Archive for November 2007
The Man of Feeling
I must say it was refreshing in a sense to stray away from the main characters of women, and finally have a primary male in the picture. After constantly reading about women, and the continuous problems they face, the male protagonist has come forward. Yet in a sense the male is questioning some of the same things that the females protagonists were contemplating in previous novels, for example virtue.
I wanted to look information up about the sentimental movement, and the Encyclopedia Britannica cites that it “exhibit[s] a passionate attachment between the sexes that rises above the merely physical. The vogue of the sentimental love novel was one of the features of the Romantic movement, and the form maintained a certain moving dignity despite a tendency to excessive emotional posturing.” It also mentions that the novel that we also read in class Richardson’s Pamela is considered to be sentimental as well.
The major refreshing part of this novel was that we have finally entered the time of chapters, as I have noticed in a few blogs that others are quite happy with this discovery! It makes it much easier to pins down a place that you are able to stop and in some ways have some loose ends tied up. I found with not having chapters I would not know where to stop, and by time I got back to the book I would have to read over the few previous pages to remember.
Add a comment November 25, 2007
Millenium Hall
I must say that I was disappointed by Sarah Scott’s Millenium Hall, I was expecting a bit more than what the title had put forward. It was most definitely just a description of the Millenium Hall that the main character had visited. There should have been a bit more of a plot, there wasn’t much there to really get into the story. The story itself was very descriptive, I was facinated by the animals that the ladies had kept captive in their own private room.
After the discussions in class, it never occured to me the lesbian reference there could be with all these women living together. It is interesting how such topics arise from something that is more than likely very honest.
At some point I think it would be interesting to be a bluestocking lady, taking the time to sit around with fellow female and discuss everything from literature, politics, to every day events. It ressembles the book clubs that we have today, it is not like the women just merely go there to discuss the book, they partake in some form of gossip.
Add a comment November 7, 2007
Shamela
I absolutely loved the Shamela text. I liked how Fielding took the story of Pamela, kept the same story line, but changed her true feelings and motives. Shamela in this version did desire her master, but tried to play the coy servant and deny his sexual advances.
Shamela‘s parents were more than welcoming the sexual advances of the master, pursuing their daughter to accept any marriage proposal from her master.
Even though the story line of Pamela was interesting at times, and it did follow the protocol of what a lady of any rank was suppose to behave, I would change the story. I believe we should rewrite the story of Pamela, keep all the scenarios, but replace her with character of Shamela.
Add a comment November 2, 2007
