|
|
Uzavřený prostor duše v příbězích E. A. Poea a Chrise Priestleyho
KARVÁNKOVÁ, Iva
The diploma thesis deals with the comparative analysis of selected works by E. A. Poe and Chris Priestley. The thesis focuses primarily on the theme of the closed space and its effect on the psychological states of the characters. The first part of the thesis deals with the basic features of the development of Anglo-American Gothic literature and the characteristics of children's fantasy literature. It also introduces the lives of Poe and Priestley and the main themes in their works. The analysis compares the function of the closed space in the works of both authors. Attention is paid to the connection of this type of space and the oppressive states of the soul. The interpretation focuses on particular examples of the inner and outer space and on the description of the horror atmosphere.
|
|
|
Variations on the Theme of Witchcraft in American Literature
CRKVOVÁ, Simona
The aim of this thesis is a comparative analysis of American literature dealing with the topic of witchcraft and its variations. The theoretical part of the thesis gives information about the history of witchcraft, the Gothic literature, and the characteristics of magic. Furthermore, the thesis deals with the topic of witchcraft in British literature until the sixteenth century. The widest chapter of the theoretical part describes the history of Puritans arriving in America, the Salem witch trial, as well as the current witch movements in the USA. The analysis itself deals with three themes: the origin of magical powers of particular characters and their names; the manifestation of magical powers; and the question whether the stories contain the topic of the witch hunt.
|
|
|
The Monster in British Gothic Fiction
BUREŠOVÁ, Kateřina
The Gothic fiction of the 19th century features a number of characters with monstrous qualities as the genre focuses on the darker side of our reality. It populates its pages with supernatural, monstrous beings that bring terror and anxiety to their victims. These characters and their counterparts thus shed light onto the fears, anxieties and paradoxes of 19th century Britain. As they hunt, terrorise, unsettle and cross boundaries they reveal to us the tenets of human nature. Examination of seminal Gothic characters such as the vampire in Dracula, Carmilla and Christabel, the Creature and his creator in Frankenstein and the sinister doubles of The Picture of Dorian Gray and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde thus helps us understand the mind-set of that era.
|
|
|
Features of the gothic novel and Southern Ontario gothic in the works of Robertson Davies
Kyselová, Mariana ; Nováková, Soňa (advisor) ; Kolinská, Klára (referee)
The gothic novel, albeit not considered high literature, counts among the most distinctive literary genres. The literary form was at its prime in late 18th century, although its days of glory have past elements of the Gothic can be found even in contemporary literature. Over the centuries, several sub-genres of the gothic novel have developed, including Southern Ontario Gothic. This branch of the Gothic is characterized by criticism of social attitudes towards race, politics, gender and religion specific for that region, in combination with elements of the supernatural, magic realism and satire. Robertson Davies, whose novels belong to the most significant works of Southern Ontario Gothic, is considered to be a Canadian literature classic. The aim of this paper is to compare the elements of a classical gothic novel with the elements of Southern Ontario Gothic in Robertson Davies' TheDeptford Trilogy. The initial chapter covers the theoretical background to the problematic of the Gothic and defines the commonly used terminology. The term "gothic" is used in many contexts and fields, and therefore can carry various meanings. The chapter also introduces Southern Ontario Gothic as an acknowledged sub-genre. In the second chapter, some common themes that occur in Canadian culture are introduced....
|
|
|
Female Gothic in Sarah Waters' Fingersmith and The Little Stranger
Gajdošíková, Veronika ; Topolovská, Tereza (advisor) ; Higgins, Bernadette (referee)
This bachelor's thesis analyses two novels by Sarah Waters, Fingersmith (2002) and The Little Stranger (2009), and analyses them through two different theories of Female Gothic, which is a subgenre of Gothic literature. Both books are replete with female characters experiencing feelings of confinement in the house they live in as well as darkness, and the supernatural. All of these features are crucial when defining the Female Gothic. One by one, the two theories will be applied to the novels. The author of the first is Anne Williams, who contrasts Female Gothic mode with Male Gothic mode. She distinguishes between these modes using the narrator, the approach to the supernatural, and the conclusion of the plot. The second concept is by Ellen Moers. She establishes that all Gothic books written by women are Female Gothics, however, she also highlights the setting of the story and the feelings it evokes in female characters. The subject of interpretation will be the narrator, the supernatural elements and the conclusion of the novels. Attention will also be paid to houses and madhouses that appear in Fingersmith and The Little Stranger, and the feelings of confinement, gloominess, and hopelessness they induce in the female characters. The aim of this thesis is to discover if, according to Williams,...
|
|
|
Lemony Snicket´s Series of Unfortunate Events and Joan Rowling´s Harry Potter as Examples of Contemporary Anglo-American Moral Fantasy
FRANKOVÁ, Nikola
The thesis deals with the interpretation of Series of Unfortunate Events written by an American author Lemony Snicket and Joanne K. Rowling´s story about Harry Potter. The analysis is focused on the moral and ethical aspects of individual motifs and symbols, as well as on the importance of human values in the behaviour of main characters. Some of the main protagonist were analysed according to their ability to spread good or evil, and therefore their influence on the young reader. The most important aspect was the good will of characters according to the principles of Lévinas' ethics while the self-sacrifice of the heroes is considered the highest moral value.
|
|
|
Podivný pán z Providence aneb Literární horor v pojetí Howarda Phillipse Lovecrafta a jeho odkaz v pop-kulturním prostoru
PODLAHA, Roman
The Bachelor thesis is mainly focused on horror literature written by American renowned author Howard Phillips Lovecraft. In the first part, the genre of horror as such and its history from the early beginnings is described. Thanks to this introduction, the reader can easily put Lovecraft's work into a broad context of the pop-culture field. The next part of the work is primarily concerned with basic themes and motives which efficiently define the form of Lovecraft's horror stories. To conclude with, the thesis presents several examples of author's reflection in the contemporary works of art.
|
|
|
Gothic Elements in the Novels of the Bronte Sisters
Mikulová, Martina ; Nováková, Soňa (advisor) ; Beran, Zdeněk (referee)
Gothic Elements in the Novels of the Brontë Sisters Thesis abstract Gothic fiction, with its eerie atmosphere and mysterious characters, had a great influence on many later authors. That was without a doubt also the case of the Brontë sisters. Emily's Wuthering Heights, with Charlotte's Jane Eyre and Villette, all contain profound elements of the Gothic. One of the most interesting aspects and perhaps the leading element here is the variety of Gothic character types, which can be found in these novels. By their actions, motivations, and even physical appearance, these characters very much contribute to the creation of a Gothic atmosphere in the novels. The Gothic novel genre has been described as relying on stock character types, some of which indeed entered later fiction, and here were variously transformed. The thesis will therefore identify such characters, trace their Gothic history, and consequently focus on analysing their relation with other important stock Gothic attributes - the environment (such as buildings or landscapes) and the elements of the supernatural - and their role in the overall atmosphere of the novels. Martina Mikulová
|
|
|
Features of the gothic novel and Southern Ontario gothic in the works of Robertson Davies
Kyselová, Mariana ; Nováková, Soňa (advisor) ; Kolinská, Klára (referee)
The gothic novel, albeit not considered high literature, counts among the most distinctive literary genres. The literary form was at its prime in late 18th century, although its days of glory have past elements of the Gothic can be found even in contemporary literature. Over the centuries, several sub-genres of the gothic novel have developed, including Southern Ontario Gothic. This branch of the Gothic is characterized by criticism of social attitudes towards race, politics, gender and religion specific for that region, in combination with elements of the supernatural, magic realism and satire. Robertson Davies, whose novels belong to the most significant works of Southern Ontario Gothic, is considered to be a Canadian literature classic. The aim of this paper is to compare the elements of a classical gothic novel with the elements of Southern Ontario Gothic in Robertson Davies' TheDeptford Trilogy. The initial chapter covers the theoretical background to the problematic of the Gothic and defines the commonly used terminology. The term "gothic" is used in many contexts and fields, and therefore can carry various meanings. The chapter also introduces Southern Ontario Gothic as an acknowledged sub-genre. In the second chapter, some common themes that occur in Canadian culture are introduced....
|
|
|
Elizabeth Gaskell´s Gothic Tales
LIŠKOVÁ, Kristýna
This diploma thesis deals with the analysis of nine gothic tales by an English writer of the nineteenth century Elizabeth Gaskell. These gothic tales are compared with the first gothic novels and gothic literature in general. Their analysis is carried out on the basis of spaces, heroes and themes which appear in E. Gaskell´s gothic tales. The diploma thesis reveals in which aspects Gaskell´s tales are different from the first gothic novels and which new themes, heroes and spaces were introduced by E. Gaskell. An important part of the diploma thesis consists of a brief biography of Elizabeth Gaskell. The events which influenced Gaskell´s work are especially emphasized. The diploma thesis also mentions several other authors whose works inspired E. Gaskell in writing her gothic tales.
|
guest ::
