Another fear erected from this novel is the power of seduction over feebleminded women. Evident in a passage from Zofloya, Victoria was swooned even by the sound of his voice, ‘Oh, Flattery, like heavenly dew upon the earth, gratefully dost thou descend upon the ear of woman! Indescribable pleasure dilated the bosom of Victoria, as she listened to the honied accents of the delicate Moor’ (Dacre 156). This villain had a hold over her making it easier to push her towards evil deeds. He promised her security after committing the crimes she wished, ‘…you shall see your desire fulfilled, and I will preserve you from every danger and suspicion’ (Dacre 181). Victoria had wished Berenza dead and Lilla out of the way but required the extra push from Zofloya. …show more content…
Miles claims that ‘In the context of the universal failure of the will, Zofloya’s croaking delight in the ‘natural’ primacy of the self takes on a demonic plausibility’ (Miles 170). Returning to the previous argument that evil resides in the human brain, this novel aggravates that fear. Zofloya does not just represent Satan, he represents the evil that most worried dwelled within them. Adriana Craciun mentions Dacre’s insistence that ‘female and male subjects are driven by a will to power and possess an infinite sadistic capacity, which in her age translates into a “love of evil”’ (Craciun 21). Concerning the society that Dacre was publishing her novel for, this “love of evil” was a concept to be feared in most
She presents two contradictory images of society in most of her fiction: one in which the power and prevalence of evil seem so deeply embedded that only destruction may root it out, and another in which the community or even an aggregate of individuals, though radically flawed, may discover within itself the potential for regeneration. (34)
Many readers feel the tendency to compare Aphra Behn's Oroonoko to William Shakespeare's Othello. Indeed they have many features in common, such as wives executed by husbands, conflicts between white and black characters, deceived heroes, the absolute vulnerability of women, etc. Both works stage male characters at both ends of their conflicts. In Othello, the tragic hero is Othello, and the villain is Iago. In Oroonoko, the hero is Oroonoko, the vice of the first part is the old king, and the second part white men in the colony. In contrast to their husbands, both heroines—Desdemona and Imoinda—seem more like "function characters" who are merely trapped in their husband's fates, occasionally becoming some motivation of their husbands (like Desdemona is Othello's motivation to rage, Imoinda's pregnancy drives Oroonoko restless to escape). While Shakespeare and Behn put much effort in moulding them, to many readers they are merely "perfect wives". This paper aims to argue that, Desdemona and Imoinda's perfect wifehood may be the product of compliance to male-dominated societies, where women are
In the graphic novel, Deogratias: A Tale of Rwanda, by Stassen, we are introduced to the story of a young boy name Deogratias and we follow him through his journey during the time of the Rwanda genocide. Deogratias was just a young normal boy, who was mischievous and curious just like any other boys his age. However, we begin to see how the Rwanda genocide affected Deogratias negatively and through the unbearable guilt it led to his mental deterioration. Through the vivid illustrations and storytelling of Stassen, we get to see glimpses of Deogratias’ past and how each event played a role in the lost of Deogratias’ humanity. For a young boy to be in such an environment is deeply traumatizing, but at the same time he also committed many unspeakable
The subjugation of women is a key theme across my three chosen texts, Othello, The Great Gatsby and Wuthering Heights, that is presented both subtly and obviously through forms of physical, sexual and mental denegation. As a subtler example of subjugation, each woman is ultimately controlled and manipulated by a male figure, whether it be through Othello’s suppression of Desdemona upon believing she is unfaithful, Heathcliff’s domination over Isabella or Tom Buchanan’s economic control of Daisy via his financial stability within a class defined society. This confirms Evelyn Cunningham’s perception that, “Women are the only oppressed group in our society that lives in intimate association with their oppressors”, notably in the way that women’s roles are dictated and restricted by the domineering, patriarchal men in their lives, however there are still aspects of female rebellion in each of the texts.
The human psyche has a desire for seeing others in pain. The dark romantics used this to create a legacy of literature that terrified their readers to the core. The dark romantics were individuals who used their pessimistic view of the world and incorporated it into their literature to invoke terror and fear into their readers. In contrast to the transcendentalists, dark romantics saw the world as evil and decaying. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Minister’s Black Veil” and Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” both authors use symbolism, suspense, and irony to emphasize the importance of tragedy as a theme throughout dark romantic literature.
“People are always giving you credit for really wanting to say more than you said,”says poet Shel Silverstein ("Famous Quotes at BrainyQuote." BrainyQuote. Xplore, n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2016). Silverstein is able to use his imaginative language to do just that. Shel Silverstein has become a talented writer by bringing his imaginative words and world to life. Silverstein has contributed to the world of music,drawings, and poetry. For example, his poem “The Giving Tree” is one of his most loved poems that has touched the hearts of many. The poem’s maternal generosity and kindness makes the ballad unforgettably beautiful. Overall, Silverstein’s witty wording and imaginative illustrations have greatly contributed to the arts
Lady Fortune, in Philosophy’s words, is a “monster” who “seduces with the friendship the very people she is striving to cheat, until she overwhelms them with unbearable grief at the suddenness of her desertion” (Boethius, 22). She is the representation of all good and evil which can happen to a human being, seemingly, without warning. Fortu...
“Let the Right One In turns away from the representations of sexual threat and desire that have long typified – and currently dominate – vampire fiction.”3. The novel attempts to copy the significance of seduction of the ‘original’ vampire but in doing so alters the meaning of the vampire. Although the novel cuts sex from its story of love and a vampire, seduction is still represented in the novel; however, it represents a different meaning – namely the loss of innocence. In Dracula for example, women vampires are portrayed as overtly sexual beings who use their seduction as a means to advance their desire to kill. This is seen when Johathan Harker is being seduced by the Count’s three brides. “Jonathan takes on a stereotypically passive, feminine role, peering coyly through his lashes, waiting and hoping for ravishment. Of course, what he waits and hopes for isn’t necessarily what this strange and beautiful, blonde and sapphire-eyed monster intends.”3. Unlike in the case of the ‘original vampire’ idea of sexual seduction as a means of death “Let the Right One In excises sex from its tale of vampire seduction, the book has its own erotic investments, which circulate around the idealized notions of loss of childhood innocence”3 . When Oskar is kissed for the first time, he notes that he is able to have a different perspective of life and that he is able to view life through Eli’s eyes.
The eponymous pseudonym Fantomina suggests derivation from a phantom, an apparition or an illusion; and the character is defined by her talent for deception. Immediately, Haywood describes Fantomina as “A Young Lady of distinguished Birth, Beauty, Wit, and Spirit” (713), yet she is soon marked out as different. Once, Fantomina is released from her context in the rural gentry and untethered from obligation, she moves from contempt to curiosity toward the London gentlemen. Active in pursuit of her sexual desire, Fantomina takes on traditionally male traits. Beauplaisir, on the other hand, serves as the object of desire, the passive recipient of her manipulation and deception. Fantomina’s sexual desire was motivated by nothing but pure curiosity: “[She had] at that Time no other Aim, than the Gratification of an innocent curiosity” (713). However, her male-like curiosity and assertiveness immediately backfired as Fantomina realized she could not remain desirable to the male without changing. She becomes the object of desire “upon being undone” (716) by Beauplaisir and her appeal is soon lost. To maintain his affection, Fantomina feels the need to play various other roles. In doing so, Haywood had reverted Fantomina back to her traditional
...n idea about the human psyche and the nature of evil. Throughout the novels, we have acts that were dubbed as evil. Some of these were: the acts of the rabbi’s son, the killing of Simon, and even the joy Eliezer felt at the death of his father. All of these points and the many that weren’t mentioned all shared a singular idea. It was that the ulterior motive of these acts revolved around people reacting on instinct and desire. From these, we gain the final message of the novel that was proven time and time again. This message was that evil isn’t an act that just isn’t moral. Evil is the primal, instinctual, an animalistic rage that lives in the darker part of our heart, a part of the heart that is brought to light upon the moment the chains of civilization are broken..... A moment where we fall prey to our instincts and our conscience disappears into the darkness.
This paper will discuss the way Conrad's novel Heart of Darkness relies, both thematically and formally, on values that could be called sexist. By "sexism" I mean the those cultural assumptions that make women be regarded, unjustly, as in different ways inferior to men: socially, intellectually and morally. Since Heart of Darkness has often been regarded as one of the best and profoundest discussions of morality in English literature, this issue is very important.
In his literary work, Eça’s female characters are marked for life and are either weak or are prostitutes; in the case of Genoveva in “The Tragedy”, she is the latter (King and Sousa 200).
Tolstoy’s “The Devil” explores the dichotomy of the objectification of women as the angel and the devil to great lengths. Liza is his angelic perfect wife who loves him and provides him with a great life; however Stepanida is his devil that pushes him to a lustful state that ultimately destroys him. Evgeny is in a raging battle against himself where he has to decide what lifestyle and pathway he wants to live; the sweet life with the angel or the run down demonic life of the devil. Ultimately, the choice causes him great mental instability and he commits suicide. The Devil effectively portrays women as the reason of Evgeny’s downfall.
...d expanded, and the whole prospered on the servitude and devotion of women. Petruchio did his bit, as did Isabella's Duke, so that protectionism was the right end and repository for women's identity and role. Yet in the next section Benedick will meet his match, and that paragon, Portia, will tactfully remain within the rhetorical framework of male supremacy, costuming her more able endeavours....
In a tradition of classic poetry, the opening of “The Rape of the Lock” institutes the most epic tone. The author begins by calling upon a muse; he keeps the muse anonymous, rather than appeal to one of the mythic Greek muses. In the first paragraph the author launch pope’s epic theme: a war arising the action of the poem starts with the sun rising, arousing the residents. Though everyone, including the lapdogs, has risen, Belinda remains asleep. She dreams of a handsome youth who informs her that she is protected by a “thousand bright inhabitants of air:” spirits that were once human women who now protect virgins. The dream is sent to Belinda by Ariel, “her guardian Sylph” (20). The Sylphs are Belinda’s guardians because they understand her vanity and pride, having been coquettes when they were humans. They are devoted to any woman who “rejects mankind” (68). Their role is to guide young women through the “mystic mazes” of social interaction (92). At the end of the dream, Ariel warns Belinda of an impending “dread event,” urging her to “Beware of all, but most beware of Man” (109, 114). Belinda is then awoken by her lapdog, Shock. Upon rising, she sees that a love-letter has arrived for her, causing her to forget the details of the dream. At this point in the poem, however, Pope describes Belinda as a influential figure, somewhat like the heroes of epic poetry. Belinda sets out by a boat to Hampton Court Palace. She is accompanied by a party of ladies and gentlemen, but is the most striking member of the group. Her two ringlets are described as love’s labyrinths, designed to entangle a man’s heart. The Baron decides to steal these locks. He builds an altar to pray for success. In this true mock-heroic poem, the gods lis...