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Wilkie Collins portrayal of a cursed diamond in The Moonstone, this Victorian era detective fiction book is still recognized globally today. Although, this novel was written in the nineteenth century Collin effortlessly distinguished the novel for viewers of all ages. The novel is not only a detective fiction but also has some elements of action and romance. Collins not only writes novels but also poetry and has been recognized internationally for all his work. Collins can with ease characterize all his characters in the novel. There are many contradistinction aspects in the moonstone but the most fascinating one is viewing the novel in a psychological approach. The reason is because in the novel Franking Blake unconsciously steals the cursed diamond away from his beloved Rachel. This novel is mainly about a diamond that became cursed when it was stolen away from its Hindu temple. The diamond was also the most expensive diamond in existence at that time. The diamond is said to curse anyone who receives it and keeps it and it will bring unhappiness to his or her life. The curse has been shown to be true throughout the novel. For example, the relationship between Rachel and Franklin Blake although, they have loved each other the moonstone has only brought unhappiness to there lives. Despite the love between Rachel and Franklin Blake the stone has cursed their lives the moonstone is best understood to be a curse, because both of these individuals took possession of the diamond their love and friendship was cursed until the diamond was returned to its holy Hindu temple.
The diamond belongs to a Hindu religion, which worshiped the diamond and praised it. The moonstone was so extremely profitable that some of the members in society in...
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...giver’s generosity rather than his or her rapacity” (Blumberg 4). This is why at the end of our novel the stone was returned back to its Hindu temple.
Works Cited
Blumberg I. Collins's "Moonstone": The Victorian Novel as Sacrifice, Theft, Gift and Debt. Studies In The Novel [serial online]. Summer2005 2005; 37(2): 162.
Available from: MasterFILE Complete, Ipswich, MA. Accessed April 3, 2012.
Collins, Wilkie. "The Moonstone." New York: The Century Co, 1904. 3-515. The English Comedie Humaine. LitFinder. Web. 2 Apr. 2012.
Duncan, Ian. "The Moonstone, The Victorian Novel, And Imperialistic Panic." Modern Language Quarterly 55.3 (1994): 297. Education Research Complete. Web. 3 Apr. 2012.
Gooch, Joshua. "Narrative Labor In Wilkie Collins's The Moonstone." LIT: Literature Interpretation Theory 21.2 (2010): 119-143. Academic Search Complete. Web. 3 Apr. 2012.
Waters, Chris. "Robert Louis Stevenson". Victorian Britain: An Encyclopedia. Sally Mitchell and Michael J. Herr. New York: Garland Publishing, Inc, 1988. 760-761.
Murphy, B. & Shirley J. The Literary Encyclopedia. [nl], August 31, 2004. Available at: http://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=2326. Access on: 22 Aug 2010.
Greenblatt, Stephen, and M. H. Abrams. The Norton anthology of English literature. 9th ed., A, New York, W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. Pp
Greenblatt, Stephen, and M. H. Abrams. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 9th ed. Vol. A. New York: W.W. Norton, 2012. Print
Deep within African mines, elusive diamonds lay enveloped in the Earth’s crust. Possessing much influence, beauty, and tension, nature’s hardest known substance causes parallel occurrences of unity and destruction on opposite sides of the globe. Diamonds, derived from the Greek word "adamas", meaning invincible, are formed deep within the mantle, and are composed entirely from carbon. Moreover, only under tremendous amounts of heat and pressure can diamonds form into their preliminary crystal state. In fact, diamonds are formed approximately 150km- 200km below the surface and at radical temperatures ranging from 900-1300 C°. When these extremes meet, carbon atoms are forced together creating diamond crystals. Yet how do these gems, ranking a ten on Moh’s hardness scale, impact the individual lives of millions of people besides coaxing a squeal out of brides-to-be? These colorless, yellow, brown, green, blue, reddish, pink, grey and black minerals are gorgeous in their cut state, but how are these otherwise dull gems recognized and harvested? Furthermore, how and why is bloodshed and violence caused over diamonds in Africa, the supplier of approximately 65% of the world’s diamonds? (Bertoni) The environmental, social, and economic impact of harvesting, transporting, and processing diamonds is crucial because contrary to popular belief, much blood has been spilled over first-world “bling”.
Stillinger, Jack, Deidre Lynch, Stephen Greenblatt, and M H. Abrams. The Norton Anthology of English Literature: Volume D. New York, N.Y: W.W. Norton & Co, 2006. Print.
Toomer, Jean. “Blood-Burning Moon.” The Norton Anthology of Literature of American Literature 8th Edition, Vol. D 1865 – 1914. Ed. Nina Baym. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2012. 651 - 657. Print.
The Moonstone, written in 1868 by Wilkie Collins is a mystery novel about a gem called "The Moonstone". The moonstone is somewhat a symbol of what everyone strives for, beauty and power. In the book, justice plays a huge role in terms of doing what is fair and morally right through action and attitude. Although the moonstone is overbearingly beautiful and breathtaking, like all beautiful things, it has a history "..that crime brings its own fatality with it" (Ch. IV). With such great beauty, the moonstone almost takes power and control over people, making them act out in such ways just to get their hands on it.
The setting for this novel was a constantly shifting one. Taking place during what seems to be the Late Industrial Revolution and the high of the British Empire, the era is portrayed amongst influential Englishmen, the value of the pound, the presence of steamers, railroads, ferries, and a European globe.
22 of Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900. Rpt. in Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag.
113- The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 6th ed. of the book. Vol.
* Drabble, Margaret, ed. The Oxford Companion to English Literature. 5th Ed. New York: Oxford UP, 1985.
Abrams, M. H., ed. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Vol I. 5th Ed. New York: W.W. Norton, 1986.
The Norton Anthology: English Literature. Ninth Edition. Stephen Greenblatt, eds. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 460. Print.
“We have certain events to relate,” Mr. Franklin proceeded; “and we have certain persons concerned in those events who are capable of relating them. Staring from these plain facts, the idea is that we should all write the story of the Moonstone in turn—as far as our own personal experience extends, and no further” (12).