European Empire vs. Russian Empire An empire is defined as a land with different territories and people under a single ruler. It involves the extension of a state’s sovereignty over external territories and is based on the extent, population, economy and duration of rule. During the Early Modern Era, powerful empires began to emerge and produced a powerful impact on the way the world was shaped. Within each empire, tremendous transformations took place. Old ways were dismantled and new societies arose.
Russia also prospered from a long awaited growth in industry. CZARS/ AUTOCRACIES During the 19th century, Russia was ruled by autocrats, or czars, who ruled with absolute power. Their individual philosophies affected the history and culture of the vast empire. Alexander I was the first czar of the 19th century. He came into power during the Napoleonic Wars, and is most remembered for his involvement in these wars and his sudden change from an active liberal ruler to a more moderate czar.
The narrative device of gossipy dialogue is used to depict Gatsby’s character and present a heightened sense of mystery and drama surrounding the perplexity of the protagonist. Rumours such as ‘he killed a man’ and ‘he was a German spy’ create a theatrical yet domineering addition to Gatsby’s character, making him seem almost out of reach and God like, linking to the symbolism of Dr T. J. Eckleburg in Chapter 2. The violent and negative association to Gatsby such as ‘killed’ and ‘spy’ add to the drama by seeming more scandalous, thus more exciting to continue as rumour meeting the ideals of the guest’s image of Gatsby. Ironically Gatsby meets most of these ideals later on in the novel, hinting at a twentieth century tragedy with chapter 3 depicting Gatsby at his high point leading to a downfall. The use of gossipy dialogue also
“One of the values of Speculative fiction is that this genre bears witness to what it is to be human; that humans have strengths and limitations” Evaluate this statement The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson (1886) and The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (1891) are both late Victorian speculative fiction novellas, which bear witness to what it is to be human during the modern era. Both authors have speculated upon their own society and have created a mirrored society within their work. These texts display the speculations from the authors of the Victorian society influencing and impacting humanity. As a reader, we are questioned what it means to be human; does our society determine and shape who we are? These questions are brought to the surface throughout these speculative fiction novellas.
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde was written by Robert Louis Stevenson who was born in (1850 – 1894). The story of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde was written in 1886, it was partly written as a gothic horror story, other Gothic horror stories written near the same time were “Frankenstein” and “Dracula”. It’s also fits the detective genre because there is a character (Mr Utterson) who is a lawyer but his role in the novel is as a detective trying to find the link between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He was writing in the Victorian times and during them times the Victorians really cared about their reputation and they were scared of being alone on the streets because there was not enough police men around so they didn’t feel safe on the streets. He also sets his novels based in London; Stevenson also wrote children books such as “Kidnapped” and “Treasure Island”.
This is used as the background to the title character’s story of powerful love for his cousin Roxanne, a love Cyrano does not think he deserves, despite his wit, because of his physical appearance. Dickens, on the other hand, creates his novel, A Tale of Two Cities, during a time of great turmoil, the beginnings of the French Revolution, which would eventually upheave thousands of years of hierarchy and tradition. Dickens’s France is dark, miserable and filled with a climate of overwhelming terror behind the heroic and sacrificial tale of self-deprecating hero, Sydney Carton, who gives his own life in a selfless act of love for Lucie Manette in order to save the man she loves from the guillotine. Though Dickens’s illustration of the revolutionaries is not always positive, he has a deep sympathy towards the plight of the poor therefore his portrayal of France is extremely negative and often exaggerated. Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand and A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens depict opposing interpretations of life in France which were developed based on the personal backgrounds of the authors and expressed in romanticized portrayals of French society in the mid-17th century and late 18th century respectively.
Walpole, from an aristocratic family, a Member of Parliament and owner of an established printing press publishes this novel in 1754. In his literary guise as editor in the first preface, Walpole writes that the novel’s moral is “the sins of the fathers are visited on their children.” The sins Walpole is referring to are basically all related to usurping the Castle of Otranto. These hidden transgressions thus culminate into violence, murder, and deception, in an attempt to secure the castle without being a rightful heir. As a result, the forces of supernatural retribution begin to manifest in fearful apparitions. They serve as warnings to the villain Manfred, who is the king of Otranto.
Oscar Wilde is credited for being a provocateur for change in nineteenth century England. Wilde provides his audience with the opportunity to witness the inner-workings of Victorian society and their rebellion against following the social norms. Oscar Wilde uses the fabricated identities of Jack and Algernon, the main characters of the play, to show the rebellious nature of the aristocracy. Wilde portrays the Victorian upper-class as rigid and the secret lives are necessary to provide the freedom to express who they really are. While the middle-class of England looks up to the upper-class Victorians with respect and envy, both Jack and Algernon dislike the propriety of it all.
The Consumption of Shame This powerful quote, excerpted from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, has both a literal meaning, and figurative meaning, plummeting into the depths of the Victorian-age setting this novel was written in. During the Victorian time period, religion, and people within those religions, took the idea of sins and wrong-doings seriously, and also searched to find the idea of man’s counter-identity and they explored the evil and wicked wrong-doings inherent in all human beings. Therefore, this line from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde reflects the time period the novella was written. Ultimately, the past can always be seen in regret, denial, or even forgetfulness, but, the future is inevitable and the past in unchangeable. The only matter that could change in the past is the human being’s own mind and how they construct their own perspectives of the past.
His painful early experiences perhaps go some way in explaining Dickens criticizing attitude to Victorian life. Many of his books describe negative aspects to living in these times; Oliver Twist for example is the story a young vagabond who joins a band of thieves. Each of these stories is all the more potent because Dickens himself experienced such woes first hand. Dickens’s didactic writing reaches a climax in Hard Times his views are more distinct and evident than any other novel he wrote. It is a sign of how important he felt education was and why he criticizes it so relentlessly.