Monday 31 October 2011
Y13 TEXTS AND GENRES LITB3 - THE GOTHIC
Particularly relevant for those studying Marlowe's Dr Faustus or Milton's Paradise Lost is this programme which can be viewed on the two repeats tomorrow, the 1st of November 2011, or on the BBC iplayer. There is an interesting focus on the changes in people's perceptions of Satan at the time of the Reformation and of the man who kick started the whole thing - Martin Luther, someone whose works Marlowe was evidently aware of: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b016ptr6
Sunday 30 October 2011
Y13 TEXTS AND GENRES LITB3 - THE GOTHIC - 'WUTHERING HEIGHTS'
An absolutely essential resource is the Norton Anthology of English Literature, it can be used across the whole of the A' Level Lit curriculum, so I will be referring to it on other text notes, but for the moment let us focus on the Gothic generally and Wuthering Heights in particular.
http://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/nael/welcome.htm
There is also a very readable article which provides a useful perspective here:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/14359/gothic_literature_an_indepth_look_at_pg6.html?cat=38
Another very useful site for Wuthering Heights, with some interesting notes on suicides in the novel:
http://www.litgothic.com/index_html.html
I may have written about the narrative aspect of Wuthering Heights in previous notes, but it is important, so once again: Wuthering Heights has a narrative 'frame'. Nelly Dean, a servant, tells the by now almost 40 year old story to the gentleman, Mr Lockwood, a tenant of Thrushcross Grange, with Heathcliff as his landlord. Lockwood as first person narrator is actually at one remove from the experiences of the other characters that make up the story. Lockwood only meets three of the main protagonists (Hareton, young Catherine and Heathcliff), during which (Chapters I and II ) he reveals himself to be singularly unperceptive:
'I know, by instinct, his reserve [Heathcliff's] springs from an aversion to showy displays
of feeling - to manifestations of mutual kindness. He'll love and hate, equally under
Lockwood's confusion over the relationships in this rather brutal world of the house on the moors, reflects that of the readers, whilst as a man of manners and refinements, he contrasts tellingly with Heathcliff.
This form, the narrative frame, created by Emily Bronte, should raise a number of questions regarding the whole concept of what a 'story' really is, what it involves, and how we then need to analyse the relationship between different narrative accounts, from very different story-tellers - in gender, background and class, opinions, prejudices and language.
The complex narrative strucutre of WH, with its double frame: the outer frame narrative being Lockwood's and the inner frame being Nelly Dean's story (which in its turn involves the the narrative components of many of the other characters, many of whom Lockwood never meets) makes us look more closely at the whole issue of storytelling. We need to understand the influence that these primary narrators have and how Bronte plays them off against each other and to what effect.
For any of you who are near enough to Bradford, then these could be very useful:
http://www.nationalmediamuseum.org.uk/
Thanks again for all the comments and requests, I will respond to the latest in the next few days - just keep them coming! It would also be helpful if you would all become followers, see box top right.
:
http://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/nael/welcome.htm
There is also a very readable article which provides a useful perspective here:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/14359/gothic_literature_an_indepth_look_at_pg6.html?cat=38
Another very useful site for Wuthering Heights, with some interesting notes on suicides in the novel:
http://www.litgothic.com/index_html.html
I may have written about the narrative aspect of Wuthering Heights in previous notes, but it is important, so once again: Wuthering Heights has a narrative 'frame'. Nelly Dean, a servant, tells the by now almost 40 year old story to the gentleman, Mr Lockwood, a tenant of Thrushcross Grange, with Heathcliff as his landlord. Lockwood as first person narrator is actually at one remove from the experiences of the other characters that make up the story. Lockwood only meets three of the main protagonists (Hareton, young Catherine and Heathcliff), during which (Chapters I and II ) he reveals himself to be singularly unperceptive:
'I know, by instinct, his reserve [Heathcliff's] springs from an aversion to showy displays
of feeling - to manifestations of mutual kindness. He'll love and hate, equally under
cover, and esteem it a species of impertinence to be loved or hated again.'
'... many could not imagine the existence of happiness in a life of such complete
exile from the world as you spend, Mr Heathcliff; yet, I'll venture to say, that,
surrounded by your family, and with your amiable lady as the presiding genius
over your home and heart -'
'My amiable lady!' he interrupted, with an almost diabiolical neer on his face. 'Where is
she - my amiable lady?'
Lockwood's confusion over the relationships in this rather brutal world of the house on the moors, reflects that of the readers, whilst as a man of manners and refinements, he contrasts tellingly with Heathcliff.
This form, the narrative frame, created by Emily Bronte, should raise a number of questions regarding the whole concept of what a 'story' really is, what it involves, and how we then need to analyse the relationship between different narrative accounts, from very different story-tellers - in gender, background and class, opinions, prejudices and language.
The complex narrative strucutre of WH, with its double frame: the outer frame narrative being Lockwood's and the inner frame being Nelly Dean's story (which in its turn involves the the narrative components of many of the other characters, many of whom Lockwood never meets) makes us look more closely at the whole issue of storytelling. We need to understand the influence that these primary narrators have and how Bronte plays them off against each other and to what effect.
For any of you who are near enough to Bradford, then these could be very useful:
http://www.nationalmediamuseum.org.uk/
:
Tuesday 25 October 2011
Y13 TEXTS AND GENRES LITB3 - THE GOTHIC
Thank you for all your comments, especially Juliet from Hampshire, and as so many of you want me to carry on with this blog then I am prepared to do so. I would be more than happy to respond to any personal requests for information on specific texts, so if you cannot find what you need in the archive then just contact me and I will do my utmost to help.
In the meantime, here are some useful links for those of you working on Shelley's Frankenstein, keeping in mind: AO4: Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written and received. This discovery channel documentary should be useful: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QsDyItTSBY
There is also a useful site for you to download details of how to respond to the question: How does Shelley attempt to engage the reader in the first five chapters of the novel. You could try this first and check out other documents which have been placed on the site concerning topics within the AQA LITB curriculum, but it can prove user unfriendly:http://www.docstoc.com/docs/98468055/frank-essay-one-a2
Use this one instead to get the essay structure suggestions: http://minus.com/m1OJou9hz
A further link that gives food for thought on the 10 meanings of Frankenstein: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12711091
Once on this site then click on the link for "Readers' new meanings for Frankenstein."
The images above are all from the National Theatre production of Frankenstein last year, involving Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller; follow the links for Nick Dear's thoughts on both the novel and on his theatre adaptation:
The novel:
And on adapting Chapter 5:
http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/64323/frankenstein/adapting-chapter-5.html
An absolutely essential resource for both AS and A2 AQA LITB is Peter Ackroyd's brilliant series on the Romantics; you can find in the archive to this blog a more specific episode on Coleridge and The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, but here it is for those of you haven't mastered the search through my archive yet:
For more information on Mary Shelley and on the Romantic movement, then watch the whole series starting with the first one here:
In the meantime, here are some useful links for those of you working on Shelley's Frankenstein, keeping in mind: AO4: Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written and received. This discovery channel documentary should be useful: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QsDyItTSBY
Use this one instead to get the essay structure suggestions: http://minus.com/m1OJou9hz
http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/64323/frankenstein/adapting-chapter-5.html
The novel:
http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/64860/frankenstein/nick-dear-on-frankenstein.html
And on adapting Chapter 5:
http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/64323/frankenstein/adapting-chapter-5.html
An absolutely essential resource for both AS and A2 AQA LITB is Peter Ackroyd's brilliant series on the Romantics; you can find in the archive to this blog a more specific episode on Coleridge and The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, but here it is for those of you haven't mastered the search through my archive yet:
For more information on Mary Shelley and on the Romantic movement, then watch the whole series starting with the first one here:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)