Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Mr. George's Take on Gothic Literary Construction
Due to their Gothic classifications, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights share a similar textual construction, iconic of Gothic works. Both novels take place in the past, and consequently, their respective dictions reflect this state of being. Not only are both books set in the past, but the way in which they are documented is also respective of Gothic pieces. Wuthering Heights is made up of excerpts from a journal, just like Frankenstein. This journalized history of one's experiences serves the genre by ultimately providing the reader with a sense of direction amidst the mixture of such contrary elements like mystery and emotional chaos. Having such a documentation of events can give a novel a sense of credibility or practicality; it can become more realistic. By creating situations that can actually take place, the Gothic author makes imparting terror into his or her readers easier. Both of these books also share a common method of storytelling, through multiple narrators. While in Frankenstein and Wuthering Heights a main narrator can be identified, both works utilize other speakers at times. Perhaps Gothic authors utilized this speaking configuration in order to give their audiences a sense of comprehension in respect to the massive breadth of detail that appears in such pieces of literature. In these ways, both Wuthering Heights and Frankenstein share similar textual constructions.
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Absolutely. The idea of a ghost story being true would have been viewed as ludicrous back then just as it is now. The journals, letters, and other documentation serve to add validity to the tale. The people who made the Blair Witch Project tried this in that film and had people believing it was real.
ReplyDeleteThis is very true,in Wuthering Heights the story started out being told by Mr. Lockwood but thruogh what I have read so far the main narrator is Nelly because she is telling Mr.Lockwood the history of the Heights, or it could better be described as gossip. Mostly right now from what I can tell Bronte is getting the foundation of the story told so that we will understand the present day of the story, this is just what happened in Frankenstein, so I definetly see what you are saying
ReplyDeleteYes, indeed. Tales become much easier to conceptualize when those details that allow for a much more vivid experience are incorportated. Any successful storyteller utilizes this strategy in order to impart an artificial reality to an audience. These storytellers, as pointed out, utilize different mediums ranging from print to film.
ReplyDeleteThe textual construction of my novel, The Mysteries of Udolpho, is very unique as well. Just like in Frankenstein, the novel consists of many poems that are throughout the book. Emily, the main character of our story, writes many poems throughout the novel to describe her love for nature.
ReplyDeleteI think that was done to add credibility to the tale. Just as if one person were to plead a case, different sources would be needed for it to be a valid claim. The reader, hence putting together the pieces of the puzzle to solve the mystery.
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