significant element of the Gothic, is also evoked to the reader through primarily the horror of Dracula. He is strong enough to overcome the "unnatural strength" of a madman, and then when finally, for the first time since Harker's experience in Transylvania, we see Dracula in the flesh. His "devilish passion", "white sharp teeth" and "blood-dripping mouth" portrays a horrific character designed to induce fear. His power is reinforced as his mouth is "champed together like those of a wild beast", animalistic references suggesting how dangerous he can be.
The aspect of religion and the supernatural is introduced initially through the operation Van Helsing conducts on Renfield. The trephening reminds us that both Dr Steward and Van Helsing are medical surgeons, as well as natural philosophers; a reality check used by Stolker to perhaps prevent the reader get lost in the supernatural elements of the novel. Other connotations to religion are the pronouns used for Dracula. Renfield ironically refers to him as 'Lord and Master', a reference to the Christian deity or God, suggesting implications of Dracula epitomising the anti-Christ. This therefore, would make Renfield a practitioner of devil-worship, clearly threading more Gothic elements into the chapter.
Sexual references are strong within this chapter, another classic Gothic aspect. Mina describes how as Dracula began to bite her, she was in a "half-swoon", which evokes a romantic feeling despite the horrific setting. She also "did not want to hinder him", suggesting she also succumbed to Dracula's seduction, just as Lucy had. The exchange of bodily fluids, this time by both characters again shows strong connotations to sex. By Mina seeing the blood "spurt out", then being forced to "suffocate or swallow", Stolker exhibits a clear parody of oral sex. The emphasis on her mouth reinforces this reference, as afterwards Mina rubs her lips to try and remove the "pollution".
However, there is an element of force in this scene that suggests rape rather than seduction, which is an important distinction for Mina portraying the innocent victim, as women being presented as victims is another significant element of the Gothic. Dracula is "forcing her face down on his bosom" and restraining her by holding her arms away, all while Mina's sleeping husband is next to her. This is also significant, as Dracula has invaded a marital bedroom, and the sexual references therefore would implicate adultery; resulting in the corruption of marriage, and therefore the corruption of Christian tradition, another Gothic element.
Symbolism of light and dark is also used in this chapter. Mina is describes as a "white-clad figure", white symbolising innocence, whilst Dracula is "clad in black", the use of the word "clad" in both descriptions explicitly provokes the direct contrast between the natures of the characters; innocent and evil.
Fear, perhaps the most significant element of the Gothic, is also evoked to the reader through primarily the horror of Dracula. He is strong enough to overcome the "unnatural strength" of a madman, and then when finally, for the first time since Harker's experience in Transylvania, we see Dracula in the flesh. His "devilish passion", "white sharp teeth" and "blood-dripping mouth" portrays a horrific character designed to induce fear. His power is reinforced as his mouth is "champed together like those of a wild beast", animalistic references suggesting how dangerous he can be.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)