1. How is the Romantic notion of the Sublime reflected in the ideological, conceptual and linguistic construction of the texts under consideration in this Romanticism reader? Discuss one or two examples...
2. Go online and see if you can find out anything about what really happened at the Villa Diodati that fateful summer in 1816...
3. How many fictional accounts (film and other narrative media) can you find about that? Provide some useful links, including Youtube clips (hint: for a start try Ken Russel Gothic on Youtube).
4. Discuss the links between the Villa Diodati "brat-pack" and the birth of Gothic as a modern genre with reference to specific texts by the authors who gathered there and subsequent texts (e.g. The Vampire >> Dracula, etc).
3. How many fictional accounts (film and other narrative media) can you find about that? Provide some useful links, including Youtube clips (hint: for a start try Ken Russel Gothic on Youtube).
4. Discuss the links between the Villa Diodati "brat-pack" and the birth of Gothic as a modern genre with reference to specific texts by the authors who gathered there and subsequent texts (e.g. The Vampire >> Dracula, etc).
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ReplyDeleteAs stated by Pateman (2004), to call a work ‘sublime’ is pretty much the same as calling it ‘divine’. This statement inserts a holy and unreachable image of the word ‘sublime’ into my mind. Also my understanding of what it means in romantic literature along with reading Shelly’s pieces has been further polished. Romantics embellish the power of nature and maybe metaphorically transcend rational thoughts through emotional feelings much more highlighted. Thus, the sublime in romantic literature must have visually arousing image of nature between lines and reflect the thoughts or voices that concealed behind.
ReplyDeleteWith art works introduced as one of representative of the sublime in the history of romanticism, “Snow storm: Hannibal and his Army Crossing the Alps” by J.W.M. Turner, my perspective on romantic notion of the sublime has become clearer. The painting tends to enlarge the snow storm directly that pictures the power of nature, as if the struggle inside of the soldiers crossing the Alps could be triggered to explode into this gigantic piece of grey. Burke (1757) articulated that people are drawn to things that cause them pain, terror indeed. Although it is said that the articulation remains as a paradox regarding the concept of sublime, however, in this context, the emotional feeling of struggle illustrated by the painting can be considered as terror because it might be even harder for the soldiers to overcome. Obviously the work tells readers by the illustration of nature, which in fact reflects the emotion conceptually from reader’s appreciation. The appreciation, more than observation, makes readers witness. That is something connecting readers and the work itself.
The visual influence of painting can also be given by words. Included by Hutchinson (1947), ‘Ozymandias’ by Shelley seemingly tells that Ozymandia’s boast could not last because it is no more than the statue ruined meaning nothing and metaphorically it punches the politic power back then, assimilating them with Ozymandia. Detailed description creates an image and sarcastic metaphor criticizes politic but more importantly, guiding readers with the perspective of someone told a story by a traveler is one main factor that upgrades it to the sublime. Without seeing the statue, readers hear it from someone who saw it. This indirection creating distance between the story and readers just reflects the king lost control of his people. That is also the difference between images and languages. In my opinion, romanticism expressed by words is more ‘manipulative’ because it takes the initiative of how readers start being influenced.
What is worthy of mentioning is that some say that the statue of Ozymandia also symbolizes the pride of human. I found that the space of imagination left by the romantic sublime could also be a characteristic. Because of the reason that using nature as media to reflect certain ideology is crucial for romanticism creation, noumenon could be identified differently based on opinions. Just like a movie with open ending, the more you pass to the audience, the more interested they would be.
References
Hutchinson, T.(1947). The complete poetic Works of Shelley, pp.550.
Burke, E. (1757). A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful. Reprint edition, Oxford: Basial Blackwell.
Pateman, T. (2004, 1991), ‘The Sublime’ in Key Concepts: A Guide to Aesthetics, Criticism and Arts in Education. London: Falmer Press.
sorry, the reference is in the wrong order. it should be adjusted as below:
DeleteReferences
Burke, E. (1757). A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful. Reprint edition, Oxford: Basial Blackwell.
Hutchinson, T.(1947). The complete poetic Works of Shelley, pp.550.
Pateman, T. (2004, 1991), ‘The Sublime’ in Key Concepts: A Guide to Aesthetics, Criticism and Arts in Education. London: Falmer Press.
I feel the example in the end does not make sense haha. What I wanted to say is imagination is a crucial part of inspiration. How the work of art would be received by the readers is important because romantic literature tends to pluck reader's heartstrings with metaphors. And the answer to what the noumenon is still could be ambiguous and various. Underneath it all, what really matters to readers is the process of conveying emotion expressed through the works.
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ReplyDelete1816, as they say, the year known without summer because of the volcano eruption that caused deviant weather which resulted in major crop failures and resulted a decrease in the economy. That year was also known as the poverty year. The shield of darkness impelled Byron to write “Darkness” a poem describing the time where “the sun itself has grown dark” and people conform to controversy.
ReplyDeleteLord Byron, also known as George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron, along with several companions resided at a manor house near Lake Geneva. That was known to be a promiscuous summer sparking accounts from sex to drugs to writing, because the weather was grim, Byron and his friends spent almost all their time inside eventually reading horror stories. Byron then, challenged his company to create a horror story of their own in which Mary Shelly, A close companion of Byron, created, what was later recognized as, Frankenstein. Another wrote “The Vampire” the first English story in the vampire genre. All this went down during that dull summer.
The summer Byron and his friends had could have possibly established the Gothic genre seeing as the time period they endured was dull and the sexual intimacy that occurred at the Vila Diodati together evolved into what is seen now as Gothic, sombre but also full of emotion which at the time, this was the vibe that was carried. You can feel the vibe as you read "Darkness".
ReplyDelete"cities were consum'd,
And men were gather'd round their blazing homes"
"A fearful hope was all the world contain'd"
"... And men forgot their passions in the dread..."
Three of the many expressions written by Byron but what is interesting is how Byron was able to write this piece during the promiscuous time spent at the Villa Diodati. With all the events that took place at the manor house, this feeling of depression was still very much active. This scenery reflects the current Gothic relationships floating around. However, can we say that Gothic is a genre from two factors? Or did it just illuminate the the genre making it more known with the support of the stories that were created that gloomy night?
sorry forgot my refrences
DeleteThe Villa Diodati. (n.d.). Villadiodati. Retrieved on June 4, 2014, http://www.villadiodati.nl/
Ancient History. (n.d.). Where did the Goths come from. Retrieved on June 4, 2014, from http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/jordanes/a/GothOrigins.htm
Delete2. Go online and see if you can find out anything about what really happened at the Villa Diodati that fateful summer in 1816...
ReplyDeleteThe Villa Diodati located in Geneva of Switzerlandon on the shore of Lake. It is a kind of villa or manor. Lord Byron spent a time for six months to make his work in the Villa Diodati. In the fateful summer of 1816, he rented the Villa Diodati and his friends who Mary Shelley, Percy Shelley, and John Polidori went on a trip in Switzerland. They stayed at that place together (Villadiodati, n.d.). Also, they always called on Byron, the Villa Diodati.
The summer in 1816 was little different from other summer, because a years ago, there was the eruption of a volcano of Mt. Tambora in Indonesia. Thus, “the cloud of volcanic ash from the eruption reached Europe that summer affecting crops and livestock, causing over 200,000 deaths through famine and disease” (Friedman, n.d, para. 2). According to Bate (2000), actually, “rained in Switzerland on 130 out of the 183 days from April to September ... The average temperature that July was an astonishing 4.9 Fahrenheit” (p. 96). The bad situation also expressed in Byron`s poem, “Darkness”. “The bright sun was extinguish’d and the stars did wander darkling in the eternal space” (Byron, 1816, para. 1). It was written at the Villa Diodati. Also, because of the bad weather, they who Lord Byron, Mary Shelley, Percy Shelley, and John Polidori were had to stay indoors at the Villa Diodati during the trip. They were talking together next to the stove and made each literary works. Meanwhile, they supposed to compete write a novel that who write more scary and horror story. From that night, the Gothic genre began, and the Mary Shelley's ‘Frankenstein’ and John Polidori`s ‘The Vampyre’ were came out at Villa Diodati. Especially, Frankenstein was English Romantic movement in general, and inspired by both book of German gothic stories and her “nightmare”. And The Vampyre was the first of the romantic vampire genre and first vampire novel in English. All of this historical moment happened at the Villa Diodati.
References
Bate, J. (2000). The Song of the Earth. London: Picador.
Byron, G. (1816). The poem of Lord Byron’s “Darkness”. Retrieved on May 16, 2014, http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/darkness
Friedman, J. (n.d.). Lord Byron’s “Darkness”. Retrieved on May 16, 2014, from http://joefriedman.hubpages.com/hub/Lord-Byrons-Darkness
The Villa Diodati. (n.d.). Villadiodati. Retrieved on May 16, 2014, http://www.villadiodati.nl/
Nice outline of the story! However, I'm curious to discuss the development of the gothic genre. Do you really think the gothic genre evolved from that night or was it already alive but not as exposed to the world as it was after that night?
DeleteI must admit, when I tried to find what exactly happened in the Villa Diodati, I was frustrated. There seemed to be little or no account of what happened there in 1816. All I know- which is what everyone knows- is that all these genius-minded poets and writers got together in that Villa in the summer of 1816, put their heads together and developed their ideas, but that was it. Then I read that Percy Bysshe Shelley had fits of hysterics and was tended to by Byron's doctor who was also there. His wife, the famous Mary had a terrifying nightmare about a crazy scientist and a monstrous creature he had somehow created, leading her to write Frankenstein. Was that all though? Those that have heard if Lord Gordon Byron know that he was notorious for his drug use and many lovers- with an accusation of incest. However, there is no way of proving that these writers and poets did anything more than sit together, drinking wine and brandy whilst discussing literature. There have been no records or statements made by any other persons involved, for example there were no accusations against strange sounds in the night that suggested the "Brat Pack" did anything indecent and extraordinary. It's highly depressing what little we know. However they spent most of their time indoors because it was truly unlike summer that year, it was almost always raining. So I do think that they may have a great deal of time to discuss with one another literary works and ideas, as well as finding inspirations for various works that would later be published.
ReplyDeleteMight I add, I think the inspiration came from the view they had on what was going on during the natural disaster. Lord Byron's poem analysis (Grade Saver) analyses the poem in a very gloomy way specifically portraying the lifestyle and emotions that were floating around. The year without summer could perfectly align with the atmosphere during world war2. Citizens suffering from poverty, panic attacks evolving from confusion in what was going on. People resulting to savage-like behaviour just to try and survive. This poem is very emotional, dark but sincere. What do you think?
DeleteReference
"Darkness". Retrieved June 13, 2014, from http://www.gradesaver.com/lord-byrons-poems/study-guide/section3/
Byron, L. Darkness. Retreived June 13,2014, from http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/173081
In regards to the "Sublime" works, I remember being told on one of the lectures that "sublime" might now mean, something extraordinary and amazing, considered divine, anything positive really, however, back then the word was not restricted to merely positive aspects of the extraordinary. And this is what the writers and poets conveyed in their works. Romanticism does not necessarily mean anything passionate that goes on between two persons. It was an idealised version of reality, honour, chivalry and, most famously love. The poems written in this genre are radical and passionate- it might have been considered scandalous centuries ago. The paintings were also as bold and dramatic, and literary novels written then could now be described as the Gothic/Horror genre, such as Bram Stoker's Dracula and Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray, not to mention Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. They were written to challenge the superficial, inflexible, often snobbish world of the nineteenth century, to challenge the way people thought and to convince them what the worse of their vices and excesses could lead to- as was the case of Dorian Gray and Dr. Victor Frankenstein, whose vanity or ambition, as well as their lust for personal glory, proved to be their downfall. These novels may be considered "romantic" due to their idealised version of morality and the extremity of the warning examples. The "Brat Pack" that gathered at Villa Diodati were the radicals and romantics of their age. They would be reading and writing works that were designed to stun the reader and make them rethink the views of the day. They would have wanted to accomplish such things as was the case with "Frankenstein."
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ReplyDelete3. How many fictional accounts (film and other narrative media) can you find about that? Provide some useful links, including Youtube clips (hint: for a start try Ken Russel Gothic on Youtube).
ReplyDeleteThere are many fictional accounts, maybe I cannot count. This (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIzaqoFZ1EujDqBSArw7n7A/videos) is “Gothic – Topic” site in YouTube. There are 101 kinds of Gothic video. You can pick up your favorite one. Personally, ‘Frankenstein’ is my favorite Gothic film, so I found out some links.
A Breif Overview of Frankenstein: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRppXdKDY_c
"Frankenstein" (Mary Shelley) 1910: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpK6fDKQL18
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (the 1994 movie adaptation – full movie): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-mm0HjWKEM
Here are some article about the Frankenstein.
Draft of Frankenstein: Frankenstein faces the creature http://shelleysghost.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/?location_id=69
Draft of Frankenstein: The creature comes to life: http://shelleysghost.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/?location_id=70
First edition of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley: http://shelleysghost.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/?location_id=67
Third edition of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley: http://shelleysghost.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/?location_id=68
Frankenstein’s Monster: Revolutionary and Relevant: http://enicolson.hubpages.com/hub/Frankensteins-Monster-Revolutionary-and-Relevant
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. - A Horror Masterpiece: http://nuffsaidstan.hubpages.com/hub/The-Greatest-Horror-Tale-Ever-Written-Frankenstein-The-Modern-Prometheus
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and the Codependence of the Masculine and Feminine: http://jessolson.hubpages.com/hub/Mary-Shelleys-Frankenstein-and-the-Codependence-of-the-Masculine-and-Feminine
Comparisons between Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Ridley Scott's BladeRunner: http://tmyerswrites.hubpages.com/hub/Comparisons-between-Mary-Shellys-Frankenstein-and-Ridley-Scotts-BladeRunner
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, a detailed study and analysis: http://dhannyya.hubpages.com/hub/Frankenstein-by-Mary-Shelly-a-detailed-study-and-analysis
Here are some websites of Villa Diodati. Mary Shelley wrote a Frankenstein in the Villa Diodati in 1816. I think that Villa Diodati is a Historic place in the world. The genre of Gothic also birth to Villa Diodati. It`s really interesting.
Villa Diodati : http://www.villadiodati.nl/
Villa Diodati : http://knarf.english.upenn.edu/Places/diodati.html
Villa Diodati Workshop : http://www.lit-arts.net/VillaDiodati/
Villa Diodati Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/pages/Villa-Diodati/115721795142943
Villa Diodati Tumblr : http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/villa%20diodati
I wish that it will help you to understand the fictional accounts.
Tip : Once enter the any site then you can connect with many other materials.^^
DeleteActually, I wonder that those drafts and editions whether it is original or imitation.
DeleteKen Russell's film "Gothic" suggests that the writers gathered at one stormy summer in Switzerland told ghost stories, had nightmares and even said that Byron not only kept a goat at his villa (!) but also a skull, and told his mistress. Shelly's stepsister to look inside it and face her fears. The movie also hinted that Shelly was showing hints of instability, and that they all- including Mary- had dreams in the night inspired by strange and frightening shapes such as the shadows of the trees in the outside garden. Or at least, that was what I got from it. I couldn't find more of the movie on YouTube, and I saw the trailer. That was it. However we all know for a fact that Mary Shelly did have a nightmare that inspired her to write Frankenstein. So not all was based on speculation in that movie. Still, there is very little attention on what may have happened there in 1816, but more attention- as we can all imagine- is given to the literary works and poems that were a result of that summer there.
ReplyDelete4. Discuss the links between the Villa Diodati "brat-pack" and the birth of Gothic as a modern genre with reference to specific texts by the authors who gathered there and subsequent texts (e.g. The Vampire >> Dracula, etc).
ReplyDelete“The modern horror novel as a genre largely dates to the 19th century Gothic revival (Lit&Desire 7-9b, 2014). The "brat-pack" is a strange word to me, but I think when I guess the dictionary meaning. It means Mary Shelley, Percy Shelley, Lord Byron, John Polidori and Claire Clairmont. They began the gothic genre, and they made a first gothic novel: William Polidori created “The vamyre”, Mary Shelley created the “Frankenstein” in the Villa Diodati which is a historic place. It can be linked the birth of Gothic and the long line of the romantic vampire genre, as we know it these days. They have something in common: The topic is Romance and Gothic. However, there is a little difference between classical and modern. Classical genre had more focused on gothic itself whereas modern genre focused on popular and interested in the public. Here are classical vampire films such as depicted these strange events of 1816: Gothic directed by Ken Russell (1986), Haunted Summer directed by Ivan Passer (1988) and Remando al viento (English title: Rowing with the Wind) directed by Gonzalo Suárez (1988) (Lit&Desire 7-9b, 2014). Here is a modern films Blade, Twilight, Underworld, Van Helsing, Bram Stoker's Dracula, and so on. Dracula is also vampire, it is just different names.
References
Lit&Desire 7-9b. (2014). A Romantic Retro(spective) II: The brat pack and the birth of Gothic. Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand.