Throughout the novel the editor comments on how the book Dracula differs from the film. The first such instance described Dracula’s hairiness, “film adaptations avoid Dracula’s hairiness; different as they are from each other most cinematic Dracula’s are clean shaven…these hairy palms are one of Dracula’s few affinities with the werewolf (and in the opinion of some commentators, with the Victorian masturbator as well.”(24) While I don’t think that Dracula’s pleasure is ever autoerotic, the very idea of the vampire is one who feeds of others to survive, I did find Dracula’s werewolf qualities interesting. In addition Dracula is described as having a uni-brow and a large white moustache, drastically different from any vampire I have ever seen.
Although it makes sense for a vampire to grow a moustache if he could, it helps hiding big fangs. Another strange example of how novel Dracula differs from film adaptations is when Jonathan Harker witnesses Dracula leaving, crawling down the sheer face of his castle walls face down. The related footnote seemed odd to me, “Jonathan’s repeated association of the crawling Dracula with a lizard aligns the vampire with those monstrous proofs of Darwinian evolution, dinosaurs-which Victorian scientists classified as reptiles-rather than with the mammalian bat.”(39) This was the first instance I had heard of with Dracula crawling around rather then flying, but I did not compare Dracula to a dinosaur in my mind or see how evolution tied into the equation at all. Later on in the story Dracula transforms into a large black dog, a mammal. And Dracula’s vampire brides transform into moonbeams while harassing Jonathan in the castle. My point being vampires abilities are much more likely to be tied with the supernatural then with Darwinian evolution.
All-in-all I found the barrage of footnotes helpful. The majority of notes deal with the names of nationalities and geography in the start of the novel. The editors call continuity on Bram Stoker a few times, though I worry they might be jumping the gun. The footnotes draw constant correlations with the Bible and Shakespeare, and without the notes I would miss most of the references entirely. But a select few notes seem unnecessary, “The first of many tributes to Dracula’s mastery of languages.” Is footnote number 9 on page 18. While I in no way disagree, I don’t think the editors need to add in the patterns they see.
The novel’s footnotes also play up the aspects of technology in the novel, giving the introduction every piece of gadgetry an aside. I only wish that the same were done for each mention of religion. While many of the superstitions are described to us, and there are a good number of footnotes concerning Biblical references, the technology in the novel is examined closely under a microscope, the subverted purpose of specific characters and their relation to the equipment pondered, while I am left scratching my head over the meaning of old men giving monologues on the dead and the grim reaper.
“There is legend that a white lady is seen in one of the windows.”(63) This brief aside reminded me deeply of the novel “The Monk”. The ghost is a part of local legend and there is speculation as to her true identity as well as why she walks the ruins of Whitby Abbey. I also had strong vibes of the Monk when the gypsy woman comes to the castle after her child is taken from her by Dracula and eaten. She pounds on her chest and has a fit outside the main door. But instead of the character falling sick from her outburst, she is eaten by an army of wolves sent by Dracula almost immediately.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Out of all the characters in the novel Nelly is by far my favorite, mainly because she is reasonable and well meaning. After Heathcliff makes a move on Isabella, and Edgar and Cathy both become depressed and self-obsessed, Nelly thinks, “that the Grange had but one sensible soul in its walls, and that lodged in my body”(94) I was sorely disappointed how her treatment of the hysterical Catherine backfired. Cathy planned to act crazy to garner sympathy and attention from her husband but Nelly announces her plan almost immediately. Everyone then acts self absorbed and childish by going off into their own sulkily and hoping that the other will come to them. Kenneth, the doctor practiced blood letting on Cathy but was able to predict how she was in danger of becoming so upset it damages her health. She couldn’t be contradicted, is that a disease? I am reminded of how emotions can quickly put characters on the verge of death, much like in “The Monk”. Story told almost entirely from her perspective.
The character of Joseph is a religious man, but also an evil one. He has memorized scriptures and often speaks of God. Even though he is truthful and shows a sense of duty few others do, he is clearly an unlikeable character. While I was reading I couldn’t help but wonder what the book was saying about religion through Joseph. I don’t think it’s anything good but besides being generally overbearing and strict Joseph hasn’t done much of his own volition. I’m glad that the revised copy has translations of Joseph’s dialogue because without it I would have little to no idea what he was saying.
Nature in the story, is harsh and unforgiving. The landscape is made up of swamps and bogs as well as high rocky hills. Although Mr. Lockwood finds the surroundings beautiful when he first arrives, and Catherine grows to love the hills and outdoors more after her sickness, the natural elements act as antagonist repeatedly. When Heathcliff hears of Catherine’s designs to marry Edgar Linton and steals off, a storm soaks Cathy to the bone while she remains outside on the lookout for Heathcliff. The gales knock a tree into the house and “Joseph swung onto his knees, beseeching the Lord to remember the Patriarchs Noah and Lot”(67). The second act of nature in the novel chronologically, or first in the novel, is when Mr.Lockwood is trapped in Wuthering Heights by a great snowstorm and when walking home he falls up to his neck in a snowdrift, weakening him so much he is bed-ridden for days, allowing Nelly a chance to provide back story on the characters we have had the pleasure to be introduced to.
I found the cursing in the novel is a bit strange, partly because of the dialect of the time and partly because of how they were occasionally omitted. On the very first page of the novel Mr. Lockwood describes Heathcliff’s mannerisms thusly; “The ‘walk in,’ was uttered with closed teeth and expressed the sentiment, ‘Go to the Deuce!’”. After I read this I had to go back and try to glean the meaning of the insult, which has evaded me expertly. Hareton swears like a sailor at Nelly when she visits Wuthering Heights. Again it was difficult for me to use context clues to find the meaning behind Hareton’s insults, but found it odd that Hareton thought his swearing somehow protected.
The second contributor to my confusion was the practice of some characters, Nelly for the most part, to use dashes instead of curse words. I read briefly about how dashes were used in the preface, but had forgotten about it by the time I was given an example. I think what threw me off most was how up until that point Nelly had always omitted swearing by casually mentioning it was too horrible to repeat or remember. The sudden switch in styles made me reread the sentence to realize that the dashes were meant to cover up swearing. I can understand how an editor could have made punctuation like that more confusing.
Although I still don’t understand Cathy’s reasoning behind turning civilized and then marrying Edgar Linton.
The character of Joseph is a religious man, but also an evil one. He has memorized scriptures and often speaks of God. Even though he is truthful and shows a sense of duty few others do, he is clearly an unlikeable character. While I was reading I couldn’t help but wonder what the book was saying about religion through Joseph. I don’t think it’s anything good but besides being generally overbearing and strict Joseph hasn’t done much of his own volition. I’m glad that the revised copy has translations of Joseph’s dialogue because without it I would have little to no idea what he was saying.
Nature in the story, is harsh and unforgiving. The landscape is made up of swamps and bogs as well as high rocky hills. Although Mr. Lockwood finds the surroundings beautiful when he first arrives, and Catherine grows to love the hills and outdoors more after her sickness, the natural elements act as antagonist repeatedly. When Heathcliff hears of Catherine’s designs to marry Edgar Linton and steals off, a storm soaks Cathy to the bone while she remains outside on the lookout for Heathcliff. The gales knock a tree into the house and “Joseph swung onto his knees, beseeching the Lord to remember the Patriarchs Noah and Lot”(67). The second act of nature in the novel chronologically, or first in the novel, is when Mr.Lockwood is trapped in Wuthering Heights by a great snowstorm and when walking home he falls up to his neck in a snowdrift, weakening him so much he is bed-ridden for days, allowing Nelly a chance to provide back story on the characters we have had the pleasure to be introduced to.
I found the cursing in the novel is a bit strange, partly because of the dialect of the time and partly because of how they were occasionally omitted. On the very first page of the novel Mr. Lockwood describes Heathcliff’s mannerisms thusly; “The ‘walk in,’ was uttered with closed teeth and expressed the sentiment, ‘Go to the Deuce!’”. After I read this I had to go back and try to glean the meaning of the insult, which has evaded me expertly. Hareton swears like a sailor at Nelly when she visits Wuthering Heights. Again it was difficult for me to use context clues to find the meaning behind Hareton’s insults, but found it odd that Hareton thought his swearing somehow protected.
The second contributor to my confusion was the practice of some characters, Nelly for the most part, to use dashes instead of curse words. I read briefly about how dashes were used in the preface, but had forgotten about it by the time I was given an example. I think what threw me off most was how up until that point Nelly had always omitted swearing by casually mentioning it was too horrible to repeat or remember. The sudden switch in styles made me reread the sentence to realize that the dashes were meant to cover up swearing. I can understand how an editor could have made punctuation like that more confusing.
Although I still don’t understand Cathy’s reasoning behind turning civilized and then marrying Edgar Linton.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Blog post September 21st
In “The Monk” it made perfect sense that Matilda was a daemon, sent from hell, charged with ruining Ambrosio. After the monk spurred Matilda for his lover it made no sense that she wish to be his friend or help him rape an innocent young girl. As the end of the book approached it seemed more and more likely that Matilda had some sort of plan for exacting her revenge on Ambrosio, or failing that, had indeed been out to corrupt his conscious from the very beginning. But I hadn’t even entertained the possibility Matilda was inhuman. Matilda’s motives in getting close to Ambrosio, seducing him, convincing him to defile another human being, and to sell his eternal soul were all believable once it was revealed that she was an agent of Satan. On page 375 Satan gloats, “I bade a subordinate but crafty spirit assume a similar form, and you eagerly yielded to the blandishments of Matilda.”I think that unlike the mistaking of the Bloody Nun for Agnes in Germany, or Ambrosio’s true identity, this plot twist was the most satisfying and unforeseeable.
Throughout the novel, whenever a character became depressed or melancholy, they seemed to suffer from not only mental distress, but physical maladies as well. I noticed this connection between ill temper and ill health first when Raymond fell deathly ill after hearing of Agnes’ death. I was surprised that a young strong knight would be reduced to a wreck after the supposed death of his beloved. In fact while Lorenzo busied himself with seizing his sister’s assassins and Theodore did all the work in uncovering information, Raymond was more or less useless. Unlike his haunting by the Bloody Nun, his illness stemmed from depression rather nightmare inducing spooks.
Later in the book Antonia falls ill after her mother’s death, which was more believable to me, and I saw a pattern of characters being psychosomatic. Any time a character felt sad enough they were reduced to a shadow of their former selves, struggling to overcome the deathly ennui. Finally Lorenzo becomes afflicted with the strange malady, after witnessing Antonia die in his arms. I don’t think it unreasonable for the characters to be sad, or the level or their sadness, but when at least three characters are bed-ridden by their emotions it is a problem.
Another psychological problem of most of the book’s cast was that of constant fits of hysterics. Agnes is first in line on page 45 with this tantrum, “wild and desperate, she threw herself upon the ground, beating her bosom and rending her veil in all the delirium of despair.” Agnes was by no means the last, Ambrosio, Lorenzo, Raymond all receive their time exhibiting their self-loathing as well. I am reminded by a friend or two who have acted similarly to Agnes or Raymond, who beat their bosoms and fall into unhealthy stupors when life hands them lemons.
I thought it was peculiar how Lorenzo acted during the riot at the church. When the mob broke into the cloister and attacked any nuns they could lay hands on, Lorenzo was fascinated by a figure running away. After chasing the figure into the catacombs he then endeavors to find the source of the strange moaning. Never before had Lorenzo shown any capacity of curiosity. The author seemed to provide suspect reasoning for characters motives or actions often, as if he understood that all the coincidences in his narrative were as unbelievable as the ghosts. When Raymond was trying to escape the house of the bandits, he pretended to become unconscious after an attempt was made to drug him. Rather then shoot him then and there the father of the household explained in detail why he was not going to shoot him then to his sons. After that he went to a cupboard to retrieve a knife and in that time Raymond was able to gain the upper hand. I ended up enjoying this style of the author, the outlandish occurrences and the convoluted reasoning that allowed the story to progress, as it should. It reminded me of a soap opera, which normally I detest.
Throughout the novel, whenever a character became depressed or melancholy, they seemed to suffer from not only mental distress, but physical maladies as well. I noticed this connection between ill temper and ill health first when Raymond fell deathly ill after hearing of Agnes’ death. I was surprised that a young strong knight would be reduced to a wreck after the supposed death of his beloved. In fact while Lorenzo busied himself with seizing his sister’s assassins and Theodore did all the work in uncovering information, Raymond was more or less useless. Unlike his haunting by the Bloody Nun, his illness stemmed from depression rather nightmare inducing spooks.
Later in the book Antonia falls ill after her mother’s death, which was more believable to me, and I saw a pattern of characters being psychosomatic. Any time a character felt sad enough they were reduced to a shadow of their former selves, struggling to overcome the deathly ennui. Finally Lorenzo becomes afflicted with the strange malady, after witnessing Antonia die in his arms. I don’t think it unreasonable for the characters to be sad, or the level or their sadness, but when at least three characters are bed-ridden by their emotions it is a problem.
Another psychological problem of most of the book’s cast was that of constant fits of hysterics. Agnes is first in line on page 45 with this tantrum, “wild and desperate, she threw herself upon the ground, beating her bosom and rending her veil in all the delirium of despair.” Agnes was by no means the last, Ambrosio, Lorenzo, Raymond all receive their time exhibiting their self-loathing as well. I am reminded by a friend or two who have acted similarly to Agnes or Raymond, who beat their bosoms and fall into unhealthy stupors when life hands them lemons.
I thought it was peculiar how Lorenzo acted during the riot at the church. When the mob broke into the cloister and attacked any nuns they could lay hands on, Lorenzo was fascinated by a figure running away. After chasing the figure into the catacombs he then endeavors to find the source of the strange moaning. Never before had Lorenzo shown any capacity of curiosity. The author seemed to provide suspect reasoning for characters motives or actions often, as if he understood that all the coincidences in his narrative were as unbelievable as the ghosts. When Raymond was trying to escape the house of the bandits, he pretended to become unconscious after an attempt was made to drug him. Rather then shoot him then and there the father of the household explained in detail why he was not going to shoot him then to his sons. After that he went to a cupboard to retrieve a knife and in that time Raymond was able to gain the upper hand. I ended up enjoying this style of the author, the outlandish occurrences and the convoluted reasoning that allowed the story to progress, as it should. It reminded me of a soap opera, which normally I detest.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
After reading the first 192 pages of The Monk, I think that the story is much more romantic then it is gothic. Every main character has romantic issues that motivate them and progress the plot. Rosario/Matilda and Ambrosio, Lorenzo and Antonia, Leonella and Don Christoval, Rodolpha and Raymond, Raymond and Agnes, Beatrice and Otto, Marguerite and her Bandit Husbands, as well as the previous generation of Spanish gentry. Unrequited love and plans to abscond to distant lands seem to be commonplace in the novel, and I was reminded of modern day’s soap operas.
When Raymond and Rodolpha are reading together Raymond attempts to confess his love for Agnes. After Raymond says he loves someone Rodolpha replies, “Suppose I were to spare you that confession? Suppose I were to acknowledge that the object of your desires is not unknown to me? Suppose I were to say, that she returns your affection, and laments not less sincerely than yourself the unhappy vows which separate her from you?”(119) Of course she is referring to herself and not Agnes. Romantic misunderstanding ensues with disastrous results.
Only upon closer reading did I discover the gothic aspect to the text. The rotting castles, which served as prisons to damsels in distress, eerie woods occupied by bandits, dark churches ringing with accusations of sin and debauchery. The locations were not always overbearing and haunting, but the climaxes seemed to gravitate towards these settings.
Throughout The Monk the loves that presented themselves were more often then not opposed and seemingly impossible. The love of the characters simply could not be the least bit reasonable or tempered. Matilda loves Ambrosio, who is already a monk of great reputation and has made vows to never be with a woman. Lorenzo is stonewalled by Elvira and asked to never see Antonia again until Raymond accepts Antonia as a part of his family. Lindenburg loves Raymond despite her current marriage to the baron. Marguerite leaves her family to live with her lover, who is a marauding bandit. In fact the characters’ passions seem to go out of their way to convolute the lives around them.
I also noticed a theme of sexless ness that affects several of the characters. When Matilda first tells Ambrosio of her love for him, she promises not to act on her impulses and remain his friend and confidant. She tells Ambrosio that her love has only the noblest intensions and that she will make no move to try to seduce him. Lorenzo makes similar promises to Elvira about his love for Antonia and commits himself to her, professing that he will honor her and that it is not youthful lust that guides his actions. Even the imagined love between Leonella and Don Christoval takes great lengths to remain virtuous in nature.
I enjoyed how the novel took time to establish the supernatural element. The first instance of witchery is the prophecy of the gipsy, which states, “That destruction o’er you hovers; Lustful man and crafty devil will combine to work your evil; And from earth by sorrows driven, soon your soul must speed to heaven”(37). Antonia does not take these words very seriously and soon forgets her imminent prophesized death. Much later the superstitions of the Medina household appear to be baseless and outdated. Later the story of the Bloody Nun is joked about and used as a part of Agnes’ escape plan. But all too quickly the reader is confronted with the reality of the Bloody Nun and the wandering Jew. While the logical Raymond remains incredulous of the events transpiring around him, they still affect him and confirm themselves to be true. What I found interesting is that both the supernatural and the Christian religion are depicted as true in this novel, and that one was usually the other.
What struck me most profoundly was all the kidnappings that took place in the book. Cunegonda is kidnapped for days so that she does not reveal Agnes’ plan for escape and soon after Theodore is kidnapped in turn so that he couldn’t reveal the lies to Agnes about Raymond for what they were. Also a gardener was kidnapped so that Lorenzo and Raymond could get his keys to the nunnery. All these kidnappings seem to be taken in good humor because nothing seems to come of them. Maybe kidnapping didn’t have the nasty stigma it has today back then.
Finally; why, why, why is the word bosom used so often? Is it just me?
When Raymond and Rodolpha are reading together Raymond attempts to confess his love for Agnes. After Raymond says he loves someone Rodolpha replies, “Suppose I were to spare you that confession? Suppose I were to acknowledge that the object of your desires is not unknown to me? Suppose I were to say, that she returns your affection, and laments not less sincerely than yourself the unhappy vows which separate her from you?”(119) Of course she is referring to herself and not Agnes. Romantic misunderstanding ensues with disastrous results.
Only upon closer reading did I discover the gothic aspect to the text. The rotting castles, which served as prisons to damsels in distress, eerie woods occupied by bandits, dark churches ringing with accusations of sin and debauchery. The locations were not always overbearing and haunting, but the climaxes seemed to gravitate towards these settings.
Throughout The Monk the loves that presented themselves were more often then not opposed and seemingly impossible. The love of the characters simply could not be the least bit reasonable or tempered. Matilda loves Ambrosio, who is already a monk of great reputation and has made vows to never be with a woman. Lorenzo is stonewalled by Elvira and asked to never see Antonia again until Raymond accepts Antonia as a part of his family. Lindenburg loves Raymond despite her current marriage to the baron. Marguerite leaves her family to live with her lover, who is a marauding bandit. In fact the characters’ passions seem to go out of their way to convolute the lives around them.
I also noticed a theme of sexless ness that affects several of the characters. When Matilda first tells Ambrosio of her love for him, she promises not to act on her impulses and remain his friend and confidant. She tells Ambrosio that her love has only the noblest intensions and that she will make no move to try to seduce him. Lorenzo makes similar promises to Elvira about his love for Antonia and commits himself to her, professing that he will honor her and that it is not youthful lust that guides his actions. Even the imagined love between Leonella and Don Christoval takes great lengths to remain virtuous in nature.
I enjoyed how the novel took time to establish the supernatural element. The first instance of witchery is the prophecy of the gipsy, which states, “That destruction o’er you hovers; Lustful man and crafty devil will combine to work your evil; And from earth by sorrows driven, soon your soul must speed to heaven”(37). Antonia does not take these words very seriously and soon forgets her imminent prophesized death. Much later the superstitions of the Medina household appear to be baseless and outdated. Later the story of the Bloody Nun is joked about and used as a part of Agnes’ escape plan. But all too quickly the reader is confronted with the reality of the Bloody Nun and the wandering Jew. While the logical Raymond remains incredulous of the events transpiring around him, they still affect him and confirm themselves to be true. What I found interesting is that both the supernatural and the Christian religion are depicted as true in this novel, and that one was usually the other.
What struck me most profoundly was all the kidnappings that took place in the book. Cunegonda is kidnapped for days so that she does not reveal Agnes’ plan for escape and soon after Theodore is kidnapped in turn so that he couldn’t reveal the lies to Agnes about Raymond for what they were. Also a gardener was kidnapped so that Lorenzo and Raymond could get his keys to the nunnery. All these kidnappings seem to be taken in good humor because nothing seems to come of them. Maybe kidnapping didn’t have the nasty stigma it has today back then.
Finally; why, why, why is the word bosom used so often? Is it just me?
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