British Literature from 1800, "The Mythmakers"

NOTE: Reading the "Prologue" is suggested but optional, since it only delves into the background of the various races in the book, most notably, the Hobbits. It's not necessary to read this, but you might find it fascinating, especially if you're already a fan of the LOTR films. However, if you've never watched them, it could be too much information, and it arguably detracts from the story itself. Feel free to go right into Chapter 1 if you like.  Answer TWO of the following as always: Q1:  How do the hobbits view Gandalf and much of the outside world? Even though they live in an enchanted realm where elves, dwarves, trolls, etc., exist, what is their attitude toward much of it?  Related to this, why might it be important to begin Tolkien's story here, rather than in a more enchanted place among the elves, or with Gandalf himself?  Q2: Bilbo, though a relatively minor character in this book, was the protagonist of Tolkien's earlier work, The Hobbit , and h...

NOTE: Remember, as I said in class (if you were there--I know some of you were traveling), this work is written squarely in the genocide of the Belgian Congo, and records many of the deeply racist views and language of the people who perpetrated these horrors. To a large extent, Marlowe (and maybe even Conrad) shares in this culture. So be prepared for some harsh views and language, and even the appearance of the n-word.  Answer TWO of the following: Q1: What does Marlowe mean when he tells his fellow sailors, at the beginning of the book, that "this also...has been one of the dark places of the earth" (Part I)? What does he mean by "dark," and how does his use of the word extend into the later passages of Part I and II?  Q2: Since Heart of Darkness shares its basic structure with Frankenstein , how might Marlowe remind us a bit of Victor Frankenstein--or maybe the Creature? How does he record/respond to his surroundings in Africa? Does he seem like an 'innocen...

John Singer Sargent, Lady Agnew (1893)  Feel free to read the entire play (it's pretty short) for Tuesday, but we'll only discuss Acts One and Two. But be careful--the dialogue is suspiciously smooth and you can race over ten pages without really thinking about what you've read. Read slowly and really try to think about his little witticisms, and how seriously (or not) we're supposed to take them.  Answer TWO as usual: Q1: This is the first play we've read in class, even though the theater was huge throughout the 19th century, even though it produced very few great playrwights (Wilde being an exception). Why do you think this work--its story, characters, themes, etc.--is more suited to a play than, say, a novel or a short story? Why might it be beneficial to see it being acted in front of you on a stage?  Q2: One of the most repeated lines of dialogue, usually by Jack, is "Oh, that's nonsense!" How does Wilde use nonsense very similarly to the way Carr...

Remember that on Tuesday we're going to take the Mid-Term over the first three books. The Mid-Term will be a series of THREE questions, of which you have to respond to any TWO of them, by explaining the signfiicance of the passage to the novel and doing a brief close reading of the scene, to explore what makes this passage so unique and exciting. Here are some passages I intend to choose from, so you'll see at least three of these on the exam next week:  Thus the poor sufferer tried to comfort others and herself. She indeed gained the resignation she desired. But I, the true murderer, felt the never-dying worm alive in my bosom, which allowed of no hope or consolation. Elizabeth also wept, and was unhappy; but her’s also was the misery of innocence, which, like a cloud that passes over the fair moon, for a while hides, but cannot tarnish its brightness. Anguish and despair had penetrated into the core of my heart; I bore a hell within me, which nothing could extinguish. We sta...

  REVISED COURSE CALENDAR FOR WEEKS 8-16   Part 2: A Satire of Polite Society   WEEK EIGHT: October 5-9 Carroll, Alice in Wonderland , part 1 Carroll, Alice in Wonderland , part 2   WEEK NINE: October 12-16 Mid-Term Exam (in class) Context: The Mystery of Madame X/ Art Paper #3 due   WEEK TEN: October 19-23 Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest , part 1 Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest, part 2   Part 3: Journeys Off the Map   WEEK ELEVEN: October 26-30 Context: The Madness of Munch/ Art Paper #4 due Conrad, Heart of Darkness , part 1   WEEK TWELVE: November 2-6 Conrad, Heart of Darkness , part 2 Critical Readings about Conrad (handout)   WEEK THIRTEEN: November 9-13 Context: Burne-Jones’ Modern Myths/ Art Paper #5 due Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring , part 1   WEEK FOURTEEN: November 16-20 Tolkien, The...

For Tuesday's class, read at least through the "Pig and Pepper" Chapter (VI), though read more if you like. However, we're going to break this into two parts, so we'll finish the rest on Thursday.  Answer TWO of the following: Q1: How might Alice in Wonderland be a satire of a Victorian childhood, much as Austen satirized early 19th century womanhood? From what we read here, what might have been expected of young girls or children in the 1860's? What is Carroll specifically making fun of or parodying through Alice's adventures? Q2: When Carroll originally wrote the book for Alice Liddell (the daughter of a friend), he included his own illustrations throughout. When the book was properly published, the publisher insisted on more professional illustrations, and John Tenniel (a popular artist) was hired to provide illustrations throughout. Why are the illustrations as important as the text of the story? What do they add to the experience of reading Alice in W...