Month: June 2015

Animals: Symbols between humanity and the Devil in Dracula

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Animals are essential to set the scene, as well as the tone of the novel, which blurs the lines between humans, animals, and the Devil.

The references, ‘serpentine’ path and the peasant’s cart with “its long, snakelike vertebrae”[i] , introduce the Devil, foreshadowing future events while reinforcing what Harker overhears before he leaves Bistritz: “Satan”, “Hell”, and “werewolf or vampire”[ii].  Serpent symbolism appears when the Count mentions, “I love the shade and the shadow,”[iii] (because [serpents] inhabit shady places[iv] ) and because Dracula moves about the castle unnoticed (“Serpens” refers to “creep[ing] by secret approaches”[v] ).

At the Pass, the coachman’s eyes gleam red, like a rat, which symbolizes death, decay, and destruction[vi], and is amplified when a passenger whispers, “For the dead travel fast.”[vii]

Wolves howl frequently and circle the caleche, symbolizing their cunning and cruel nature[viii], yet the coachman inexplicably controls them. The Count personifies them as “the children of the night”[ix] and notes that city dwellers couldn’t understand the “feelings of the hunter,”[x] foreshadowing Dracula as a hunter.

Dracula, with his long, fine, sharply pointed nails suggesting claws, hairs on his palms, the pointed tops of his ears, his “canine teeth”[xi], and his squat fingers suggesting paws (“Lupus, a wolf [comes] from ‘Lion-paws’”[xii] ), results in a wolf-like appearance. “The Devil bears the similitude of a wolf… looking… with his evil eye… darkly prowling… the faithful… that he may… ruin their souls”[xiii], and all companions Harker encounters cross themselves, present crucifixes, and ward off the ‘evil eye’.

It is noteworthy that at this time, werewolves and vampires seem almost interchangeable, as Stoker’s physical description of Dracula resembles a werewolf, and only his colorless pallor represents the classic vampire. Therefore, animalistic appearance or behavior symbolizes ever-increasing evil, which conversely puts the heroes in a virtuous state, despite their manic behavior.

[i] Bram Stoker, Dracula, published 1897, p.8

[ii] Dracula, p.6

[iii] Dracula, p.24

[iv] The Book of Beasts, Being a Translation from the Latin Bestiary of the Twelfth Century, Edited by T.H. White, p.165

[v] The Book of Beasts, p.165

[vi] Signs and Symbols: An Illustrated Guide to Their Origins and Meanings, DK Publishing, p. 53

[vii] Dracula, p.10

[viii] Signs and Symbols, p.32

[ix] Dracula, p.19

[x] Dracula, p.19

[xi] Dracula, p.22

[xii] The Book of Beasts, p.56

[xiii] The Book of Beasts, p.59

Alice as an Allegory for Victorian Society

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Alice is a multi-tiered allegory for Victorian life, just as The Wizard of Oz is an allegory for the economic and socio-political times of 19th century America.  Both stories feature young girls who lose their way and end up in a land that doesn’t make sense,[1] from which they “awake” after their adventures, suggesting that their dreamlands are idealized places. Alice even remarks, “What a wonderful dream it had been.”[2]

Hatters went insane due to prolonged exposure to mercury vapors during the felting process: “Erratic, flamboyant behavior was one of the most evident alterations caused by mercury,”[3] so the Mad Hatter is based in reality. The similarity between the two stories, along with a seed of truth in Alice, shows that there is more to the story than nonsensical language and tangential off-shoots. Lauren Millikan, in her senior project[4], identifies numerous allegories.[5] Historical interpretations include:

Political (International expansion led to violence and fear of the monarchy, as reflected in the Queen’s behavior [Queen Victoria], who constantly proclaims, “Off with their heads”.)

Colonial (Alice misunderstands the native culture, frequently insulting the animals, “I wish the creatures wouldn’t be so easily offended!”[6] and insisting on proper etiquette.)

Math (As a mathematician, Carroll loved puzzles, games, and mind teasers[7], which are prevalent in Alice: “Why is a raven like a writing desk?”[8] )

Science (Darwin’s findings[9] are referenced as animals appear out of the water i.e. Alice’s tears[10], which suggests that Alice is god-like in this new world, especially during times of growth, and culminates with her boldness during the trial[11])

Humanity (The mistreatment of children and the mentally ill were prevalent in Victorian society, “’…an insane person was “appropriated” to the status of a child, which was an improvement over the status of animal.’[12] Although, considering the marginal identity of children, this still kept them on the furthest edges of society”[13]. The Duchess and her “child”, who becomes a pig, showcase this injustice.)

[1] My husband pointed out this similarity.

[2] Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll, 1985 edition, page 144

[3]  http://corrosion-doctors.org/Elements-Toxic/Mercury-mad-hatter.htm

[4] “Curiouser and Curiouser, The Evolution of Wonderland”, Lauren Millikan http://www.carleton.edu/departments/ENGL/Alice/index.html

[5] Other theories on Millikan’s site: http://www.carleton.edu/departments/ENGL/Alice/criticism.html

[6] Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll, 1985 edition, page 59

[7] Charles Lutwidge Dodgson biography, http://www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/Biographies/Dodgson.html

[8] Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll, 1985 edition, page 79

[9] Charles Darwin published Origin of Species in 1859.

[10] Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll, 1985 edition, page 32

[11] Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll, 1985 edition, pp. 136 – 144

[12] Jan Gordon citation: http://www.carleton.edu/departments/ENGL/Alice/Footbibliography.html#gordon

[13]  http://www.carleton.edu/departments/ENGL/Alice/CritVict.html

Grimm’s Fairy Tales and Their Relation to Classic Mythology Revisited

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After my essay was peer reviewed by a few particularly astute students, I felt the need to improve my original work, so I am reposting this essay with several important changes, hopefully resulting in a more focused and accurate essay.

 

“The Wolf and the Seven Little Goats” is a prime example of why fairy tales continue to fascinate us. These tales are rich with symbolism and echo mythological constructs.  Six of the seven little kids were swallowed whole by the wolf, only to be cut out by the mother, after which they leapt out, unharmed. This is reminiscent of the origin story for the Greek gods, in which Cronus, a Titan, was “told by Earth and starry Sky that he was destined to be overcome by his own son,” as punishment because he had cut open his father, Sky, with a sickle, despite Cronus acting out his mother’s wishes. Cronus swallows his own children whole to avoid this fate. Zeus’ mother conspires to save her child, so she “wrapped a huge stone in… blankets… [and Cronus] swallowed it…” Cronus’ other children were then freed from his belly.

 

In this regard, we can view the wolf as a father figure, since the mother conspires with her youngest child to free the other children by cutting open the wolf and replacing them with rocks. When the wolf falls into the water, drowning with the weight of the stones in his belly, this act signifies a transition of power as the wolf is no longer feared or holds power over the people. In essence, the kids are now in power. The act of son overtaking father, allowing for the transition of power, is a key aspect of mythology, as suggested by Joseph Campbell, who looks at the psychological significance of myths which pervade every society.

 

These stories stay with us as a universal constant because they put into words our fears and hopes. The Grimm brothers exemplify the oral mythological tradition by their use of symbolism, which is essential to the transfer of knowledge from one generation to the next.

 

Works Cited

The World of Myth, an anthology, by David Adams Leeming
The Power of Myth with Bill Moyers by Joseph Campbell (originally produced in a series of interviews)
Signs and Symbols, An Illustrated Guide to Their Origins and Meanings, published by DK Publishing in 2008 (no author listed)

Terminology is not the question to debate…

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Here is my Week 6 Forum assignment for Magic in the Middle Ages. This is our last week, and this question received quite a bit of response, not the least of which was that the question itself was rather confusing. As such, I edited it for my own understanding and the clarity of the other students. To be fair, the instructors of the course do not speak English as their main language. Nevertheless, I took a different approach to answering the question.

 

The description of “sumptuary arts” is quite contemporary. Throughout the History of Art, those artistic expressions have been considered a minor category, compared to Architecture, Sculpture and Painting. They have even received a pejorative name: “Minor Arts”. Currently, to employ a more suitable word according to the value deserved for those pieces is under discussion. For Hanns Swarzenski, of “Monuments of Romanesque Art” The Art of Church Treasures in North Western Europe, Londres, 1967, pp. 14: “The better denomination for this kind of art would be the Art of Church Treasuries.” Other researchers like Concepción Fernández Villami, from “Las Artes Aplicadas”, Madrid, 1975, for instance, considers that it would be better to use “applied arts” because this definition includes the determinants of utility and beauty, two of the distinctive features of these kinds of artistic expressions. 

Which definition suits better with your opinion and why? Answer the question in around 100 words showing your understanding of the importance of those artistic manifestations.

 

I choose neither. I think a better term would be “Church Antiquities”. These relics served the purpose of bringing people into the churches and were coveted for their ornate ornamentation. However, this does not make them “art”. Their purpose was in their economic value, and the “power” they possessed by their contents became secondary. There are important relics in cultures other than Europe in the Middle Ages. For example, relics of Egypt were also thought to have powerful, magical qualities and were buried within the chambers of the dead to help them cross over. Why should these particular artifacts be denoted any differently than antiquities of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome or Ancient Egypt or numerous other civilizations? Those civilizations viewed their artifacts with reverence, as well. Some of the relics of Europe in the Middle Ages may be very artistic in nature, but certainly not all of them. Art is subjective, but it is also produced to form a connection between the artist and the audience through the art itself, not the supposed magical qualities it possesses. Some, if not most, of these artifacts were created for rather deceptive reasons i.e. relics were split into smaller and smaller pieces to have more available for all the churches who sought them to increase their congregations. It seems inaccurate to compare these items with true artistic pieces when both were present during this time. Therefore, “Church Antiquities” is the least misleading of all the terms suggested, and if a piece is worthy of artistic merit, it should be regarded separately and on its own terms from these “magical” relics. The terminology is not the question to debate, but rather the variable qualities of the relics in the Middle Ages.

The Knight of the Cart: the story of Lancelot and Guinevere

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This is my peer assignment for week 5 of Magic in the Middle Ages. I have expounded upon it a little bit and did some minor editing, as I wrote the original draft of 433 words in about 15 minutes.

Reflect about the following aspects of  The Knight of the Cart by Chrétien de Troyes and write a short essay about it (950-1200 characters, about 200 words).

This romance is about an adulterous relationship between Lancelot and the queen. As we have mentioned in this week’s videos, there are two knights who depart from Arthur’s court in order to rescue Guinevere. They represent different ways of undertaking the adventure. While Lancelot follows Love, Gauvain is associated with Reason. This is why they take different paths to save the queen, although just one of them will be successful. Write an essay about Lancelot’s conception of love in this book: a) Does Lancelot behave according to social conventions? b) Write at least one example justifying your answer. You might want to reflect about the implications of a love un/limited by social rules in your conclusion.

 

I was captivated by this story, although it had a rather confusing start because there were very few names used, mainly just a “knight” or a “maiden”. Finally, as I began to realize the Knight of the Cart was indeed Lancelot, I observed his behaviors more closely. He takes on a hero’s journey to save the Queen. He encounters many obstacles, but his heart remains true to the woman he has fallen in love with, so he fights valiantly, with no regard for his own life, and conquers each impediment in his way, whether it be treacherous terrain, knights bent on jousting and impeding his way into the land from which no one returns, or maidens beseeching him to escort them or lay with them. He agrees to every request of him, intent on keeping each promise, regardless of the internal harm and dismay it causes him, because he learns more about his journey to save the Queen or he gains food or shelter.

I believe he does behave according to social conventions and to the knight’s code of chivalry for making and keeping promises that he knows may inflict harm upon him to further his hero’s journey and save his love. He even has mercy on the son who enslaved the Queen.

I’ve never read fully the story of Lancelot and Guinevere until now, and I always felt empathy for King Arthur, as his lady love and dear friend have betrayed him. However, this version of the story, this hero’s journey, shows Lancelot’s true character and his undying love for the Queen. He faces death repeatedly and will not be swayed by any threats or warnings. Then, Guinevere, thinking Lancelot is dead, is beside herself, grieving, because she believes her behavior toward the one who loves her has caused him his death. Then he nearly kills himself, thinking his love, Guinevere, is dead. That part strongly reminds me of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. I now see why the story of Lancelot and Guinevere is a true love story, especially considering that King Arthur sent his wife off to this land, not knowing if he would ever see here again. I recognize that he was bound to keep his promise to Kay, but Kay was not well-equipped to save his wife, and it was his nephew that had to speak up, suggesting that they should go after her.

I know the moral is love over reason. Lancelot is fearless, and often in a dreamlike state, unaware of the danger he is in, because of his intense love for Guinevere. I admire that. However, I don’t know that reason should be overruled completely, as is implied by the failure of Gauvain, King Arthur’s nephew. Reason has its place, but I suppose not in matters of the heart.

Grimm’s Fairy Tales and Their Relation to Classic Mythology

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This post was inspired by reading Grimm’s Fairy Tales for my Fantasy and Science Fiction: The Human Mind, Our Modern World MOOC. We will be encouraged each week to write a piece no longer than 320 words(!) highlighting a theme or otherwise enriching the minds of our fellow “intelligent, attentive” peers. Thus, the piece must be boiled down to its essence, and every word must count. As such, I have omitted summaries unless necessary, and it is understood that the reader has a knowledge of Grimm’s Fairy Tales, as illustrated by Walter Crane. Enjoy!

 

The Wolf and the Seven Little Goats is a prime example of why fairy tales continue to fascinate us. These tales are rich with symbolism and echo mythological constructs.  Six of the seven little kids were swallowed whole by the wolf, only to be cut out by the mother, after which they leapt out, unharmed. This is reminiscent of the origin story for the Greek gods, which states that Kronos, a Titan, feared being overthrown by his children, so he swallowed them whole. Zeus emerged from Kronos and freed his siblings, and then Zeus defeated Kronos, and the Olympians defeated the Titans. In this regard, we can view the wolf as a father figure, as the mother conspires with her seventh child how to free the other children. The children then overtake the wolf when he falls into the water, drowning with the weight of the stones in his belly. This act also signifies a transition of power as the wolf is no longer feared or holds power over  the people. In essence, the kids are now in power. The transition of son overtaking father and the transition of power are deeply laden in mythology, as suggested by Joseph Campbell, an expert in the field and author of The Power of Myth, which looks at the psychological significance of myths that pervade every society.

These stories stay with us as universal constant, part of our group consciousness, because they put into words our fears and hopes.  The Grimm brothers exemplify the oral mythological tradition by their use of symbolism in numbers, the forest as a mysterious and dangerous place, and food for survival (swallowing of the kids, as well as the mother goat seeking food in the forest), just to name a few. Symbolism is a key to the transfer of knowledge from one generation to the next.

 

Works Cited

The World of Myth, an anthology, by David Adams Leeming
The Power of Myth with Bill Moyers by Joseph Campbell (originally produced in a series of interviews)
Signs and Symbols, An Illustrated Guide to Their Origins and Meanings, published by DK Publishing in 2008 (no author listed)

Magic in Islam: Prophets versus Sorcerers

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This unit in my MOOC, Magic in the Middle Ages, focused on magic in Islam and how it was viewed. Because I come from a similar but different religious background, much of the texts were new to me. When I first read the assignment, I didn’t think I would have anything to say – certainly not anything of value. However, as it always happens, I explored the given text and expanded my ideas, and I came up with a rather interesting conclusion. If you would like to understand the references given, you will need to access the link provided and read the brief text to formulate your own opinions and perhaps challenge mine.

 

In this link you will find a passage on magic from the Muqaddima (the Introduction) by the famous historian Ibn Khaldūn (732-784/1332-1382). This passage is available in a great variety of translations. For English, we recommend Rosenthal’s translation. The passage is part of chapter 6.27. Ibn Khaldūn, The Muqaddimah. An Introduction to History, trans. by F. Rosenthal, Princeton University Press, 1967 (1st ed. 1958), vol. 3, p. 156 and sqq.

Read the following passages:

paragraphs 1-2

paragraph 5-13, from ‘Let us present’ to ‘All this comes from (sorcerers and sorcery).

Read the selected passage and answer the question:

What is the difference between prophets and sorcerers in this particular field? And what is the difference between their practices?

According to this particular passage, the potentiality of souls is present, but unique, in every individual. Some are destined to be prophets, receiving information and practicing their divination through God. Others have the potentiality to be sorcerers, but this does not mean they will act on it, only that it is a quality of their soul, presumably over which they have no direct source of control. However, if they choose to exercise this innate power, then they rely on insights from objects or demons, rather than God. Their powers are three-fold: First, the most powerful is by pure mental power that they exercise their practices. The second is brought about by the use of talismans and communication with celestial objects or the properties of numbers (like geomancy, it seems). The third power is through influence of the imagination of others, which is perceived to be “unreal” unlike the first two types of powers. The prophets’ practices are not specific in these passages, but I read further and discovered that prophets’ powers can be the same as a sorcerer’s powers, like Moses’ “miracles”, which he performed as evidence of his prophecy, but was something “bragged about” and attributed to sorcerers.

The main difference, as far as I can tell, is that the prophets’ practices came from a divine source: the same end result for either type of soul, just a different means to get there. It is the exact opposite of “the ends justify the means”. I agree that there is a clear distinction between light and dark, white and black magic, us versus them, depending on your perspective, particularly if you come at it from a religious viewpoint. Even though prophets and sorcerers achieve the same ends, it is clear that sorcerers are thought of as “evil” by their counterparts, and I think this is due to fear of the unknown and placing a higher value on the religion of that time and place. Obviously, if the potentiality of souls in unique and innate in every individual, they are constrained to their destiny from birth and apparently, it cannot be changed. Thus, the prophets are sorcerers have the same powers and practices, and the ones claiming that sorcerers are evil are the ones that write the books, the believers in that religion, who see the sorcerers as “non-believers”. The people in power write the books and keep the histories and so are always biased by their opinions. Sorcerers are not necessarily evil, but where are the writings from their perspective, speaking on their behalf, defending their ideas and practices?