Tuesday, 10 February 2015

Questions answered -

How is the Gothic depicted in Great Expectations?


Satis House - This is a gothic setting within Great Expectations, this house symbolises Pip's romantic perception of the upperclass. The crumbling stones, darkness and dust of the house symbolise the decay of the past and the atmosphere of the house. The house is full of victorian detail and has many aging crumbling objects around the house. The house is shown to be very dark and gives the viewer/reader a cold atmosphere.



The mists of the marches - This is another setting in the novel . this setting symbolises danger of pips childhood. In the book Pip is kidnapped by Magwitch and faces many dangerous consequences. Pip is left alone with Magwitch away from the real world hidden away from any safety.



Bridal Dress - Miss Havisham is wearing a traditional wedding dress, this dress becomes an iconic symbol of death and decay. The dress symbolises Miss Havishams past, frozen in time, refusing to change anything from the past.



• How is the grotesque depicted in Great Expectations?
The grotesque in Great Expectations, an example this is when Pip first met Magwitch (convict). The author highlights small details about Magwitch's clothing such as broken shoes, iron on hid leg and the old rag tied around his head. Grotesque can be the blending of humans and animals, an example of this from the novel is when Magwitch says ' I wish i was a frog'. When pip returns the next morning with some food for Magwitch. Magwitch is very hungry he swallows up the pork pie within a matter of seconds with his strong sharp sudden bites' - symbolising a dog. Life and death - Their are many aspects of death in the book following Estella first husband and the way he badly treated her. Death can be seen in Miss Havisham as she is very frail, week and lifeless.


Uncanny - mysterious, supernatural and peculiar. 
When Pip experiences the uncanny he is confronted with that which he most reviles, the familiar thing he tries to keep secret, and the thing of which he is most ashamed. The return of the repressed is all the more terrifying, and its appearance engages with our most primitive selves. Estella is an uncanny character as she is heartless and has no feels emotions, she has been brought up into Miss Havishams unrealistic would and has been turned into a character of Miss Havisham. 

No comments:

Post a Comment