Bachelor thesis | Film- en literatuurwetenschap (BA)
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Studies show that literature is highly affected by the context in which it is written. Therefore, literature can be analyzed as a case study in order to identify the tendencies of thought in the...Show moreStudies show that literature is highly affected by the context in which it is written. Therefore, literature can be analyzed as a case study in order to identify the tendencies of thought in the time that a story is written. The purpose of this study was to "analyze" how the scientific discourse in (post)modern detective fiction can be related to the changing scientific and philosophical context of the twentieth century. Through an extensive textual analysis of a detective character’s methodology, a picture could be painted of their scientific beliefs. By going through this process for two detective characters, the Victorian Sherlock Holmes and the postmodern William of Baskerville, a comparison between the two may then reveal how the shifts in the philosophical field of science and theory could have affected their methods of theoretical thought that they utilize to interpret the world and subsequently solve cases. The study showed that Sherlock Holmes never questioned the objective and observable nature of evidence and universal causality, whereas in William of Baskerville’s methodology the elusiveness of any attempt to interpret the world was a major focus. Relating these findings to the philosophical ideas that were most dominant in the beginning and the end of the twentieth century showed that this shift correlates with the manner in which society’s confidence in the objectivity of science and knowledge has diminished.Show less
This thesis establishes how Theater Rotterdam's Hamlet de Familievøørstelling (2018) successfully adapts the genre of the British Christmas Pantomime and simultaneously adapts Shakespeare's Hamlet....Show moreThis thesis establishes how Theater Rotterdam's Hamlet de Familievøørstelling (2018) successfully adapts the genre of the British Christmas Pantomime and simultaneously adapts Shakespeare's Hamlet. It shows furthermore how a Shakespeare adaptation can tap into new audiences through adaptation of the pantomime genre, displaying how valuable adaptations can be to reach new audiences.Show less
This thesis discusses Ali Smith’s contemporary rewriting of Ovid’s Iphis myth. It will examine how the democratisation of the field of Greek and Roman classical scholarship, through an increase of...Show moreThis thesis discusses Ali Smith’s contemporary rewriting of Ovid’s Iphis myth. It will examine how the democratisation of the field of Greek and Roman classical scholarship, through an increase of female scholars working in this field and the application of concepts from feminist theory to classical texts, enabled Smith in her retelling of the Iphis myth by providing new interpretations for this myth. It will then be examined how Smith formed this new narrative by working within the scholarly framework of Judith Butler’s theories on gender and sexuality, illuminating and foregrounding the issues of gender ambiguity and same-sex relationships that are already present in the original myth. Finally, the importance of intertextuality and epigraphs in Smith’s work will also be taken into account by considering how she engages with the gender confusion and homoerotic tendencies present in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, The Tempest, Cymbeline, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Lyly’s Gallathea, providing a literary context for her novel which she uses to support her own narrative and, sometimes, to change the cultural resonance of Elizabethan plays that deal with gender and same-sex relationships.Show less
A rhetorical analysis of modern rhetorical devices used in speeches about the climate crisis given by various politicians and scientists. This analysis has been conducted according to the...Show moreA rhetorical analysis of modern rhetorical devices used in speeches about the climate crisis given by various politicians and scientists. This analysis has been conducted according to the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) as is described by Hoeken et. al. This shows how these two different groups incorporate rhetorical devices to persuade. Four rhetorical mechanism have been analysed: fear appeal, metaphor and the use of adjectives and statistics. This study showed that both parties were very conscious about persuading according to either the central or non-central persuasion route as is described in Hoeken's theory. Scientists mainly persuaded according to the central route whereas politicians persuaded according to the non-central persuasion route.Show less
This thesis discusses the murders and murderers in Edgar Allan Poe's “The Black Cat”, “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Cask of Amontillado”. It looks at their self-defenses and motivations for their...Show moreThis thesis discusses the murders and murderers in Edgar Allan Poe's “The Black Cat”, “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Cask of Amontillado”. It looks at their self-defenses and motivations for their crimes with specific attention for their forensic oratory.Show less
The dissertation argues that Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, George Orwell’s 1984, and Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale comment on the interdependence between language and identity through...Show moreThe dissertation argues that Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, George Orwell’s 1984, and Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale comment on the interdependence between language and identity through their respective fictional dystopic regimes’ exploitation of language and the consequential identity development of their nonconformist characters.Show less
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
The focus of this thesis is the change in Pamela due to her entrapment in Mr B.’s household, and the elements of violence that are present in the relationship between Mr B. and Pamela. This is...Show moreThe focus of this thesis is the change in Pamela due to her entrapment in Mr B.’s household, and the elements of violence that are present in the relationship between Mr B. and Pamela. This is examined by close-reading Pamela, and by investigating elements of Oroonoko and Beauty and the Beast to show how romanticized violence, Stockholm syndrome, and complex PTSD can be applied to literary characters.Show less
When translating a book into a film script, and subsequently into a film, often aspects of the story are changed either because of different interpretations of the story or with the sole purpose of...Show moreWhen translating a book into a film script, and subsequently into a film, often aspects of the story are changed either because of different interpretations of the story or with the sole purpose of changing the source text to fit the new medium (Sanders 2). This thesis will critically explore differences between Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park (1990) and The Lost World (1995) and their 1993 and 1997 film adaptations. In doing so, it will show that changes made during the adaptation process were caused, on the one hand, by commercial pressures within the film industry, technical concerns, and the director’s artistic vision, and, on the other hand, by new scientific discoveries in the field of paleontology.Show less
The current study provides insight into how Dutch students react to two different didactic methods used to learn English vocabulary. In order to investigate this, students at a high school in The...Show moreThe current study provides insight into how Dutch students react to two different didactic methods used to learn English vocabulary. In order to investigate this, students at a high school in The Hague voluntarily participated. The participants were divided over two classes which were split into two groups. One group memorized 15 words with help of visualization while the other group memorized the words with plain memorization in silence. Results showed that the group who memorized the words with plain memorization did better on the questionnaires they had to fill out to test their retainment. The same questionnaire had to be filled out again a week later and showed that the students did not remembered much, as they now made more mistakes. To see how this pattern arose, opinions of students were asked on how they felt about the method they had to use.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 examines the gender representation in the animated series Avatar: the Last Airbender by analyzing several male and female characters of the series. Gender theories by Judith Bulter...Show moreThis thesis examines the gender representation in the animated series Avatar: the Last Airbender by analyzing several male and female characters of the series. Gender theories by Judith Bulter served as the main sources for this thesis.Show less
