This thesis deals with the meta theatrical devices Shakespeare uses throughout Hamlet, and the effects these devices have on the viewers of film adaptations of this play. The meta theatrical and...Show moreThis thesis deals with the meta theatrical devices Shakespeare uses throughout Hamlet, and the effects these devices have on the viewers of film adaptations of this play. The meta theatrical and meta cinematic distances the audience. The alienation of the audience allows them to reflect upon the events in a way that would not be possible without employing Brecht’s theory of alienation. THis thesis will examine the meta-theatrical elements in Hamlet, and show how these can be applied to alienate the audience.Show less
This thesis looks into two of Margaret Atwood's famous novels, Alias Grace and The Handmaid's Tale, to analyse how the female protagonists of both novels illustrate the marginalisation of women who...Show moreThis thesis looks into two of Margaret Atwood's famous novels, Alias Grace and The Handmaid's Tale, to analyse how the female protagonists of both novels illustrate the marginalisation of women who were being suppressed in a patriarchal society during Atwood's own early adulthood. Furthermore, it looks into how the women in Atwood's novels respond to this marginalisation and whether the response is comparable to the ideals of feminism.Show less
Heinrich Kaufringer, ein Märenautor aus dem Mittelalter. Wie geht er mit den Geschlechterrollen in seinen Mären um? Drei Mären werden in dieser Bachelorarbeit verwendet: drei listige Frauen, die...Show moreHeinrich Kaufringer, ein Märenautor aus dem Mittelalter. Wie geht er mit den Geschlechterrollen in seinen Mären um? Drei Mären werden in dieser Bachelorarbeit verwendet: drei listige Frauen, die unschuldige Mörderin, der feige Ehemann.Show less
The focus of this thesis is belief. Belief here is defined as the human act of believing in the validity of a thing, concept or creature, without a necessity of empirical evidence to sustain the...Show moreThe focus of this thesis is belief. Belief here is defined as the human act of believing in the validity of a thing, concept or creature, without a necessity of empirical evidence to sustain the conviction. Human society itself is founded upon belief as it requires humans to believe in abstract concepts that maintain human society such as mercy, justice, and honour. According to Grunner (227), religion is of central importance in the Discworld novels, particularly in The Last Hero, Pyramids, Reaper Man and Hogfather. Pratchett lays emphasis on the necessity of belief and the nature of religion to be a societal tool, belief rather than religion is the central focus of these novels. Pratchett holds that belief is a necessary capacity for the human condition; that the ability to believe is humanity’s defining characteristic. Thus belief – and the humans that express it – always hold authority over the religion – and the Gods that inhabit it – that it happens to create. The evidence for the argument presented above is found in the relationship between the Divinities and humans. The Discworld is inherently polytheistic, as many religions exist and all their gods exist in varying degrees of manifestation and power. These Gods are part of the Divinities class. Other members are Anthropomorphic Representations (henceforth ARs) and Auditors. The nature of Divinities is further explored in chapter three. For now, it suffices to say that the relationship of humans to their belief is mediated through the Divinities as on the Disc. What is believed in must exist. Thus, the relationship between Gods and humans reflects on the nature of human belief whereas the relation between Auditors and ARs reflects on the human capacity to create their social reality. Both these relations will be discussed in chapter four. It is through the relations between Gods and humans, humans and ARs, and Auditors and ARs that this thesis seeks to prove its argument.Show less
Ultimately, this thesis aims to show the prominence and literary importance of female anti-heroes getting full attention. Before this thesis, female anti-heroes have had a shadowy, ghostly...Show moreUltimately, this thesis aims to show the prominence and literary importance of female anti-heroes getting full attention. Before this thesis, female anti-heroes have had a shadowy, ghostly existence. It is important that they get centre-stage attention now in literary criticism as well as in fiction and on the screen since gender segregation regarding anti-heroines is still existent. Consequently, this thesis also highlights the unequal gender representations in Gothic fiction.Show less
In her highly influential book Gender Trouble, as well as in other publications such as “Performative Acts and Gender Constitution” and “Imitation and Gender Insubordination,” Judith Butler argues...Show moreIn her highly influential book Gender Trouble, as well as in other publications such as “Performative Acts and Gender Constitution” and “Imitation and Gender Insubordination,” Judith Butler argues for the performative nature of gender and especially the performativity of heterosexual masculinity. She discusses gender as a theatrical performance and claims that gender is, in essence, an imitation of a non-existent original. She argues that gender is collectively produced by society in a way similar to how plays are produced for the stage. The performance of cross-dressing can be especially disruptive of the illusion that gender identity is built around a stable core, and often highlight the every-day performance that is masculinity. Although most Shakespeare plays do not explicitly discuss cross-dressing practices, female roles in Shakespeare’s England were performed by young boys. Some of the plays do discuss the theme overtly, especially those that feature double cross-dressing. In the plays As You Like It, The Merchant of Venice, Twelfth Night, Cymbeline, and The Two Gentlemen of Verona, female characters disguise themselves as men for an array of reasons. The boys in these plays literally perform two genders as a role – both the (traditional) female and male gender role are performed on the stage. Through this, the boundaries of gender are blurred and its performativity highlighted. Scholars such as Michael Shapiro and Stephen Orgel have researched gender in Shakespeare’s plays extensively. In their respective books, Gender in Play on the Shakespearean Stage and Impersonations: The performance of gender in Shakespeare’s England, they discuss what effect the presence of the boy actors has on the plays and how Shakespeare deliberately alluded to their presence. Through jests, comments and allusions, Shakespeare’s plays explore the act of cross-dressing, homoeroticism and question gender boundaries. Shakespeare’s (double) cross-dressed characters highlight the performativity of gender, especially masculinity, in a way similar to what Butler discusses in her works on gender performativity. Casey Charles, in his essay “Gender Trouble in Twelfth Night”, applies Butler’s ideas to several scenes in the play. He argues that “Judith Butler's critique … provides a useful model for understanding” how Shakespeare’s plays disrupt traditional ideas on gender and sexuality. His application of Butler to Twelfth Night in turn provides a model for the analysis of other plays in this thesis. In this thesis, I will first discuss Butler’s ideas on performative gender. Secondly, I will analyse how gender is portrayed as a performative act in three plays: The Merchant of Venice, Twelfth Night and As You Like It. Thirdly, I will discuss how the casting boys or (young) men in original productions of these plays impacts the meaning of the disguises, as well as that of the plays as a whole. After investigating the original texts and productions, I will also analyse modern productions of the three plays by Shakespeare’s Globe company, and show how they deal with the notions of boy actors, performative gender and cross-dressing, as well as Shakespeare’s original comments and allusions. I will argue that within the three plays, comments, humour, and reflexive allusions highlight the presence of the boy actor. Through these, the plays also portray gender – especially masculinity – as a performative act that is similar to the acts that Butler describes in her work. Since most modern productions opt for women to play the cross-dressed characters in the play, many of the intended allusions are lost. Therefore, it is essential for the preservation of both the originally intended plays as well as the timeless messages on gender they carry that all-male productions remain.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
Bachelor thesis | Film- en literatuurwetenschap (BA)
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The purpose of this dissertation is to establish to what extent the wolf and the hunter in Little Red Riding Hood stories have, over time, developed into complex characters that will allow for a...Show moreThe purpose of this dissertation is to establish to what extent the wolf and the hunter in Little Red Riding Hood stories have, over time, developed into complex characters that will allow for a wide variety of masculine role models. To achieve this, four versions of the tale have been analysed and compared: “Le Petit Chaperon Rouge” by Charles Perrault, “Rotkäppchen” by the Brothers Grimm, “The Company of Wolves” by Angela Carter, and Princess of the Silver Woods by Jessica Day George. This dissertation is meant as an addition to the existing feminist discourse on gender and fairy tales and the theoretical framework exists mainly of historical context to Perrault’s version of the story, Judith Butler’s theory of gender as a construct, Alexander Boon’s definition of the hero figure as masculine role model, and Riki Lane’s views on the relation between nature and nurture. Concluded, these male role models have become more complex, but they still offer only a limited array of masculine role models accepted by contemporary mainstream culture. It is important for this to change and more research into this topic is advisable.Show less
This thesis explores the Romantic-era nature/nurture debate as represented in Gothic fiction, by examining the representation in Frankenstein of Mary Shelley’s standpoint regarding the significance...Show moreThis thesis explores the Romantic-era nature/nurture debate as represented in Gothic fiction, by examining the representation in Frankenstein of Mary Shelley’s standpoint regarding the significance of nurture for human mental development. In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley explores the role of parenting and education in the formation of individual identity. Frankenstein is first analysed in relation to the work of Shelley's parents regarding parenting, upbringing and education. Shelley's representation of the malleability of children is examined, after which Frankenstein's creature is read as a Female Gothic victim-heroine, in order to demonstrate how Shelley extends existing Gothic conventions to illustrate her beliefs regarding the influence of upbringing on the formation of individual identity. Finally, this thesis explores the role of the cult of domesticity on Frankenstein, in order to complete its analysis of Shelley's intellectual standpoint regarding the importance of nurture for the formation of individual identity. Shelley is shown to take up an intellectual position between the radical egalitarianism of her parents and her husband, that stresses nurture above everything else, and the more conventional – Christian – wisdom concerning human development as exemplified in Ann Radcliffe’s Female Gothic romances. Frankenstein shows that even though sociopolitical institutions have the power to corrupt individuals, the individuals have the responsibility to act according to their conscience.Show less
This thesis illustrates how the nineteenth-century English poet Christina Rossetti combined sexual imagery with the theme of redemption in order to challenge the dominant representation of the ...Show moreThis thesis illustrates how the nineteenth-century English poet Christina Rossetti combined sexual imagery with the theme of redemption in order to challenge the dominant representation of the “fallen women” in Victorian culture. The art works of her fellow pre-Raphaelites representing “fallen women” are shown to be significant intertexts that helped Rossetti develop her contrasting depictions of fallen women. In all, this thesis sheds light on the relevance of Rossetti’s poetry to the nineteenth-century feminist movement, as it attempted to liberate women from the dominant patriarchal Victorian gender ideology.Show less
This thesis argues and explains how Blackstar and No Plan cleverly use intertextuality as a tool to explore and explain Bowie’s notions of mortality and resurrection.
