What features are disturbing or reassuring in your selection of 19th
century texts?
The nineteenth century produced many of the very best authors of all
time in all genres such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Charles Dickens and
H.G. Wells. Although they made fame in their originality, many factors
coincided in their writing and formed the base for characters and
storylines. It was these influences which in a way made their stories
and novels more interesting to delve into as they opposed disturbing
and reassuring features to create points of discussion.
During the 19th century, many controversial changes took place. In
terms of science, there was a significant rise in interest and
development especially after the outbreak of many diseases, none more
so than the deadly bacteria of cholera. Cholera was an infectious
epidemic and had many types though all of which were infectious and
many of which were most disturbingly fatal. Cholera caused slowing of
the blood circulation and was not caused by any form of consumption
but was essentially spread from immigrants who had caught the disease
in filthy, overcrowded ships. We see this particular aspect heavily
dominant in ‘The Stolen Bacillus’ by H.G. Wells overlapping with other
prevailing issues such as personality disorders and the inevitable
destabilisation of society through anarchism and the will to oppose
moral rights.
Other factors which affected the content of our other two chosen texts
- ‘The Adventure of the Speckled Band’ by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and
‘Hop frog’ by Edgar Allan Poe – were also very prominent in the 19th
century. Doyle’s short story was subjected to the simultaneous aspects
of the British Empire and India, the concern of power by reason of
gender, the sure decline of British aristocracy and once again the
topic of personality disorders inspiring murder. Poe’s story binds
personality disorders inspiring murder and power relationships.
All three of our studied texts provided many disturbing aspects from
start to finish and I felt that these overpowered the reassuring
facets in many patches of the three stories. We saw intensified
atmospheres simply through the settings and characters as the authors
manipulated these features to generate greater interest. For example,
‘The Adventure of the Speckled Band’ is mainly set in Stoke Moran, a
‘200 year old house’, ‘grey, lichen-blotched stone, with a high
central and two curving wings, like the claws of a crab, thrown out on
each side. In one of these wings the windows were broken and blocked
with wooden boards while the roof was partly caved in, a picture of
ruin.’ This mansion I feel provides a very disturbing setting
especially one in which a murder has taken place as it provides no
Before discussing how disease has shaped history and altered cultures, it is important to understand how they themselves have developed and changed throughout history. Disease, in the broadest definition of the word, has been present since the beginning of humanity. Even ...
At the beginning of the 20th century a New York editorialist wrote that the 20th century began in the United States with "a sense of euphoria and self-satisfaction, a sure feeling that America is the envy of the world"(World History Timeline "1900-1901"). The president was Teddy Roosevelt, who enjoyed enormous popularity due to the general happiness of the American people. A thriving industry created many jobs for immigrants and others. A monumental event took place in 1901 when the New York Stock Exchange exceeded 2 million shares for the first time ever (World History Timeline "1900-1901"). The tycoon J.P. Morgan created the U.S. Steel Co. in 1901, which became the first billion-dollar corporation in the world (Historical Daily Almanac). The Ford Motor Co. was established in 1903, and Henry Ford developed the first Model T automobile that sold for $850. All of this led to an extremely low unemployment rate of 4%(Historical Daily Almanac "1904").
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” With that first line I am captured, thrown back into a world two hundred years old. The scene around me melts into a Regency-style ball room, elegant young ladies in long, ornate gowns waltzing on the arms of dashing gentlemen, sleek black chaises pulling up the cobblestone drive, portly musicians puffing at their instruments in the corner. And I am in the middle of it all, experiencing the lives of my ancestors with the turn of each page. This is my guilty pleasure, the Regency. However, the only way I have been able to learn about this grand era has been through novels and the internet- mediums that, while very depictive and revelatory, cannot provide me with all the information I seek. I want to know about more than just the dances and the social lives of the early nineteenth century aristocracy. I want to know about the lives and cultures of all the people: the peasants, the workers, the farmers, the merchants, the gentry, and the royalty. What did they eat? What were their laws, written and unwritten? How many were religious? What did they learn in school? How did they spend their money? What were their political views? There is only one way I could possibly learn all of this and more- by being taught, in a class.
In both ‘Eve Green’ and ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’, the protagonists experience fear in many guises. Although traumatic events in both Eve and Antoinette’s lives do lead to moments of sudden, striking fear, fear is also presented as having the potential to be subtle and muted, and therefore, “haunting”. Fletcher and Rhys seem to suggest that this form of fear is more damaging to the psyche than fear in its more conspicuous manifestations, as it is more deeply intertwined with the characterisations of the protagonists, therefore allowing for the fear to “pervade” the novels. As a result, it could be argued that fear has an almost constant presence in each novel, particularly because fear is seemingly linked to other prominent themes in each novel.
When the name Edgar Allan Poe is mentioned, it is usually followed by a gloomy description of his works. His portrayal inevitably involves words as twisted mind, grotesque, and insane. The celebrated work of Poe not only reflects greatness in writing skill, but an unparallel ability to delve into human psychology. Poe reflected his life into his writings, giving a peek into the human psych when it is littered with bad fortune, and turmoil. Edgar Allan Poe’s experiences and personal views are subtlety placed in his works which were influenced by the Transcendentalist movement, Abolitionism, and the grief placed on him by the deaths of the women in his life.
The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allen Poe is a short story told in the gothic genre. Although this story was written decades after the popularity of the genre, The gothic genre through its descriptions of the atmosphere as well as its use of grotesque and macabre imagery creates a sense of alienation, chaos, entrapment, uncertainty, and terror in the reader. Gothic literature often deals with themes of death, fears and anxieties, good vs evil, estrangement, and revenge. Furthermore, gothic literature often ends with a sense of moral closure and resolution. The Cask of Amontillado use of gothic conventions can be seen in its setting. However, the story’s unconventional use of irony and omission of moral closure adds to the psychological
Throughout history, there have been many isms that had come and gone. Many things have come out of these so-called "isms."
This book follows an esteemed doctor and a local clergyman who, together, are the heart of an investigation to solve the mystery of the cholera epidemic. In 1854 London was ravaged by a terrible outbreak of cholera, where within the span of mere weeks over five hundred people in the Soho district died. London, at the time, was a city of around two and a half million people, all crammed into a small area with no system for sewage removal. With overflowing cesspools, improper drainage of all the human and animal waste, and no system for guaranteed clean water, the people of London were in a bad state. They were essentially dumping all of their feces into their drinking water supply, a perfect environment for cholera to thrive.
Edgar Allan Poe has a unique writing style that uses several different elements of literary structure. He uses intrigue vocabulary, repetition, and imagery to better capture the reader’s attention and place them in the story. Edgar Allan Poe’s style is dark, and his is mysterious style of writing appeals to emotion and drama. What might be Poe’s greatest fictitious stories are gothic tend to have the same recurring theme of either death, lost love, or both. His choice of word draws the reader in to engage them to understand the author’s message more clearly. Authors who have a vague short lexicon tend to not engage the reader as much.
Edgar Allan Poe’s personal life, especially the stories surrounding his drinking and early death, are dealt with extensively by Poe’s contemporary critics as well as those writing in the twentieth century (Bloom, Harold p. 491). In their confusion of the man and his literary creations, certain critics have ascribed to Poe a morbidity of character and a cruel and unnatural temperament. (Bloom, Harold p. 491). This critical attitude was adumbrated by the publication of Poe’s letters under the direction of R.W. Griswold, his literary executor (Bloom, Harold p.491). Griswold, for reasons unknown, sought to defame Poe by falsifying his letters and printing forged material that portrayed Poe as a bizarre and menacing character (Bloom, Harold p. 491). Although he was ultimately vindicated through the scholarship of A.H. Quinn and others, it has been the work of modern scholars to reestablish Poe’s reputation based on the work and not the man (Bloom, Harold p. 491).
Does the narrator show weakness through this mental illness or is it a sophistical mind of a genius? This is the question that must be answered here. Throughout this discussion we will prove that the narrator is a man of a conscience mind and committed the crime of murder. Along with that we will expose Poe’s true significance of writing this short story, and how people were getting away with crime by justifying that they were insane.
Magazines are publications that cover a particular field of interest. The fields can range from modeling, pop culture, lifestyle, and fashion. These magazines represent what the society believes and celebrates.
Moldenhauer, Joseph. “Murder as a Fine Art: Basic Connections between Poe’s Aesthetics, Psychology, and Moral Vision.” PMLA. 83. 2 (1968): 284-297. Modern Language Association. Web. 28 March 2014.
Twain, Mark. The adventures of Huckleberry Finn. New York: W. W. Norton & Company inc. 1990.
The English Renaissance period began in the late 15th century and ended in the 17th century. During the Renaissance period, the England experienced many changes. These changes were brought by the new discoveries and inventions. Many characteristics were introduced to the country during the Renaissance period. The Renaissance study revolves around five important issues. These issues are essential continuities from previous events, certain important political changes that took place during that time, ideas brought with the characteristic of humanism, significant ideas related to the creation of literary works, and finally, the religious movement known as the Protestant Reformation which influenced daily life and literature. Notable changes were in fields related to art, architecture, literature, science, and philosophy. This period have brought a great economic growth to the country than another preceded periods. Moreover, that period have experienced an increase in literature and specifically drama. The drama of this period encounters several shiftings in different aspects. The two m...