Finbar

Ok, so seeing as you've all asked me at one point...here's my plan. My essay is about 1200 words and 8 minutes. If you can understand my notes, you should be able to get at least 6 from this. (btw, year 12 and I'm not helping anyone, 1st rank is MINEE! haha)

Intro, main argument: ESH subverts almost all aspects and conventions used in Dracula.

Point 1: outsider's acceptance in society. Count is evil, threatening a 'good', 'righteous' society. Edward is humane, ultimately good, threatening a superficial, in some ways inhumane society. also went into difference in perception of a monster: scissorhands, scars, weird hair etc... compared to dracula's features. Similar portrayal: Monster, but edward is not. talk about techniques used to portray this.

Point 2: Sexuality, women and stereotypes. vampire women much like women in ESH, conniving, group mentality, sexually driven. In dracula, this is un-stereotypical, a fiction. In ESH this is stereotypical, satirical. Comment on society?

Point 3: Science & effect on society. Dracula, rational way of thinking overtaking supernatural beliefs, society is ignorant. ESH, creation of life outshines society, but ultimately can never live in society.

Conclusion :)

Good luck kiddies! ^_^



__ Dracula by Bram Stoker - Questions __ __ (1) The vampire women: __ The passage in which Jonathon meets the three vampire women is an important one. Stoker uses strong imagery to allow the reader to picture the three women and to imagine their presence. He also uses slight foreshadowing in the line “There was something about them that made me uneasy, some longing and at the same time some deadly fear”. Stoker exposes the sexual aspect of the book by making the three women vampires embody the usually male aspect of initiating sex. Although there are no sex scenes in the book, he developed a hidden eroticism and covers it in the supernatural theme of the novel. This goes against all stereotypes of women that were present in the time of the novel, and it is because of this eroticism that the scene in which Jonathon meets the three vampire women is an extremely important one in this novel.

__ (2) Mina and Lucy: __ The women depicted in the scene at the castle are a very sharp contrast to the more stereotypical women; Mina and Lucy. Mina may not have been breathtakingly beautiful as Lucy but her strength of character, immense will power, insight and intellect stand out and suggests she well become an active character as the novel progresses. Mina is totally in love with her husband and vice-versa. She wishes to act in service to Jonathan in every way she can, which is shown when she writes “When we are married I shall be useful to him”. This is very stereotypical of the women of the age in which this novel is written, women were expected to devote their lives to their husbands and nothing else. Lucy is not as clever or strong of heart as Mina, and as a result is easily swayed by Dracula’s hypnotics. She also believes men to be superior to women and unworthy of them as she states “why are men so noble when we women are so little worthy of them?” She is a very stereotypical example of an average woman in the time of Stoker’s writing of the novel. The three women vampires are completely different to this and challenge this developed stereotype greatly. They embody themes of sexuality, lust and desire which, in those days, were not seen to be womanly.

__ (3) Arrival of the //Demeter// __ Foreshadowing regarding Lucy’s behaviour is used in chapters 6 and 7. Lucy’s growing restlessness and sleepwalking along with the redness coming to her cheeks give a subtle hint as to what her fate may hold as the novel progresses. Also, the storm in which the //Demeter// arrives, along with some quite unsubtle foreshadowing, exemplifies some of the gothic elements in this novel. The mists rolling into the harbour from out at sea are clearly gothic elements in this novel, and suggest an uncertainty in the future. The brooling sounds coming from offshore also hint at an evil which is out there and waiting to come on land. And the last main gothic element present in the storm was the mysterious boat, the idea of a boat floating out at sea behaving strangely allows the reader to decide in their own mind what may be upon that ship and therefore allow them to create their own horror in their mind.

__ (4) Real-Time Journals __ Stoker’s use of real-time journals in Dracula allows the reader to know things that the character does not. This creates a tension between the character and the reader. Through the journal entry format of writing Stoker reveals clues to his readers in small snippets that allow the reader to put them together and come to the conclusion which Stoker aims for. The use of foreshadowing along with dark gothic elements help to guide the reader through the story as apposed to laying it out before them.

__ (5) Lucy’s Journal __ In the process of copying this from paper to computer, will do the rest soo

English Extension Assessment Task Gothic Literature It is impossible for literature not to reflect contemporary issues and preoccupations. Therefore, to understand Gothic literature it is necessary to first understand the political, intellectual, and spiritual mindset of the time. This period, between 1750 and 1820, was a time of great uncertainty in almost every aspect of society. The Gothic genre, although covering a wide range of settings, characters and plots, always expresses this tension. “Gothic fiction is not only written about confusion, it is written from confusion”. (1) **excellent intro**

**need a topic sentence here** The aristocracy believed that they were the ‘true’ British people, descended from the Normans and exemplifying their sophistication and refinement. They saw the working class as the coarse natives of Anglo-Saxon England, being ‘untamed’ and wild. The Gothic movement saw these same distinctions but reversed their value. For them the time was ripe for the native Anglo-Saxons to throw off the foreign yoke of Norman manners and institutions.

The French Revolution played a major part in the huge political changes taking place around Europe and the Western world. The revolutionary concepts of “liberty, equality and fraternity” awakened tensions between the classes in British society. The aristocracy feared a revolt by the lower classes, knowing that their own wealth depended upon their continued ignorance. The working class was beginning to stir from its long acceptance of subservience. The middle class was in an ambiguous position. It both lusted after and despised the greed and amorality of the aristocracy, while feeling contempt for and fear of the working class.

The term Gothic was used by both ends of the political spectrum. According to the right wing interpretation of British history the Gothic ideal represented hierarchy, tradition and aristocracy as opposed to the feared rise of uncultivated commoners. The left wing used “Gothic” in a more historically correct way, interpreting the original Goths as people of the Germanic tribes, including their own Anglo-Saxon forebears, who claimed a freedom-loving tradition.

The Gothic was also a reaction to the Enlightenment. “The gothic revival was a reaction to a century or more where rationalism, empiricism and classicism were the dominant ideological forces”. (2) The Gothic fascination with emotion and experience conflicted with the Enlightenment’s emphasis on the intellect, its insistence on empirical evidence and its aspiration toward rationality.

**this is very well written and expressed. BUT you also need overview-structure sentences to give a sense of direction to your discussion. That's missing here** Western thought had not yet explored the idea of the subconscious, but Gothic literature was certainly touching on it. Its presentation of dreams as being as important as waking experience suggests that these writers believed strongly in the power and validity of the subconscious.

Despite, and even maybe because of, the Enlightenment, Gothic writers wrote in a way that reveals how highly they valued imagination and emotion over rationality. The fact that vampires, werewolves and other supernatural beings were not proven (nor disproven) by science was not important; what mattered was what they represented, the truth that could be told through these non-naturalistic characters, settings and plots. In this way Gothic literature foreshadowed the Surrealist movement, in which artists aimed to use bizarre objects and settings to reveal a truth “more real” than that which could be shown by naturalistic representation.good

Gothic writers lived in very turbulent times. Religion, faith and spirituality, which had long been sources of stability, were being challenged. There was a growing sense that there might be inconsistencies between the Christian creed and the institution of the Church; parishioners were disillusioned by the misappropriation of their tithes; people began to think they were entitled to question the established order. “Aspects of the gothic revival may be viewed as symptomatic of this (resentment) – even when unintended by particular authors or artists.”(3) It is not surprising that Gothic novels gave voice to a new awareness fomenting in people’s minds. Although the vast majority of people in the 18th century believed in Christianity, the “enlightened” pursuit of rationality meant that religion was restricted to faith and practice; direct spiritual experiences were devalued and people who believed in such “superstitious nonsense” were dismissed. It could be argued that the Gothic put people back in contact with spiritual experience through its supernatural themes and emotional intensity. Gothic literature has many elements which, combined, increased its popularity. Gothic writers began to use certain 'shock' tactics designed to jolt their audiences out of their lassitude. This became popular because those readers who were affluent enough to indulge themselves in fake horrors were confident that they could shut the book and re-enter their everyday lives. The popularity of gothic fiction can also be attributed to the way it exploited sensational subject matter in the guise of condemning it. In this way people could read vivid descriptions of sex, rape and nakedness without the guilt of indulging in erotic novels. // The Castle of Otranto // by Horace Walpole (1764) is regarded as the first Gothic novel to be published on a large scale. The plot is long and complex, containing many representative elements of Gothic literature. Its fascination with the past, taste for the bizarre and inexplicable, insights into sexuality, (especially that of women) and exotic, usually dark, settings all contribute to make it an epitome of its genre. **terrific overview**
 * nicely written **

The past is an essential element of //Otranto//: a prince and a marquis and their relationship; a medieval castle; the Crusades; the absolute power of the aristocracy over women and peasants; the authority of the priest; a lost (and restored) birthright and a doomed obsession with succession.

Manfred, the villain, will stop at nothing to ensure the continuation of his bloodline at Otranto, including lying that his wedding to his wife is unlawful, trying to marry the daughter of the rightful owner of the castle, and in the end stabbing his own daughter. He also has the power of life and death over the peasantry. The women have little or no power other than to escape to a convent. Walpole used this medieval world to illustrate a major contemporary theme: the abuse of power.

Walpole also indulges the Gothic taste for the bizarre and inexplicable: the usurper’s son is crushed to death by a huge helmet which falls from the sky; a “gigantic sabre” falls to the ground and cannot be picked up; a giant disembodied hand appears in the very same courtyard. This also reflects a Gothic theme: an omniscient and omnipotent supernatural presence.

Throughout //Otranto// scenes of darkness and shadow create an atmosphere of uncertainty and confusion, even resulting in mistaken identity. These typical Gothic settings play a major part in creating the macabre mood. In this particular novel the setting itself (the Castle) is the ‘hero’: it starts the series of events which eventually defeat Manfred’s ambition and disperse his family. In one of the last scenes, the castle collapses and speaks in the voice of Alfonso (true heir to the throne) and all is resolved. This is a classic example of how vital the setting is in gothic literature.

Gothic literature is clearly a product of contemporary social, political, intellectual and spiritual concerns. In //The Castle of Otranto//, Horace Walpole has fully utilised many key elements of the Gothic novel to express the preoccupations of his troubled times.
 * a wrap-up conclusion, perhaps from a present day perspective, would be good. 2 or so sentences is enough**
 * As I said, you need signposts to lead your reader. You probably want, say, 4 or 5 or 6 major points you want to touch on. For that, you need topic sentences. I think your series of fairly short paragraphs does not help. While you touch on some excellent content, and write very well, the overall structure is not so clear. 22/ 25**

(1) //The Romantic Novel in England//, Robert Kiely (1972) (2) //The Gothic Tradition//, David Stevens, p.19 (2000) (3) //The Gothic Tradition//, David Stevens, p.19 (2000)