MARY SHELLEY, FRANKESTEIN.

MARY SHELLEY, FRANKESTEIN.

Define Romanticism

The romanticism is a movement in art and literature in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in revolt against the Neoclassicism in the precious centuries. The German poet Friedrich Schegel, he used the term romantic to describe literature as: “Literature depicting emotional matter in an imaginative form.”. Fancy, feeling and liberty are positively the focal points of romanticism includes subjectivity and an emphasis on individualism; spontaneity; freedom from rules; solitary life rather than life in society; belief that imagination is superior than devotion to beauty, and love of nature.

About Mary Shelley 

Mary Shelley was born in London on August 30^th, 1797. Her parents were William Godwin a philosopher and a political writer, and Mary Wollstonecraft a famed Feminist. Shelley never knew her mother because she died after her birth. In 1814, Mary creates a loving relationship with Percy Bysshe Shelley, a poet. They suffered financial situations and faced the loss of their first child in 1815 but some time before Mary brought to the world a baby girl who lived for few days. Mary Shelley is the author of the famous novel “Frankenstein”.  The novel was a reflection of Mary’s own sense of isolation and loneliness. On February 1, 1851, at the age of 54, Mary Shelley died in sleep as a result of a brain tumor. She was living in London at the time of her death.

The life of Mary Shelley.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J86epQeJmKg

NEOCLASSICAL PERIOD

NEOCLASSICAL PERIOD

Neoclassical Period

The Neoclassical Period was written between 1660 and 1798. This time period is fragmented into three sections: the Restoration Period, the Augustan Period, and the Age of Johnson.

Writers of the Neoclassical Period tried to imitate the style of Roman’s and Greek’s writers. As a result the combination of the terms:

“Neo”,

which means: “new”, 
and:

“Classical”,

as in the day of the Roman and Geek classics.

This was also the era of Enlightenment which give emphasis to logic and reason. It was controlled by Renaissance and followed by the Romantic era. In fact, the Neoclassical Period ended in 1798 when Wordsworth published the Romantic “Lyrical Ballads”.

Neoclassical Era

Understanding the Neoclassical era helps us better understand its literature. This was a time of comfortableness in England. People would meet at coffee houses to chat about politics, among other topics, and sometimes drink a new, warm beverage made of chocolate. It was also the beginning of the British tradition of drinking afternoon tea. And it was the starting point of the middle class, and because of that, more people was literate.

People were very interested in appearances, but not necessarily in being genuine. Men and women commonly wore wigs, and being clever and witty was in style. Having good manners and doing the right thing, particularly in public, was essential.

It was a time, too, of British political disorder as eight monarchs took the throne.

Characteristics of Neoclassical Literature

Neoclassical literature is characterized by order, precision, and structure. In direct opposition to Renaissance attitudes, where man was seen as basically good, the neoclassical writers represented man as weak. They emphasized restriction, self-control, and common sense. This was a time when conservatism flourished in both politics and literature.

Some popular types of literature included:

Parody

Essays

Satire

Letters

Fables

Melodrama, and

Rhyming with couplets.

1. 

In this link you can find more information about Neoclassical Period. 

http://www.victorianweb.org/previctorian/nc/ncintro.html

GULLIVER'S TRAVELS

GULLIVER'S TRAVELS

Who was Jonathan Swift? What is he best known for?

He Born on November 30, 1667, he was an Irish author, a clergyman and a satirist. Jonathan Swift grew up fatherless. Under the care of his uncle, he received a bachelor's degree from Trinity College and then worked as a statesman's assistant. Eventually, he became dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin. Most of his writings were published under pseudonyms. He best remembered for his 1728 book Gulliver's Travels.

What literary period does he represent?

Neoclassic period is the period represented by Jonathan Swift because in this period the authors always tried to symbolize the social blame trough comedy.

Define Satire.

Satire is the use of different elements such as irony, sarcasm, humor, and ridicule to criticize or mock the foolish behavior of others. Although the use of satire is often entertaining it is also often used to bring attention to a particular subject and promote change.

Why do you think Swift used this genre?

Jonathan Swift used the Satire genre because he wanted to illustrate some different aspects between the faith and politics with a technique, the one that could help him to ridicule others because of their ignorance.

What do you think Swift's view of humanity is? Do you agree with it? Why or why not?

I totally agree with Swift. He does not just tell the reader what they should think; he instead leads them to a certain point and allows them to decide whether or not he is indeed right and if so by what degree.

What do you think the controversy between the Big-Endians and the Small-Endians represents?

The Big-Endians in that period characterized the Roman Catholicism and the Small-Endians used to symbolize the Protestants.

What do we learn about the Lilliputians with the knowledge that they believe no other kingdoms exist except those of Lilliput and Blefuscu?

In that moment they had a war between Lilliput and Blefuscu, those both kingdoms were fighting because of some land issues and not only was that they had more problems, so for that fight they did not pay attention to other aspects that might be important for them such as that they had some near “kingdoms” that were more powerful than them. 

Why does Gulliver have such a strong reaction against the Yahoos when he first sees them?

Because Gulliver could not believe how repulsive in every aspects they were.

Who are the Struldbruggs? Are they happy to have eternal life?  Why or why not?

The struldbruggs are those humans in the nation of Luggnagg who are born seemingly normal, but are in fact immortal. Struldbruggs do not die, they do nonetheless continue aging. They are normal beings until the reach the age of thirty, at which time they become dejected. Upon reaching the age of eighty they become legally dead, and suffer from many ailments including the loss of eyesight and the loss of hair. 

MACBETH

SOME INFORMATION ABOUT MACBETH

A video About Macbeth (Summary)

Describe Macbeth's character. Is he completely a villain? Does he have a conscience? Explain.

Macbeth is considered as a brave soldier and is satisfied with a new title that the king gave him. He becomes the Thane of Cawdor as predicted by the three Macbeth wishes, whose scheming helps drive Macbeth’s ambition and transform him into a murderer and tyrant.

Macbeth as a brave soldier is dangerous when we realized how easily he is manipulated by Lady Macbeth.

Macbeth is soon overcome with ambition and self-doubt. Although he constantly questions his own actions, he is also obligated to promise extra murders in order to cover up his previous bad actions.

It is difficult to see Macbeth as an inherently evil character because it is clear that he lacks strength of character. The events of the play also affect his mental stability his guilt causes him a great deal of mental agony and leads to hallucinations.

What are the forces that determine Macbeth's destiny? To what degree are the witches responsible for Macbeth's downfall? What roles do fate and free will play in Macbeth's destruction?

Macbeth is never happy with his actions, even when they have got him his prize, because he is extremely aware of his own cruelty. At the end of the play there is a sense of relief when the soldiers are at his entrance.

As a psychological symbol, what does blood represent for Macbeth and Lady Macbeth?

Blood is always a symbol for life it is what literally keeps the human body alive. Blood also represent passion or emotionality. For Macbeth and Lady Macbeth blood represents life and ambition, but it ends up representing guilt, especially for Macbeth for his part in motivating the assassination a terrible, bloody act.

What do you think are the most important themes of Macbeth?

Ambition and the devastation which follows when ambition oversteps moral boundaries.

Kingship and the difference between appropriate use of power and tyranny.

Appearance and reality, and how people and events are often nor as they seem.

Fate and free will and the extent to which we control our own destinies.