Could you please help me, oh great, intelligent writing/English scholars ?

[museofdragon]

For the Victorian period, you might want to read Robert Browning's My Last Dutchess. The dramatic monologue is a wonderful form in which the narrator unwittingly reveals himself through the story of the poem. My favorite of his is Andrea del Sarto (a really beautiful piece of writing), but I think Dutchess would fit your theme better.

Get out of my head, i was just about to suggest that. "Duchess" is quite the chilling poem in a very understated kind of way.
Glad i read the whole thread before posting.

 

[RhymeFairy]

For the Victorian period, you might want to read Robert Browning's My Last Dutchess. The dramatic monologue is a wonderful form in which the narrator unwittingly reveals himself through the story of the poem. My favorite of his is Andrea del Sarto (a really beautiful piece of writing), but I think Dutchess would fit your theme better.

Have to agree with My Last Duchess, very thrilling and intriguing.

 

[average gina]

Thanks for the suggestion about "My Last Duchess," but the poem has to be a minimum of 100 lines long. I will keep it in mind as a "go to" in my comprehensive exams.

I picked up Moby Dick, and I'm starting to read it. Does anyone want to weigh in on which would be better, Wuthering Heights or Moby Dick?

Any other ideas for my list?

Have I said, "thank you" enough?

 

[average gina]

Thanks!

 

[Angeline]

Thanks for the suggestion about "My Last Duchess," but the poem has to be a minimum of 100 lines long. I will keep it in mind as a "go to" in my comprehensive exams.

I picked up Moby Dick, and I'm starting to read it. Does anyone want to weigh in on which would be better, Wuthering Heights or Moby Dick?

Any other ideas for my list?

Have I said, "thank you" enough?

I'm not sure I would characterize Moby Dick as being about revenge. What about Dickens? Great Expectations has Miss Havisham and Estella, both vengeful, self-destructive characters.

But I'm not a Melville fan, except for Bartleby the Scrivener. I found Moby Dick unbearably boring.

 

[Picodiribibi]

I'm not sure I would characterize Moby Dick as being about revenge. What about Dickens? Great Expectations has Miss Havisham and Estella, both vengeful, self-destructive characters.

But I'm not a Melville fan, except for Bartleby the Scrivener. I found Moby Dick unbearably boring.

Seriously, Angeline, I can't tell if you're joking here. Without Ahab's obsessive quest to destroy the Whale, the singular embodiment (in Ahab's mind) of all human misery, Moby Dick would be nothing more than a detailed account of a voyage on a whaling vessel. The Pequod is earth; Ahab is (a Quaker!) God; the Whale is Satan; everyone else (Ishmael, etc) is humanity, swept-up in the maelstrom of the celestial battle (set on a celestial sea, which, interestingly, casts a reflection of the heavens) between good and evil. Chapters 9 and 10 lay out the conflict very well, Ch 9 being the argument (Ahab's argument), and Ch 10 the rebuttal (or Melville's warning: good and evil do not exist, except in the minds of the righteous, who use such propositions as an exhortation to the destruction of the other, invariably that which we do not understand; love is the counterbalancing force to this destruction).

I liked Bartleby, too.

 

[Angeline]

Seriously, Angeline, I can't tell if you're joking here. Without Ahab's obsessive quest to destroy the Whale, the singular embodiment (in Ahab's mind) of all human misery, Moby Dick would be nothing more than a detailed account of a voyage on a whaling vessel. The Pequod is earth; Ahab is (a Quaker!) God; the Whale is Satan; everyone else (Ishmael, etc) is humanity, swept-up in the maelstrom of the celestial battle (set on a celestial sea, which, interestingly, casts a reflection of the heavens) between good and evil. Chapters 9 and 10 lay out the conflict very well, Ch 9 being the argument (Ahab's argument), and Ch 10 the rebuttal (or Melville's warning: good and evil do not exist, except in the minds of the righteous, who use such propositions as an exhortation to the destruction of the other, invariably that which we do not understand; love is the counterbalancing force to this destruction).

I liked Bartleby, too.

I guess what I wanted to say, and didn't, is that the scope of the theme of MD is so big, it transcends revenge, which I see as very human and low, mean and petty. But then to me it is mainly a detailed account of a whaling expedition. I know the great struggle between God and Nature is there, too, but I could never get out from under the knots of ropes and the bleak or stormy landscape. Dickens is more human and accessible to me.

 

[average gina]

Just an update. We had our first seminar today. The professor told us that the purpose of coming up with a theme is secondary. I can tell you this: I've decided Wuthering Heights for the novel in that period because I've studied it. I still need plays and poetry of that period.

That said, I really appreciate what you--all of you--have done by seeking out what you think are great works. The one thing that I'm having a problem with is finding poetry. I did discover that it does not have to be a 100+ line poem. It could be a number of poems by one author. I will be tested on theory, criticisms, and historical culture and how the works connect with each other through literary time.

I am delighted to know that, out of the 24 people in that class, only one has completely selected their short list. I still need your help. I'm researching other works after I get my books this weekend. Please don't give up on me; I still need each and every one of you.

Thank you very much.

 

[wildsweetone]

you know Emily Bronte also wrote poetry, right? not sure she's quite 'revenge-y' though.

glad you're getting there slowly.

 

[average gina]

Thanks, Wild.

Here's another update. I began looking, and remembering, a few things that really interested me. I think my theme is moving away from revenge to race and class conflict. I've got Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew or The Merchant of Venice (I really love both, so I can't decide), Wuthering Heights, Nella Larsen's Passing, and Crash. Four out of nine--not too shabby, huh!

Which means I'm still stuck on poetry for all three periods, a Victorian play, and a Medieval/Restoration period novel.

With that in mind, I hope you can help me with poetry on this. I'm too tired already. I have to read Wife of Bath, some Tom Jones, and some Spanish history by Monday. Oh yeah, I also have to read Quentin's section on The Sound and the Fury.

Did I mention that I have to go to a family reunion for the weekend? Good grief. Wish me luck!

Prayers couldn't hurt, either. Or anything along those lines!