I just need to scribble one more thing . . .

Well, what do you think of Pamela? and Pamela? Think about the character and the narrative technique. What works (is authentic) about the epistolary style, and what doesn't (is inauthentic)? Does the fact that the author is male and the protagonist female matter in our reading of the novel?

Pinning Down Gulliver's Travels

Gulliver is a misanthropist at the end of Gulliver's Travels, but do you think that is the only possible choice for him after his adventures? How would you think of yourself, do you think, if you reduced humanity and civilization to what he tells the Houyhnhnms and the others? And ultimately, how would you classify Gulliver's Travels? Is it strictly satire? is it psychological fiction? what???

Gulliver the Traveller

What have we learned about Gulliver in the first three books? How does he see himself and his relationship with his country? You can tell this by what he says about it and how he acts when he is there. Does he identify himself with Englishmen or with humans at all? Has he changed at all from Book I to Book III?

Gulliver's Travels, Part I

As we discussed in class on Thursday, Swift will repeat several motifs in the development of Gulliver's Travels. One thing that Gulliver does in each land is find out about government policies and practices (such as method of governing, governing bodies, warfare, etc.) and then, sometimes explictly and other times implicitly, compare that government with England's.

What comparisons does he make in Lilliput? What is his attitude toward home when he hears about Lilliputian practices?

Can you actually SAY that on stage?

I think that reading Aphra Behn after John Milton is like opening up a new world--and they were writing at the same time. We have just begun our discussion of The Rover, but let's talk a little about the content of the play. Does the contemporary audience (you or I) care that this play that deals so much with sex is written by a woman? Why would it matter to a 17th century audience? How do you feel about characters like Angellica and Florinda and Hellena? What does that do for characterization of women? Explain your thinking.

Lost in Paradise Lost?

As we wade our way through the labyrinth that is Paradise Lost, I hope you are beginning to see how powerful the epic is. Thus far, what do you think is the strength of the poem? Some choices may be the verse itself, or the story, or the characters. In your response this week, be specific in describing what you find the most compelling about the epic.

Of course, you may find nothing compelling and instead be left with only dispair and questions. This is the place to ask them.

Utopia, anyone?

More says that during Raphael's narrative that he thought of "various objections." Did you find the laws and customs "perfectly ridiculous" as well? Which, in particular? Did you find any that you would like to see adopted in the United States?