The final 'official' session of the academic year explored issues relating to the role of comedy in Marlowe's Faustus and the idea that a gothic text deals with 'the negative aspects of human personality'. The phrase 'negative aspects' was discussed as this phrase perhaps fails to capture the nature of the gothic. A more appropriate phrase may be 'the gothic explores the more challenging and disturbing aspects of the human condition'. The class discussion moved on to consider the myth of Prometheus and the fact that Prometheus is eventually rescued by Hercules and how this myth could relate to Shelley's alternative title for her novel. In what sense could this novel be considered The Modern Prometheus?
The discussion then moved on to consider how the use of landscape linked to the key thematic concerns of isolation and alienation. These themes seem to be a central thematic concern in gothic literature. The discussion also considered the significance of dreams before the final section of the lesson considered the question:
What is the significance of Victor's illness in chapter 5 and chapter 21?
Students were directed to consider the themes that could be discussed when answering this question, gothic issues or concerns, relevant features of language, form and structure, and author's aim. The class then produced a written response to the question.
Homework: READ.READ.READ. Peruse your own notes and those provided by the teacher and any areas of the text that remain a puzzle, e-mail me with your questions or pop and see me in E4 after the break. GET REVISING. E-mail me some essays!!
A GOTHIC PODCAST WILL BE CREATED BEFORE THE EXAM.
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