Aarne–Thompson classification system

So, sir asked to blog on something that we found interesting in the lesson on Tuesday! When he mentioned the Aarne-Thompson classification system I found it quite interesting that such thing existed. So from looking at what I have read so far the system was started by a woman named Antti Aarne, the actual system was published in 1910. Whats so interesting about it is that the system was designed to help folkorists could identify and organize recurring plot patterns and narrative structures so that they could analyze them put together. The classification simply works by dividing tales into sections with an "AT" number for each entry. The names given are typical, but usage varies; the same tale type number may be referred to by its central motif or by one of the variant folktales of that type, which can also vary, especially when used in different countries and cultures. The tale type does not have to be accurate for every folktale. For example, The Cat as Helper (545B) also includes tales where a fox helps the hero.
However, there is difficulty using the system as it is sometimes hard to classify a certain tale, for example, Rapunzel is classified as 310 (as there is a maiden stuck in the tower) but the story opens with a child being demanded in return for stolen food, as does the fairytale Puddocky, but Puddocky is not a maiden in the tower tale like Rapunzel. So the system does have its disadvantages like folklorists can describe two tales to be classed as the same but this eliminates the details in the actual story turning it into something else. This analysis has been criticized for ignoring tone, mood, characters and, indeed, anything that differentiates one fairy tale from another.

Essay (THE WORST ONE IV'E EVER WRITTEN)!

How does the novel Dracula tap into the paranoia and fear of its readers?

Considering the context of reception, the novel provides fear and paranoia to readers when it was written in the eighteenth century all the way through to today. The Victorian audience didn’t receive the novel as well as some would today due to it being a gothic novel, it would have only appealed to some readers.

Stoker uses various different aspects such as religion and psychological ideas to add an understanding of reality to the novel even though it is gothic literature. Stoker outlines the differences between evil and good through his characters, Dracula being a powerful demon serving to the devil, whereas Van Helsing is an avenging servant to the lord, both characters are serving their higher powers in acting out their plans. Religion plays a big role in the novel as its consistent; a good example of this would be the ruined abbey, using gothic architecture to add a sense of fear and paranoia to the novel. Atmospheric ruins that inspire nervous thoughts and spooks, those also seem to occur in Dracula the ruin’s of the abbey are a relic of the thirteenth century, not only does the abbey have its own macabre site but also its legends and haunting supernatural tales, its broken windows and open spaces suggests violence. Another religious part in the novel that I feel ties in well with fear and paranoia is when Jonathon is on his way to the castle and he comes across a religious woman who puts a crucifix around his neck (an English churchman) and tells him to be careful when the clock strikes midnight to be aware that is “the eve of St George’s day”. As readers we realise that Jonathon is not very religious at all, he doesn’t take these things into account until later on when he finds out he actually needs to be aware of these religious aspects. In a way this whole idea of the crucifix has a fearful undertone to it as it is still mentioned later on in the novel. On the topic of religion I feel there is another important part in the novel when paranoia and fear are a constant reminder of what the novel is about. It is when Lucy becomes ill as a bat attacks her, this leads to her being weak and needing blood, this is when the idea of sacrifice comes into place and we start to realise that giving blood from a younger person is seen as pure and kind, so Lucy is given blood form her fiancé Arthur but this doesn’t work as Dracula has already taken it from Lucy so in a way she has lost her virginity to Dracula rather than Arthur. So we see that stoker has used religion in a clever way to tie in with the fear and paranoia in the novel so far.

Furthermore Stoker uses psychological ideas to give the novel an aspect of fear and paranoia he focuses on the fear of sleep and even attacks when people sleep, in other words when people are most vulnerable. This adds a sense of fear throughout the novel, as he could be anywhere as he is a crude shape shifter, he can come when least expected. His physical presence is also a big part of the novel and its what makes the reader feel paranoid as he can be in the form of a bat one minute, and then the next be in the form of mist this highlights his power yet at the same time illustrates how he has turned from a count to a wolf then to a bat, and then finally into the form of mist, this cycle can show to us the downfall of his importance/character.

Overall I believe that Stoker puts paranoia and fear into the novel through aspects like religion and the politics at the time, and how they influenced him to write what he wrote and what effect it had on its readers. The ongoing theme of fear works quite well with Dracula’s character and how he uses certain characteristics to make the readers feel uncomfortable, a prime example of this would be his shape-shifting characteristic to put other people in danger and attack them when they are most vulnerable.

Why is Dracula written in the form of letters and diary entries?

Well, I think its written in letters etc, because it gives a sense of reality, after all it is a book about vampires, werewolves and based around a gothic genre. I mean if you ask me, I don't really believe in that stuff, but the book does however give the reader a sense of suspension of disbelief. This basically means that even though the reader may not believe in what's happening in reality, they suspend this thought and believe it, giving them a sense of adventure. Its almost like watching a James Bond movie, where James Bond literally NEVER DIES, sometimes people like to watch the film and believe that everything that happens is amazing and supercool, whereas some people (like me) think what the hell is going on? He would never survive jumping off a 50 story building after going through a fire blazing car crash? Its like that's just ridiculous. On the other hand, its adventurous and exciting to watch it without these thoughts in your mind.

The invasion of privacy throughout the novel is another thing that makes us want to read further, having the diary entries of two peoples conversation in front of us makes us want to find out more about the secrets, this way we can interpret the characters and the drama from a different aspect, its almost as if the reader is meant to be a third character, this is what makes it exciting, this is what suspends our disbelief!

Sex and Dreams in Chapter 3 (Baby in a bag) WTF?

Can we just establish, this dude, Sigmund Freud is WEIRD! But interesting.. So I read chapter 3 and found that the chapter is full sexual imagery (PORN) to be precise. Anyway Harker sees Dracula slithering 'lizard like' down the wall of the castle, Harker sees this happen twice, then realises he needs to explore Dracula's castle further he visits other rooms similar to his but notices the rooms are furnished in a better way compared to his, after writing the diary entry he falls asleep and sees a dream.... or does he???? Where three vampire brides visit him by the moonlight, the women look similar to Dracula and cast no shadows, one of the brides approaches Harker with her sharp teeth when the Count arrives they are given a 'baby in a bag' and are gone?

So looking at how Sigmund Freud interpreted dreams, and comparing the symbols etc with what we have read so far through Dracula the entire book seems to be one big sexual fantasy? Hmm, it does sound bizarre and far fetched at first, but can be quite interesting if we look further into the meaning and significance of the symbols. For example; Freud states that castles, mansions, entrances and landscapes represent female genitalia, (hollow objects) then things like teeth and playing/moving objects like sliding, slipping and breaking branches are symbols of masturbating. So putting these together represents a crude image in terms of Sigmund Freud's psychoanalysis, so the stimuli we get when we are sleeping is what makes us dream right? So then this increases when we wake? After all freud says "If such withdrawal was possible to achieve, the sleeper would risk not to wake up again". So is Freud saying we see these dreams naturally in that the stimuli encourage these thoughts in out mind leading us to dream? CONFUSED.COM!

Moving on... Harker's encounter with the vampire women must be the most sexulised parts of the narrative. His response to their approach brings him humiliation and shame that he is uncertain that his experience may have been more than he imagined.

Christopher Marlowe!

I really enjoyed the group discussion we had today about the whole Christopher Marlowe and Christianity aspect towards "Dr Faustus". I liked filling in the table then talking, and listening to what other people thought about him and the religious side to it. I then also researched him in Wikipedia, and read about his early life and his background, funnily enough he is very similar to Shakespeare! I liked the part on his death and how people believed he faked his death and then discreetly wrote under the name of Shakespeare.
Overall I feel that the first lesson was a success, my favorite part was the group discussion! Now I am looking forward to reading the three texts!

Doctor Faustus

Reading the chorus today really gave an introduction to the play. Reading each line then listening to sir's explanation was informative, as was the reading of the opening scene. So far I'm enjoying Doctor Faustus' character and his qualities which can be debated to an extent, and how he talks in the opening through third person. The language he uses may not be simple to understand, similarly with Shakespeare, but he does however have meaning which links into his character.
Another interesting exercise in todays lesson was when we 'drew' Faustus (to a certain degree) and quoted him along with his qualities and his basic character, again interlinking this with characteristics of a gothic character. Doing this made it clearer to understand his true nature and and why he had made certain decisions. Overall a fun and enjoyable lesson!

English Gothic Architecture!

Looking back at todays lesson, one thing I was inspired to look further into was english gothic architecture. As I am a huge fan of architecture and want to study it, it made sense for me to blog about it.
The earliest buildings are known to be built around 1144, these buildings are still here today, Westminster Abbey, Durham cathedral and Canterbury cathedral. The gothic idea came from France, it was inspired by a building named Basilisque Saint-Denis.
Romanesque buildings usually used round arches, high ceilings, lancet windows and naive isles. These were all made from stone similarly to the Norman style architecture. Windows would be subdivided by closely parallel mullions, these would express as much light and gave a sense of openness along with the dark stone, Interiors of this period often feature tall columns of more slender and elegant form than in previous periods.vaulting became more elaborate, with the use of increasing number of ribs, initially for structural and then aesthetic reasons. Universities and churches started to be built in this style, to this day places like The Divinity School Oxford are still very popular for their unique shapes and sizes.