The phenomenon of the grotesque in modern southern fiction. Until then please check out our litnote and study guide content. Gothic literature includes elements of style that is usually portrayed in tales and deals with horror, despair, the grotesque, and mysteries. The grotesque is one of the most obvious forms art may take to pierce the. Its a genre characterized by contrast, mixing elements of dark. The grotesque, often defined as something fantastically distorted that attracts and repels, is a concept that has various meanings in literature. A summary of the book of the grotesque, hands, paper pills in sherwood andersons winesburg, ohio. Literary works of mixed genre are occasionally termed grotesque, as are low or non literary genres such as pantomime and farce. This dissertation explores a history of the grotesque and its meaning in art and literature along with those of its related term, the arabesque, since their coexistence, specifically in literature, is later treated by a wellknown nineteenthcentury american writer in tales of the grotesque and arabesque theories or views of the grotesque used in literature, both in europe and america. This literature utilizes themes of disturbing characters, haunting landscapes, and sinister events all elements of gothic. Gleesonwhites essay focuses on the southern grotesque, also known as southern gothic, which explores the gloomy vision on modernism.
Asked in horror, literary terminology what time period was. Grotesque comic elements can be found in major works such as king lear. Childrens literature can be traced to stories and songs, part of a wider oral tradition, that adults shared with children before publishing existed. The grotesque is both an artistic and literary term, and is a bit difficult to describe, as it is less of a solid definition, and more of a range between. While these threats in romantic literature still manifested primarily in the other a crazed wife locked away in the attic, for. Although grotesque has become a general adjective for the strange or disturbing, and can be seen in various art forms from literature to architecture, the term also refers to a subgenre of southern gothic literature. The grotesque in art and literature by wolfgang kayser. Tell students to each select an object to use as the subject and inspiration for their own contradiction poem. The windows of the house in which he lived were high and he wanted to look at the trees when he awoke in the morning.
Gothic literature started the grotesque era truly, but the southern gothic movement pushed it further on. While related to both the english and american gothic tradition, southern gothic. Search the worlds most comprehensive index of fulltext books. For over two centuries, gothic literature has been exploring these questions. While many of the southern gothic culture and literature explores these elements separately, there are cases where they simultaneously occur.
A theory of the grotesque in southern fiction jstor. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. Grotesque comi c elemen ts can be found in major works such as king lea r. Modern childrens literature is classified in two different ways. In dracula, the use of dramatic irony is present to enhance the tone and mood of his gothic tale. In 1960, oconnor penned an essay titled some aspects of the grotesque in southern fiction, eventually included in the altogether fantastic posthumous collection of her unpublished lectures, essays, and critical articles. This article relates to vampires in the lemon grove. With commentaries and more on great books and authors. Tales of the grotesque and arabesque, first edition title page, 1840. The presence of something seemingly unnatural underlines the ambiguous placement of the grotesque between reality and fantasy, an element.
Gothic fiction often has elements of the grotesque, such as mary. The grotesque in english literature arthur clayborough on. Childrens literature or juvenile literature includes stories, books, magazines, and poems that are made for children. By the same token, southern gothic literature aims to expose the. Pdf elements of the grotesque in mary shelleys frankenstein. Anachronisms appear in literature, paintings, and other works, and it is fascinating to explore them. Southern gothic literature is a genre of southern writing that focuses on the grotesque. Flannery oconnor march 25, 1925august 3, 1964 is among the titans of twentiethcentury literature in addition to being a lesserknown satirical cartoonist. The creation and evolution of the gothic grotesque. Southern gothic literature often incorporates its elements separately without any direct relationship between two of them, namely the grotesque and violence. The grotesque in art and poetry education at the getty.
However, it is definitely a critical book for people interested in art history as well as the evolution of the grotesque in literature. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Gothic writings often have grotesque components in terms of character, style and location. It amazed me that i had not seen count dracula, since the reflection of the glass covered the whole room behind me stoker 36, the audience immediately recognizes that dracula is a vampire. What years were the gothic literature period answers. Gothic writings o ften have grotesque components in terms of character, style and location. Critical essay by forum for world literature studies. Very much like the uncanny, the grotesque draws its power from the combination of the familiar and the unfamiliar, or the familiar distorted.
Grotesque literature features horror as well, but could be from any time period, and might contain different elements than gothic. In literature the grotesque appears in a scene or animated tableau. Grotesque elements of southern gothic literature 6. An extremely fascinating subject, kayserss study illuminates the entire etymologly. The grotesque, as it appears in southern fiction, refers neither. Southern gothic is a mode or genre prevalent in literature from the early 19th century to this day. An attempt at synthesis however customary it once may have been to use the term grotesque disparagingly in discussions of art and literature, it seems clear that at present it is generally an honorific. This book is a bit difficult to follow if you are unfamiliar with the references. As a genre, gothic investigates the darker side of human nature, evolves in response to contemporary anxieties, and often raises controversy along the way. Gothic literature is a genre that emerged as one of the eeriest.
Review with students the images of the pilgrim flask and the paneled door. In nineteenthcentury american writing, there was a good deal of grotesque literature which came from the frontier and was supposed to be funny. Much of that literature which we now characteristically think of as modern, whatever its age, can be and often is. The psychological grotesque in modern american literature. Rodopi, 1997 harlod bloom, the grotesque, infobase, 2009. Generally, they are considered errors that occur due to lack of research. In order to unravel the knot of such a problematized definition, it would be. It may contain some supernatural elements, but often more realistic flawed characters and settings. Very much like the uncanny, the grotesque draws its power from the combination of the familiar and the unfamiliar, or. American grotesque from nineteenth century to modernism. Grotesque oxford research encyclopedia of literature. In some southern gothic books, the supernatural is used to heighten the sense of horror.
Accordingly, this article employs a wide range of literary examples, as well as a range of. Dark romanticism is characterized by expressions of terror, gruesome narratives, supernatural elements, and dark, picturesque scenery. The merging of incongruent elements is precisely where the affective power of the grotesque lies. Since at least the 18th century grotesque has come to be used as a general adjective for the. When researching the term for his classic study on the grotesque. Cliffsnotes study guides are written by real teachers and professors, so no matter what youre studying, cliffsnotes can ease your homework headaches and help you score high on exams. Gothic literature is a genre that emerged as one of the eeriest forms of dark romanticism in the late 1700s, a literary genre that emerged as a part of the larger romanticism movement. Get an answer for what are the grotesque elements in poes the telltale heart. The writer, an old man with a white mustache, had some difficulty in getting into bed. For example, if a painter paints a portrait of aristotle, and shows him wearing a wrist watch, it would be an example of anachronism, as we are all aware that. As is implied by the title of her book, this loss is not, as it is in bakhtin. Gothic are awfully good, and in my mind stick out as useful examples of.
What special possibilities for literary creation arise in periods of rapid transition from one set of social institutions to another. In the novel wuthering heights by emily bronte, there are many elements of gothic literature that is found throughout the book. One of my favorite subgenres, next to neonoir and transgressive, is the grotesque. He traces the history of the grotesque from ancient cave drawings and their possible meanings through the gothic and renaissance periods, and then through its use, not only in art criticism, but in the heart of literature, particularly in bronte, poe, mann, conrad, and oconnor. Southern gothic literature oxford research encyclopedia. This large array provided a repertoire of elements that were the basis for later artists. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of winesburg, ohio and what it means. Liter ary works of mixed genre are occasionally t ermed grot esque, as are low or non l iterary genres such as pantomime and farce. Lets talk about what this style of writing is all about, and how it can help you to write better fiction and tap into your veiled weirdness. The concept of the grotesque in literature underwent an important shift during the romantic period, which focused on the dark and demonic nature of the grotesque, though its comical aspect was still present. In art, performance, and literature, however, grotesque may also refer to.
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