This thesis explores the literary theme of aliens in disguise, taking the sit-com 3rd Rock from the Sun as its main focus, yet drawing on various works of science fiction. The disguises used by the...Show moreThis thesis explores the literary theme of aliens in disguise, taking the sit-com 3rd Rock from the Sun as its main focus, yet drawing on various works of science fiction. The disguises used by the aliens in this TV-show are explored in relation to character roles and dramatic purposes, revealing set tropes as well as the ways in which the disguises are used to reflect on human practices such as emotions, gun control and gender. It is through the aliens' disguises that the audience learns about humanity, along with the aliens.Show less
Ghosts are, of course, an integral part of ghost stories and their meanings entwine with the meaning of the story as such. Research has often focused on the appearance of the ghosts and how that...Show moreGhosts are, of course, an integral part of ghost stories and their meanings entwine with the meaning of the story as such. Research has often focused on the appearance of the ghosts and how that feeds into the uncanniness of the story. However, ghosts are important in themselves and in terms of what they stand for and mean. Therefore, this thesis researches the ghosts and the uncanny feelings they provoke, arguing that their presence stands in the place of psychological disturbances in the protagonists. Moreover, I shall argue that they draw the audience inside the protagonists' uncertain and ambiguous perceptions. In this way, all three texts explore the conflict between subjective impressions and the objectively real, and they lead the reader or viewer into a state of fear and confusion regarding what is real or not. All three texts employ the ambiguous figure of the ghost in order to play with the nature of perception, and with our empathetic relationship to the main figure of a story. They aim to induce in the audience the same hesitation as to the truth of perceptions that haunt the protagonists themselves. As part of my methodology here, I draw upon Sigmund Freud’s theory of the uncanny to examine the disruption and haunting of perception in all three texts. I place the uncanny and that disruption in relation to how the text affects the audience.Show less
The 21st century film iteration of Batman was created by Christopher Nolan who reimagined the character and his story in The Dark Knight Trilogy by adopting a darker, grittier, more serious tone....Show moreThe 21st century film iteration of Batman was created by Christopher Nolan who reimagined the character and his story in The Dark Knight Trilogy by adopting a darker, grittier, more serious tone. This thesis will explore how the shift in tone moved the films away from fantasy into what might be termed a heightened reality, thereby allowing for the creation of a more complex, Batman-orientated narrative. Moreover, this thesis will demonstrate how these changes deepened the superhero genre and brought to the foreground the ambiguous, morally gray nature of the main protagonist, which resulted in the redefinition of how a superhero can be presented and understood, and lifted the ‘superhero film’ above being mere escapist entertainment.Show less
This thesis employs queer and psychoanalytic theory in order to analyze three Gothic texts from the Romantic Period: William Godwin's 'Caleb Williams' (1794), Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' (1818),...Show moreThis thesis employs queer and psychoanalytic theory in order to analyze three Gothic texts from the Romantic Period: William Godwin's 'Caleb Williams' (1794), Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' (1818), and James Hogg's 'Justified Sinner' (1824). Through close readings, this thesis argues that the male protagonist's 'double' is a manifestation of his repressed homosexual desires. Do to societal pressure for normative behaviour, the protagonist experiences opposing feelings of desire and homophobia, ultimately causing his isolation and self-hatred.Show less
For his deeply considered secondary world Middle-earth, J.R.R. Tolkien shaped and reshaped all the elements of this fictional realm, not least the way that he conceived his Elves. In doing so, he...Show moreFor his deeply considered secondary world Middle-earth, J.R.R. Tolkien shaped and reshaped all the elements of this fictional realm, not least the way that he conceived his Elves. In doing so, he deviated from the popular and traditional Germanic concept of elves with regards to their origins, their inner characters, their external appearance, and their function and significance within society. This thesis shows how, why and to what end Tolkien’s Elves are different from the conventional figure of the elf.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
In The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Rowling combines the tradition of the fairy tale with her reinvention of it. She reinvents the fairy tale in several different ways. Firstly, she reconstitutes the...Show moreIn The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Rowling combines the tradition of the fairy tale with her reinvention of it. She reinvents the fairy tale in several different ways. Firstly, she reconstitutes the place of magic in the traditional fairy tale, changing it from an impediment that often hampers the hero or heroine to one that helps them to achieve their goal. Connected to this, Rowling also re-invents the role of women in fairy tales, incorporating feminism into her fairy tales. On the other hand, Rowling holds on to the moralising nature of fairy tales. In this thesis, I will explore J.K. Rowling’s re-invention of the fairy tale by looking at the interconnection of magic, feminism and (un)virtuous behaviour and its rewards in her stories.Show less
Research master thesis | Literary Studies (research) (MA)
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Charles Dickens (1812-1870) is mainly known for his Victorian novels. However, Dickens pursued a lifelong relationship with the theatrical world. This thesis aims at exploring this relationship,...Show moreCharles Dickens (1812-1870) is mainly known for his Victorian novels. However, Dickens pursued a lifelong relationship with the theatrical world. This thesis aims at exploring this relationship, taking into account two theatrical adaptations of Dickens’ novel "Bleak House" in 1853: James Elphinstone and Frederic Neale’s "‘Bleak House’, a drama in two acts", performed at the City of London Theatre in June 1853, and George Dibdin Pitt’s "The Bleak House, or the Spectre of the Ghost Walk", performed at the Royal Pavilion Theatre, also in June 1853, before the final instalments of the novel had been published. The main focus of this analysis is the investigation of Gothic motifs present in Dickens’ novel, and how they were represented in these two productions. The conclusion is that these Gothic elements were enhanced on stage by means of textual selections, set arrangements and plot focused on the Dedlocks’ Ghost legend, illustrating the sensationalist character of the nineteenth-century melodramatic theatre. Furthermore, the focus on spectacle also resulted in an impoverishment of the social criticism layer present in Dickens’ novel, demonstrating the productions’ focus on entertainment, in accordance with the theatres’ purposes and target audience in the East End area in London in the nineteenth century.Show less
When creating his main character, Arthur Conan Doyle could never have thought that centuries later the detective stories would still invoke such strong reactions. Although Sherlock Holmes has...Show moreWhen creating his main character, Arthur Conan Doyle could never have thought that centuries later the detective stories would still invoke such strong reactions. Although Sherlock Holmes has indeed been a commercial success over the past hundreds of years, it has had its struggles dealing with its popularity. The 19th century audience already practically forced Doyle to write a sequel to the novel. Since then Sherlock Holmes’ audience and their surroundings obviously have changed dramatically. Technological advancements are not the least important influencers of the original detective stories. The most recent adaptations are the Sherlock Holmes movies with Robert Downey Junior and Jude Law and the BBC series Sherlock with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. Both have again reached millions of fans worldwide resulting in a growing demand of new episodes. With that comes a third technological development, the Internet, where an enormous fan base was created and Sherlock Holmes got an online identity of its own. The question arises how a character and his detective stories can still be so popular today. Apart from using facts and numbers that indicate its popularity, this thesis will investigate the developments in British television that has supported the reinvention of the character of Sherlock Holmes.Show less
This thesis discusses the role of film and star persona in relation to the dominant ideology of the 1950s. Judy Holliday is used as an example in this matter to demonstrate in what ways a female...Show moreThis thesis discusses the role of film and star persona in relation to the dominant ideology of the 1950s. Judy Holliday is used as an example in this matter to demonstrate in what ways a female star persona reflected cultural expectations for American women in film.Show less
In 2010 the BBC launched a new series called Sherlock, a contemporary adaption of the Holmes stories. In this recent adaption created by Stephen Moffat and Mark Gattis, the original characters are...Show moreIn 2010 the BBC launched a new series called Sherlock, a contemporary adaption of the Holmes stories. In this recent adaption created by Stephen Moffat and Mark Gattis, the original characters are presented with a modern twist. Gattis and Moffat are known for their work on the BBC series Dr Who, a programme with a central character himself notably indebted to Holmes. The villains in the BBC series Sherlock challenge Sherlock to commit wicked deeds, and therefore perhaps to become a villain himself. This thesis will argue that in this way the show sets out to destabilize and call into question notions of an essential distinction between heroism and villainy.Show less
In this thesis, I am going to interrogate what might be meant by ‘feminism’ in the 1810s, what Austen might have understood by it, what we now understand by it and how we might apply those ideas to...Show moreIn this thesis, I am going to interrogate what might be meant by ‘feminism’ in the 1810s, what Austen might have understood by it, what we now understand by it and how we might apply those ideas to Austen’s fictions. I shall argue that, although Austen uses the rather conservative genre of the courtship novel, or according to Marilyn Butler, the conservative partisan novel, she employs this genre to subversively express her radical ideas (Butler 3). I shall explore the idea that Austen rarely made her views explicit in her work, due to the prejudice that was attached to feminist opinions at the time due to the life story of Mary Wollstonecraft; I shall trace the effect of Wollstonecraft’s biography on Austen in the next chapter. By investigating different aspects of the family in Austen’s novels, I shall demonstrate how Austen did express her ‘feminist’ opinions through her works, albeit subversively. In particular, I shall examine the weakness of authority figures in her novels. The weakness of these authority figures allows Austen’s heroines to exert more power and therefore have a greater sense of their own agency. I shall further argue that Austen employs the weakness of authority figures in her novels to inspire more feminist behaviour in her heroines, who are not the ‘perfect’ image of Georgian femininity but are nevertheless, as is clear to the reader, favoured over the other characters by Austen. I attempt to show that Austen’s ‘feminist’ tendencies can be seen in her praising her heroines beyond all other characters while these are the characters that display the most agency and therefore are seen to possess ‘masculine’ properties.Show less
