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The arthurian legend bibliography
The arthurian legend bibliography
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Narratology divides a ‘narrative into story and narration’. (Cohan et al., 1988, p. 53) The three main figures that contribute a considerable amount of research to this theory are Gerard Genette, Aristotle and Vladimir Propp. This essay will focus on how Emily Bronte’s novel Wuthering Heights can be fully appreciated and understood when the theory is applied to the text. Firstly, I will focus on the components of narration Genette identifies that enhance a reader’s experience of the text. Secondly, I will discuss the three key elements in a plot that Aristotle recognises and apply these to Heathcliff’s character. In the final section I will apply part of the seven ‘spheres of action’, Propp categorises, to Heathcliff’s character. However, not all of Narratology can be applied to a text. This raises the question; does this hinder a readers understanding and/or appreciation of the text? This paper will also address this issue.
Gerard Genette focuses on the narration of the novel by analysing focalisation, the narrative mode, the use of intrusive authors and the way time is handled in a text. Each of these contributes to a readers understanding and appreciation of a text. Focalisation is one of the key features in Narratology effectively facilitates readers to comprehend the text. Bronte adopts the literary technique dual narration in Wuthering Heights; this is when two characters narrate. The two characters that narrate, via internal focalisation in the novel, are Lockwood and Nelly. Internal focalisation is when a narrator has ‘witnessed...learned about, or even participated in the events they tell.’ (Barry, 2009, pp. 225-226) This is imperative to understanding literature; an example of this in the novel is when Nelly says ‘a ...
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... P. (2009) Beginning theory: An introduction to literary and cultural theory. 3rd edn. Manchester: Manchester University Press. pp. 216.
Bronte, E. (2000) Wuthering Heights. Hertfordshire: Wordsworth Editions Limited. p. 159.
Barry, P. (2009) Beginning theory: An introduction to literary and cultural theory. 3rd edn. Manchester: Manchester University Press. pp. 216.
Propp, V. (2004) Morphology of the Folk-tale. In: Rivkin, J. and Ryan, M. (2nd ed.) Literary Theory: An Anthology. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd. pp. 72-76.
Bronte, E. (2000) Wuthering Heights. Hertfordshire: Wordsworth Editions Limited. p. 25.
Bronte, E. (2000) Wuthering Heights. Hertfordshire: Wordsworth Editions Limited. p. 161.
Propp, V. (2004) Morphology of the Folk-tale. In: Rivkin, J. and Ryan, M. (2nd ed.) Literary Theory: An Anthology. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd. pp. 72-76.
Papers on Language and Literature 33:3 (1993). 325-333. The. Ragen, Brian.
Magoun, Frances P. “Oral-Formulaic Character of Anglo-Saxon Narrative Poetry.” In TheBeowulf Poet, edited by Donald K. Fry. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968.
Rice, Philip. and Patricia Waugh, eds. Modern Literary Theory. 4th ed. New York: Oxford UP,
Staton, Shirley F. Literary Theories In Praxis. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1987. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 10 Feb. 2014.
Parker, Robert Dale. How to Interpret Literature: Critical Theory for Literary and Cultural Studies. New York: Oxford, 2011. Print.
Selden, Raman, and Peter Widdowson. A Reader’s Guide To Contemporary Literary Theory. Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky, 1993.
Drawing upon our readings and class discussions, write an essay that focuses on a specific idea or textual effect in any one of the novels we have read (if you wish to reflect on any two novels, you may). Your essay should develop a coherent project that shows your understanding of the issues we have been analysing in class, and makes thoughtful use of the works of literary and cultural theory we have been reading.
Parker, Robert Dale. How to Interpret Literature: Critical Theory for Literary and Cultural Studies. New York: Oxford UP, 2008. Print.
Raman Selden, Peter Widdowson, and Peter Brooker. A Reader's Guide to Contemporary Literary Theory. 4th ed. London: Prentice Hall and Harvester Wheatrsheaf. 1997.
Klages, M. (2006). Literary Theory: A guide for the perplexed . London: Continum International Publishing Group.
Wuthering Heights is not just a love story, it is a window into the human soul, where one sees the loss, suffering, self discovery, and triumph of the characters in this novel. Both the Image of the Book by Robert McKibben, and Control of Sympathy in Wuthering Heights by John Hagan, strive to prove that neither Catherine nor Heathcliff are to blame for their wrong doings. Catherine and Heathcliff’s passionate nature, intolerable frustration, and overwhelming loss have ruined them, and thus stripped them of their humanities.
To be able to discuss adequately how the master narratives of Bronte and Rhys’ time are revised, one must first understand what those master narratives were and what the social mood of the time was. From there one will be able to discuss how they were revised, and if in fact they were revised at all.
Works of art such as books, paintings, poems, and sculptures oftentimes are said to express the feelings, personalities, interests, and desires of their creator. One method for interpreting these details from books and other literary works is known as psychoanalytic literary analysis. This analysis seeks to identify the nature of relationships between characters as well as the author’s relationship with the characters. In the analyses the critic will discuss interactions between characters and with the author and often go so far as to make assertions about the author’s conscious and unconscious reasons for telling their story in the way they did. While psychoanalytic criticism is well accepted it is not without its own critics. At times it
In Wuthering Heights, the author—Emily Bronte—takes the readers to the Wuthering Heights mansion where they soon meet Heathcliff. It is in this story the reader is able to connect with Heathcliff and be pulled along with him through the events that he faces along the way. This is, again, because of Bronte’s use of descriptive wording when it comes to the main character and the land that surrounds him—the moors. The wording is so descriptive that one may feel like they are watching a reel of scenes before their eyes. Being able to be a part of and connect to the story and the main character, Heathcliff is something that happens easily when authors describe events and characters well enough—just as Bronte does in Wuthering
Wuthering Heights, written by Emily Bronte, has 323 pages. The genre of Wuthering Heights is realistic fiction, and it is a romantic novel. The book is available in the school library, but it was bought at Barnes and Nobles. The author’s purpose of writing Wuthering Heights is to describe a twisted and dark romance story. Thus, the author conveys the theme of one of life’s absolute truths: love is pain. In addition, the mood of the book is melancholy and tumultuous. Lastly, the single most important incident of the book is when Heathcliff arrives to Edgar Linton’s residence in the Granges unannounced to see Catherine’s state of health. Heathcliff’s single visit overwhelmed Catherine to the point of death.