This thesis examines the Gothic representation and symbolic function of the Scottish natural environment in two works by Robert Louis Stevenson: the short story “The Merry Men” (1882), and the...Show moreThis thesis examines the Gothic representation and symbolic function of the Scottish natural environment in two works by Robert Louis Stevenson: the short story “The Merry Men” (1882), and the adventure novel Kidnapped (1886). The Gothic aesthetics in Stevenson’s writings – such as the notion of the sublime, the personification of nature, and the past versus the present – highlight the themes that the author expresses through his description of the Scottish landscape and seascape. By analysing the depiction of the Scottish natural environment in “The Merry Men” and Kidnapped, and by comparing these images with the aesthetics characteristic of the Gothic genre, I will demonstrate that the Scottish natural environment is not only Gothic in description, but also symbolises the themes and motifs of the narratives involved, such as heritage, memory and identity. Moreover, in the two narratives, the idea of Scotland as a nation as well as its specific physical environment becomes dark and mysterious, affecting both the characters’ and the readers’ sense of place. Since one’s sense of place is closely connected to one’s state of mind, this thesis also critically explores the extent to which the Scottish landscape and seascape influence the state of mind of the protagonists.Show less
This thesis examines the relations between social scripts and the ambiguity surrounding the existence of ghosts in The Haunting of Hill House, The Turn of the Screw, and their modern Netflix...Show moreThis thesis examines the relations between social scripts and the ambiguity surrounding the existence of ghosts in The Haunting of Hill House, The Turn of the Screw, and their modern Netflix adaptation The Haunting. It critically explores how the adaptation process has consequences for the nature of the ambiguity and thematic function of the ghosts within each narrative. In a visual medium, the representation of ghosts undermines the ambiguity of their existence. In turn, this has an impact on the themes of innocence and corruption that are explored in the narrative, which transform from psychologically oriented to socially oriented themes.Show less
This thesis illuminates the idea of a cross-cultural genre comparison within the field of Literary Studies. Commonly, this means focussing on a certain genre and its characteristics within the...Show moreThis thesis illuminates the idea of a cross-cultural genre comparison within the field of Literary Studies. Commonly, this means focussing on a certain genre and its characteristics within the literatures of two or more different cultural contexts. However, as an experiment, this thesis assumes the narrative status of literature and contemporary popular culture to be similar. This would mean that it is possible to compare genres cross-culturally within literature and within other types of media. After discussing the field of World Literature and the existence of transcultural narratives, the thesis will move on to a case study between American and Japanese authors. To clarify the potential and usefulness of cross-cultural genre comparisons, three genres will be looked at: gothic, mystery/detective and Lovecraftian weird tale literature. The first two will be explored in short stories by American author Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) and those by three Japanese writers, namely Tanizaki Junichirō 谷崎潤一郎 (1886-1965), Akutagawa Ryūnosuke 芥川龍之介 (1892-1927) and Edogawa Rampo 江戸川乱歩 (1894-1965). The third genre will be used to see how the literary characteristics of weird tales by American author H.P. Lovecraft (1890-1937) have been used, not only in Japanese literature, but also in Japanese popular culture, like manga and anime. As such, it will eventually show how key conventions within the genres of gothic, mystery/detective and Lovecraftian weird tale literature cannot be explained from within one national or cultural context alone and how cross-cultural and cross-media studies add to the international potential of Literary Studies.Show less
