This research discusses whether male authors sexually objectify their female characters in comparison to female authors. This was done by analysing two classic and two contemporary fiction novels...Show moreThis research discusses whether male authors sexually objectify their female characters in comparison to female authors. This was done by analysing two classic and two contemporary fiction novels each by male and female American authors. These novels were chosen because of their similarities and because they feature a male protagonist who narrates the story. The novels were analysed for phrases used to describe the female characters appearance and these descriptions were compared to the novels of the opposite gender to check for any sexual objectification. The results revealed that male authors were more likely to sexually objectify their female characters in comparison to female authors. However, due to the size of this research, more research must be done to understand the scale and nuances of this.Show less
In this thesis, the reception of classical mythology in the Old English adaptation of Boethius' 'De consolatione philosophiae' is analysed. It demonstrates that the author of the Old English...Show moreIn this thesis, the reception of classical mythology in the Old English adaptation of Boethius' 'De consolatione philosophiae' is analysed. It demonstrates that the author of the Old English Boethius is familiar with classical mythology, and that he has consciously adapted his material to make it more suitable for his Christian Anglo-Saxon audience unfamiliar with classical mythology.Show less
Gold, jewels and a cross that is able to speak: these elements are nowhere to be found in the Biblical story about the crucifixion of Christ, but they do appear in the Old English poem The Dream of...Show moreGold, jewels and a cross that is able to speak: these elements are nowhere to be found in the Biblical story about the crucifixion of Christ, but they do appear in the Old English poem The Dream of the Rood. This poem is a retelling of the Biblical story of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection and there are three characters in this poem: the Dreamer, the Cross and Christ. These characters are linked, because they all experience one or multiple physical or mental transformations. The poet intended for these transformations to be an inspiration for the reader of the poem. Especially the transformation of the Dreamer is supposed to be inspirational, because the Dreamer is the most relatable character for the reader through the focus on their human nature. The question that is discussed in this thesis is: what does the transformation of the Dreamer look like and why can it be inspirational for the reader? The suggested answer to this question is that the poet of The Dream of the Rood used the character of the Dreamer to illustrate the life-changing effect that knowledge of the Bible and following the example of Christ can have on a human being. The reader of the poem is encouraged to follow in the footsteps of the Dreamer, the first step being reading The Dream of the Rood.Show less
Eighteenth-century letter-writing was an art governed by many rules, but letter-writers still found the freedom to express their personality and indicate their position within the confines of these...Show moreEighteenth-century letter-writing was an art governed by many rules, but letter-writers still found the freedom to express their personality and indicate their position within the confines of these rules. Using methodology based on the works of Tieken-Boon van Ostade (2009), Nevala (2009), Sairio (2013), among others, this thesis examines the use of referential language in letters written by Francis Napier (1758–1823) to Mary Hamilton (1756–1816) in order to study how this language is used to fashion an identity and signal the relationship between the correspondents. The analysis separates formulaic language, such as opening and closing formulas, from other forms of referential language, such as pronoun usage, nominal references, and intertextual references.Show less
"Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen is compared with a couple of books from the popular self-publishing website, Wattpad. It is examined whether Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy fit the archetypes...Show more"Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen is compared with a couple of books from the popular self-publishing website, Wattpad. It is examined whether Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy fit the archetypes of 'good girl" and "bad boy" respectively and whether their relationship can be classified as "enemies to lovers."Show less
This thesis critically explores the published scholarship on the concept of eighteenth-century chastity, and examines how chastity and agency function within the literature by conducting a...Show moreThis thesis critically explores the published scholarship on the concept of eighteenth-century chastity, and examines how chastity and agency function within the literature by conducting a historically-informed close reading of Richardson’s Pamela and Haywood’s Fantomina. It demonstrates that the literary representations of virtue in these novels reveal the construction of virginity as a performance of an intangible concept that is economically valuable, and highlight the fact that virginity is intrinsically linked to the concept of agency.Show less
This thesis analysed and compared the use of totalitarian language in George Orwell’s novel 1984 and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. This thesis highlights the importance of language within...Show moreThis thesis analysed and compared the use of totalitarian language in George Orwell’s novel 1984 and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. This thesis highlights the importance of language within totalitarian regimes. Linguistic totalitarian language features were defined and analysed. The linguistic totalitarian features used in this research were compiled based on previously conducted research. The analysed features included loaded language, compound nouns, euphemisms, neologisms, abbreviations, acronyms, and slogans. The novels were read and afterwards analysed through corpus and discourse analysis. The software AntConc was used for the corpus analysis. The instances of totalitarian language use within the novels were highlighted and processed into tables. The novels possessed unique tables and each table reflected one analysed feature. The results were compared and revealed that the novels indeed incorporated totalitarian language features within their texts. The novel 1984 made use of all the seven analysed features. Brave New World made use of six analysed features, leaving out the linguistic feature concerning abbreviations. In addition, the research concluded that the two novels are linguistically comparable as they included frequent instances of the analysed features. However, the novel 1984 included moderately more instances of totalitarian language use.Show less
This thesis offers a close reading of Yaa Gyasi’s historical fiction novel Homegoing, which is set from roughly the eighteenth century until the end of the twentieth century. It explores identity...Show moreThis thesis offers a close reading of Yaa Gyasi’s historical fiction novel Homegoing, which is set from roughly the eighteenth century until the end of the twentieth century. It explores identity theories of double consciousness, the white gaze, and generational trauma to examine how historical events have affected the identity of the characters in the American narrative. This essay also underscores how the novel depicts the effects of systemic racism on African American identity. It concludes that the characters' struggle with identification is tied to the loss of their ancestry, which forces them to forge a new culture and identity. Marcus, the final character of the novel, heals the trauma inflicted on his lineage by returning to his ancestral home.Show less
In my thesis, I explore and compare three films issued in the decades after the 1980s for their representation of neglected regional working-class memory – for which I use the term counter-memory...Show moreIn my thesis, I explore and compare three films issued in the decades after the 1980s for their representation of neglected regional working-class memory – for which I use the term counter-memory throughout my thesis – of Thatcher’s politics. Counter-memory presents the narratives of the people who struggle in the dominant culture. All three of the films in this corpus are directed by British filmmakers. The Commitments (1991), directed by Alan Parker, is set in Dublin, Ireland. Trainspotting (1996), directed by Danny Boyle, is set in Edinburgh, Scotland. Stephen Daldry’s Billy Elliot (2000) is set in County Durham, England. I critically examine how these films challenge or reinforce the capitalist hegemony of the 1980s and how their critique of society influences the memory of that era. Overall, I argue that the abovementioned films represent different sides of working-class counter-memory in a kaleidoscopic view of the same: counter-memory of the socio-economic effects of the political strategies in Britain and Ireland of the 1980s.Show less
