This thesis aims to show that vampires of Bram Stoker’s Dracula are the victims of a patriarchal society, as well as a reaction to the upcoming feminist ideal of the New Woman during the fin de...Show moreThis thesis aims to show that vampires of Bram Stoker’s Dracula are the victims of a patriarchal society, as well as a reaction to the upcoming feminist ideal of the New Woman during the fin de siècle. Additionally, this thesis will show that the framework of the gothic empowers gender nonconforming men and women by subverting Victorian expectations surrounding marriage and gender. Stoker did not denounce the New Woman, but instead recognized the patriarchal Victorian society as a gothic structure that oppressed any man or woman who did not conform.Show less
This thesis aims to prove children's literature and adult literature share a similar format, merely altered to fit the needs of the intended audience. It does so by providing an analysis of both J...Show moreThis thesis aims to prove children's literature and adult literature share a similar format, merely altered to fit the needs of the intended audience. It does so by providing an analysis of both J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan and The Little White Bird and compares the two by means of four literary features: perspective, themes, motifs and style.Show less
This thesis compares a book by Mary Wollstonecraft to a book by Rebecca Solnit. Both books are related to feminism and their depiction of feminism will be explored. As Wollstonecraft's book was...Show moreThis thesis compares a book by Mary Wollstonecraft to a book by Rebecca Solnit. Both books are related to feminism and their depiction of feminism will be explored. As Wollstonecraft's book was written in 1792 it will show the earliest notions of female independence, this will then be compared to a book written in 2014 by Solnit. It will look at whether feminism has progressed in any way, and if the issues raised by Wollstonecraft are still seen as relevant by Solnit over two hundred years later.Show less
Using close reading and contextualization in the historical context, this thesis explores the reaction to Enlightenment thought with regards to Catholicism and the Medieval in Horace Walpole's The...Show moreUsing close reading and contextualization in the historical context, this thesis explores the reaction to Enlightenment thought with regards to Catholicism and the Medieval in Horace Walpole's The Castle of Otranto (1760) and Ann Radcliffe's A Sicilian Romance (1790). These novels offer different responses to the changing perceptions of Catholicism, history, and the British national identity, both of which are informed by the Enlightenment, but are based on varying views on what the past contributed to the contemporary nation. The Castle of Otranto can be interpreted as a pseudo-medievalist text which places it in a nationalist discourse which emphasized the continuity between the past and the present. This is most obvious in its descriptions of Medieval culture, which are generally positive. A Sicilian Romance emphasizes the differences between the Medieval and Enlightenment cultures. The medieval is only shown in a positive light when its cultural and religious practices are refigured according to Enlightenment thought. While the novels show different reactions to the eighteenth century ideology that informed them, both show suspicion and fascination for the Medieval and the Catholic.Show less
This thesis will focus on persuasive non-factual rhetoric within three history plays (Julius Caesar [1599], Henry V [1599], and Richard III [1592]) as means to legitimise the characters‟ violent...Show moreThis thesis will focus on persuasive non-factual rhetoric within three history plays (Julius Caesar [1599], Henry V [1599], and Richard III [1592]) as means to legitimise the characters‟ violent behaviour. The main characters persuade other players, or are themselves persuaded, through private and public speeches, laced with fabricated rhetoric, into murderous actions. This non-factual rhetoric is masterfully applied in William Shakespeare‟s plays. Particularly in the historic plays written by Shakespeare, the reader can discern political manipulation to achieve personal goals throughout three different periods of time, demonstrating a pattern of false rhetoric through history.Show less
