English literature
232 theses under this subject heading
İngiliz edebiyatında sömürgecilik ve kölelik: Aphra Behn'in Oroonoko veya Soylu Köle romanı örneği
Bir metnin sosyolojik açıdan okunması diğer okuma biçimleriyle kıyaslandığında daha avantajlı gözükmektedir. Yazar, eser, okur ve ilk üç bileşeni kapsayan toplum öğesi sosyolojik okuma sürecinde önemli faktörlerdir. Sosyal teorilere dayalı diğer okuma biçimleri bazı sınırlılıklara sahipken sosyolojik okuma, araştırmacılara daha geniş bir perspektif sunar.Bu çalışmada, Aphra Behn'in ?Oroonoko veya Soylu Köle? romanını, sosyolojik imgelemin bütüncül perspektifiyle okunması amaçlanmıştır. Behn'in eseri, sömürge edebiyatının birçok arketipini bünyesinde barındıran bir metin olarak, bir süreliğine İngiliz Edebiyatı'nda soylu vahşinin ilk sunumu; sömürgecilik karşıtı, kölelerin serbest bırakılması ve azat edilmesini destekleyen ilk roman olarak okunmuştur. Zamanla eleştirel bir okur grubu ortaya çıkmıştır. Bu grup, metine dair sahip olunan bu tür algıların ve rutin okumaların sarsılmasına ve gizemli noktaların açığa çıkarılmasına çalışmıştır. Bu çalışma da rutin okumaları sarsarak; bütüncül kavrayışını Edebiyat Sosyolojisinden alan kendi perspektifiyle benzer bir ideale hizmet eder.Bu çalışma kapsamında toplum ve edebiyat ilişkisine dair bazı konular ve kavramlar tartışılmıştır. Tarihsel arka plan dâhilinde ?kölelik, sömürgecilik, şarkiyatçılık, ırkçılık? gibi bazı kavramlar tanımlanmaya ve anlaşılmaya çalışılmıştır. ?Sömürgeciliğin ve Köleliğin Meşruiyeti? kölelik ve sömürgeciliğe dair muğlak bir meselenin açıklığa kavuşturulması açısından tüm bu konular içerisinde en önemli olanıdır. Shakespeare'den Defoe'ya sömürge edebiyatının ortaya çıkışı da tartışılmıştır. Behn'in sosyal statüsü, ideolojisi, eğitimi, arkadaş çevresi, ailesi, mesleği, medeni durumu ve hayatındaki değişimler de analiz edilmeye çalışılmıştır. Sosyolojik biyografisinin yanı sıra metindeki retoriği de çözümlenmeye çalışılmıştır. Son bölümde Behn'in eseri, kölelik ve sömürgecilik yönünden incelenmiştir. Sömürgecinin ve sömürülenin portreleri çizilmeye çalışılmıştır.Bu çalışma sonucunda, Behn'in metninin kölelerin azat edilmesinden yana olmadığı ve sömürgecilik karşıtı olmadığı sonucuna varılmıştır. Metin, karakterlerin köleleriyle olan ilişkileri açısından okunduğunda Behn'in söyleminde iki tür sömürgecilik modeli çözümlemek mümkün gözükmektedir. Birisi, Behn tarafından desteklenmekte diğeri ise eleştirilmektedir. Behn, şiddetle yönetilen ve işkenceye uğrayan kölelere sempati duyarken bir yandan da bünyesinde şiddet ve işkence olmayan yeni bir kölelik ve sömürgecilik paradigması kurmaya çalışmaktadır. Behn, okurlarına kölelerine asla eziyet etmeyen onları şiddet olmaksızın yöneten bazı karakterler ve aynı zamanda kölelerine tam tersi yönde muamelede bulunan bazı karakterler tanıtmaktadır. Bu mevzudaki temel sorun şudur: Gerçek hayatta şiddet olmaksızın var olan böyle bir sömürgecilik modelini görmek mümkün müdür? Sömürgecilik tarihine baktığımızda böylesi bir sömürgeciliğin daha önce var olmadığını görebiliriz. Öyleyse Behn, sömürgecilik ve köleliğe dair ütopik bir teori kurmaktadır. Böylece retoriğiyle yanılsamalar üretmekte ve plantasyon sahiplerinden oluşan yönetici sınıfı desteklemektedir. Fakat Behn, bunu yaparken (sömürgecilik ve köleliğe duyulan) nefretin yönünü zenginler sınıfının mensuplarından aşağı sınıf üyelerine çevirmek için bazı karakterleri nesneleri olarak kullanmaktadır.Behn'in barbar karakterlerinin de üst sınıfa ait olmaları gerçeğine rağmen, tutumları ve ahlaki değerleri Behn tarafından aşağı sınıfla ilişkilendirilmektedir. Bu çelişkide Behn'in görevi nedir? O, ürettiği yanılsamalar sayesinde, kendini beyaz sömürgeci ve sömürülen siyah nesne arasındaki barış elçisi olarak takdim eder. Behn'in metninde şiddetten ve işkenceden arındırılmış yeni bir sömürgecilik modeli sunulmaktadır. Böyle olsa bile, bütün köleler Behn'in gözünde aynı değere sahip değildir. Oroonoko, Behn için soyluluğu ve Avrupalılaştırılmış olduğu için değerlidir. Bununla birlikte romanın sonunda irrasyonel bir köleye dönüşecek ve eşinin canına kıyacaktır. Hikâyenin sonlarına doğru Behn'in soylu vahşiye dair fikirleri de değişecektir. İlk bakışta kölelere sempati duymasına rağmen, eserinin retoriğinde şarkiyatçı, ırkçı ve sömürgeci tutumlarını okumak mümkündür.
The myth of Ulysses in European literature
The present thesis is a research on the archetype of Ulysses, which originated in ancient Greece and was given a literary representation by Homer. Both as a literalised and literary myth in latter stages of its development, the archetype is handled in relation to the philosophical background of its age in a diachronical way. Starting from its Greek genesis, the archetype is analyzed in Italian literature in relation to Medieval tradition with Dante Alighieri?s The Divine Comedy, in French literature, in relation to Renaissance tradition with Joachim Du Bellay?s sonnets, in English literature, in relation to Victorian tradition with Alfred Lord Tennyson?s Ulysses, and finally in modern Irish literature with James Joyce?s Ulysses. These works of art are discussed in respect to the archetype?s development in European literature and its references in the age?s philosophical background. The theoretical bases of our study is constructed on contributions of some scholars that of W. Watt, Adler, Jung, Campbell, Claude Levi-Strauss, Mircea Eliade, Vickery, Frazer, Mche, William Robertson Smith, Brunel, Ken Dowden, Propp and Raglan. In order to create a theoretical ground in our study, some methods and principles of research are to be applied, which are namely, text analysis, intertextualism, literary theory, myth-criticism, thematology, and text-analysis. The structural level of our study corresponds to the certain schemas. It consists of an introduction followed by five other chapters and each chapter includes some other subtitles. The thesis ends with a conclusion part as a final view to our study, followed by a bibliography and an index.
The tragic hero in fiction: A comparative analysis of Crime and Punishment and A Portrait of the Artist as A Young Man
This thesis is a comparative study of tragic heroes in Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky?s Crime and Punishment and James Joyce?s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. As representatives of modern literature, the protagonists of these two novels bear some qualities which are contrary to the classical norms on tragic heroes set by Aristotle. The aim of this thesis is to establish a modern perception of tragic heroes by evaluating the protagonists of these two novels. For this reason, it is necessary to understand the foundations and the development of tragic theories and the perceptions of tragic heroes throughout time. The approach of this thesis has been from general to particular. First, the concept of tragedy as a literary genre has been comprehensively studied by considering its place in literature, historical development and its different aspects. Then, a number of tragic theories and the concept of tragic hero have been presented for a better evaluation of the protagonists in question. In the second chapter, the protagonists of Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov and Sonia, have been studied. Inspection of the social milieu and the biographical background of the author have been useful in understanding the traits that shaped the tragic heroes. In the third chapter, the same procedures have been used in order to investigate the protagonist of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. In the comparative section, the protagonists of these novels have been studied from several perspectives in order to better reveal their tragic status. This comparison reveals that although they represent different literary tendencies, modern tragic heroes do not carry the classical tragic traits any more.
The 'Fool' as character in Renaissance Literature
The fool, who forms the basis of the comic deed and the comic character of the play,obviously displays the human?s discordance of existence, his failure and lower abilities, theirtragical and unlucky destiny, and their inner will. The fool, plays against to nonsensecontrasts, he depicts the freewill, entertains, makes people to think, even force to think, raisesa bitter satire. The fool comes front with his sharp wit, his ability to deliver speech, hisrestless disposition and his ability of solving the complicated situations.Foolery is a philosophy and also a profession. The fool, who wears arrayed andimposing motley, a special clothe, is a professional fool. There are a lot of inner conflict within them due to the distinction between the profession and philosophy. The fool profession isto form amusement. His philosophy wants from him to say the actual and vanish the myths. Ifa fool knows the fact that he is the artificial fool and knows that with his cunning wit, he ispretending as a natural fool and with this power he could be able to say the truth, he will beregarded as a witty fool. Whereas, if a fool accepts the truth that he is under the constructionof a king, he would be away from being the actual fool and be only a servant. Therefore, afool has to make to fool the others otherwise he won?t be the fool himself.Key Words: Cervantes, Erasmus, Fool, Renaissance, Theatre, William Shakespeare
Suicidality in The Bell Jar
The main interest of this thesis is to examine the reasons of suicide attempts of the protagonist and how the similarities between the author and the protagonist are reflected in Sylvia Plath?s novel, The Bell Jar.In the first part of this thesis informs the development of feminism and the gender roles in American society. Lack of rights for women, double standards of society, differences between sexes are considered as reasons of feminist movement. In this way, depression of women how lead them to suicide has been discussed. The theme of suicide and how it was used by female writers has been emphasized.In the second chapter, the thematic patterns such as an autobiographical novel, the significance of the title, the suicidality and the identity crisis have been examined. The protagonist?s search for identity , relationship with her mother how attributed to her pyschological problems have been analyzed.In the conclusion part, the treatment of the protagonist after her last suicide attempt has been discussed by giving the similarites with Sylvia Plath?s life.Keywords: Suicidality, Sylvia Plath, Feminism, Identity Crisis.
The concept of isolation in Sylvia Plath's works
In this study it is emphasized how the isolation and death concept ofSylvia Plath?s works applied into the poetry pattern. Foreknowledge on isolation is putforward and the period of the poet is analyzed related to the works and past. Generally,twentieth century is the concept of isolation, and in detail, it is the examination of theisolation related works of Sylvia Plath who is a writer of the Post modern period.In the first chapter, the concept of isolation is explained in a social way and itsevolutions are given from the beginning of history. The concept of isolation is evaluatedin sociological, psychological and theoretical ways.In the second chapter the themes of death and suicide developing related to theconcept of isolation are explained in Plath's works. The poems with the comparativeanalysis and The Bell Jar are presented by an analysis deeply made in the concepts ofisolation and death.
The gothic tradition in the novels of the Bronte sisters: Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre
After the reign of Queen Victoria, the 19th century is called as a Victorian Era in England. The era becomes the symbol of stability and development in many fields of life, economy, policy, social way of life and arts. However the social, economic and moral changes have led many contradictions. As usual the writers of the era are influenced by the society and depicted the contradictions in their works. The realistic and the serious topics of the Victorian Age is heightened and softened with the optimism of the Romantic Age.In this study, both realistic and romantic elements mainly the gothic elements in the novels of the Victorian period writers, especially Emily Bronte?s Wuthering Heights and Charlotte Bronte?s Jane Eyre are investigatedIn the first chapter features of the Romantic Period and the Victorian Age also the main genres of the Victorian Age are mentioned. The gothic, the development of the gothic novel and how the gothic elements are used in realistic novels are analyzed in detail.In the second chapter, how the biographies of Emily Bronte and Charlotte Bronte are reflected in their novels and how the realistic and the gothic elements are used in their novels are analyzed with the examples.In the last part of the thesis it is mentioned that although written in the Victorian Age the two novels have the realistic and the romantic elements. As a result, it is concluded that the romantic elements of the previous age are not disappeared but continued in the Victorian Age.
The anti-militarist attitude of Virginia Woolf as a step that shapes her perception of feminism
The concrete aim of this thesis is to examine the debatable understanding of feminism of Virginia Woolf who was one of the most important woman writers of the 20th century and to analyze her anti-militarist attitude that constituted almost the core of her perception of feminism.The feminist conception of Virginia Woolf is found inconsistent and paradoxical because she sometimes carried out work supporting the feminist movement but she usually expressed her feelings against feminists. The matter stressed in the study is that Woolf did not only support the feminist ideology to prove women?s existence in the patriarchal society, but substantially upheld it to emphasize the great importance of women to prevent war. In the first chapter of our study, we touch upon the 20th century in which Virginia Woolf lived and the events that left a mark on the period by stressing especially the world wars. Besides, such prominent ideologies of the century as militarism, anti-militarism, feminism and anti-militarist feminism are put across. In the second chapter, the life of Virginia Woolf is examined within the frame of her experiences that prompted her to be a feminist and an anti-militarist. This chapter also includes how Woolf?s feminist and anti-militarist reflections redounded on some of her works. In the third chapter, Three Guineas, in which Virginia Woolf frankly exhibits her anti-militarist feminist attitudes, is analyzed. In the conclusion, it is deduced that the phenomenon of war, which took an important place in Woolf?s life and is clearly represented in her works, shapes her perception of feminism. Moreover, Woolf made use of feminist ideology as a method to prevent war.Keywords: Anti-militarism, Anti-militarist Feminism, Feminism, Militarism, Patriarchal Society, Three Guineas, War.
Hypostases of the Byronic hero
The present thesis focuses on Byronic Hero, its defining characteristic features representing the literary hypostases correlated within one literary pattern that justifies the literary validity of a definite character typology, which is, on one hand, Romantic, and, on the other hand, representative for a particular literary sensibility. In relation to this major aim of our research, mention should be made of other particular objectives of the thesis, such as the research, diachronic and synchronic, of those thematic elements that marked the consolidation of the Byronic Hero as a literary tradition; the critical and theoretical evaluation of the literary system of the Byroniö Hero, showing its alliance to the general European and English Romanticism; the evaluation of particular hypostases of the Byronic Hero through the textual approach to a number of major literary works {Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, Manfred, Cain, and Don Juan); and the emphasis placed on literary reception and continuity, and on the importance of the Byronic Hero as a type of Romantic Hero, and as a major literary concern during Romanticism and its influence on further writing. The theoretical and methodological foundation of our study focuses on those exigencies of the contemporary scientific research that find their applicability as interpretative premises and modalities (theoretical and critical) that would allow the exposition and argumentation of the Byronic Hero as a literary system in itself, having its own specific thematic and structural elements. The principles and methods of research applied in our study are those used and applied by traditional and modem literary studies, and represent a combination of methods considered according to the material under research and the purpose of the study: philological, comparative;! typological, biographical, as well as a number of methods and principles related to text analysis, intertextuaiism, thematology, literary theory. The t structure of the thesis corresponds to the proposed objectives and consists of an introductory section, followed by, four chapters, each chapter comprising a number of subchapters, which are followed by a section of conclusions, representing our final reflections, and by the bibliography of literary texts and critical studies.CONTENTS ÖZET vii ABSTRACT jx INTRODUCTION,.,, 13 CHAPTER ONE THE RISE OF ROMANTIC HERO IN ENGLISH LITERATURE 1.1 English Romantic Literature: Beginnings and Consolidation of a Literary Pattern 16 1.2 The Romantic Revival and me Romantic Individualism 19 1.3 The Romantic Hero and Its Modes of Textual Representation: Escapism and Rebelliousness 21 1.4 The Byronic Hero and the Byronic Contribution to the Rise of the English Romantic Hero 22 CHAPTER TWO THE INTERACTION OF REBELLIOUSNESS AND ESCAPISM AS THE RISE AND FALL OF THE ROMANTIC HERO IN CHILDE HAROLD'S PILGRIMAGE 2.1 Author - Character - Narrator: Degrees of Identification and Separation » 25 2.2 Author - Character Identification as Expression of Romantic Rebelliousness 28 2.3 Author - Character Separation as Expression of Romantic Escapism..33 2.4 The Typology of Escapism in CMlde Harold's Pilgrimage as Expression of Authorial Misanthropy 36 t
An analysis of Ian McEwan's The Child in Time, Tom McCarthy's Remainder and Julian Barnes' The Only Story as narratives of memory and melancholy
The concept of melancholy has been discussed, defined, and analyzed throughout history by philosophers, thinkers, and psychoanalysts. In Sigmund Freud's seminal essay titled "Mourning and Melancholia" (1917), melancholia is attached to the concept of loss, and gained a different layer when compared with how it was perceived and defined in the past. At this point, the presence of loss is provided and tested by memory. In this respect, melancholia became interrelated with memory. These two concepts carry various layers within, such as love, death, mourning and time, and including these layers in the analysis vastly contributes to the discussions of melancholy and memory. In the contemporary era, melancholy and memory occupy a significant place both in the contemporary condition of human beings and in the reflection of that condition in the literature of the era. Thus, melancholy and memory have been two of the main focuses of contemporary British fiction. This study will attempt to demonstrate the relationship between melancholy and memory in Ian McEwan's The Child in Time (1987), Tom McCarthy's Remainder (2005), and Julian Barnes' The Only Story (2018) respectively. With their distinct ways of representing melancholy and memory, novels that will be analyzed in this thesis shed different amount of light into different aspects of the concepts.
H. G. Wells's dystopic vision of (trans/post) humanist encounters in the Island of Doctor Moreau and the Time Machine
The last two centuries' technological and scientific progress have caused ruptures in the life of man, which is a harbinger of a philosophical transition from human-centrism to the transhumanist, posthumanist, eco-critical and futurist philosophies of life and existence. These theories are in a growing tendency of condemning and subverting the hierarchies among species and their artificial boundaries, an example of which can be observed in posthumanism's Post-anthropocentric and Ecocritical stance in describing ideological and biological relationships in life through the Deleuzian concept of rhizome. The challenging definitions of the human condition and its connections in a world that witnessed unprecedented scientific, political and philosophical changes influenced and shaped literature unprecedently at the turn of the twentieth century. In this context, this thesis aims to analyse Wells's dystopic Visions of (Trans/Post)Humanist encounters in The Island of Doctor Moreau and in The Time Machine. Wells envisions the future of humanity in his science fiction and other scientific romances as an eminent representative of the fin de siècle British literature, addressing and representing the concerns and fears of the period and envisioning a complicated future for the human race and its ideologies. Key Words: Posthumanism, transhumanism, identity, science, liminality, H. G. Wells.
The representation of time and temporality in Ali Smith's seasonal quartet: Autumn, Winter, Spring, Summer
Along with the developments and transformations in technology, science and political balances, the perception of time in the narrative is also shaped. While a traditional time perception is dominant in classical narratives, this perception is broken with the emergence of modern time and leaves its place to a more depiction of temporality. In this context, the aim of this thesis is to scrutinize the perceptions of time and temporality in contemporary writer Ali Smith's Seasonal Quartet. The Scottish writer of the 21st century owns a distinctive style that appears to be instrumental in contextualizing the time. The Seasonal Quartet, named after one season published in succession consisting of Autumn (2016), Winter (2017), Spring (2019), and Summer (2020), makes time concretely central. In this regard, each instalment of the series will be interpreted in terms of Diachronic Temporality, Synchronic Temporality, and Cyclical Temporality. The first part will underline the timely feature of the novel and will discuss how and to what extent the author's understanding of diachronic temporality is placed on a visible ground in the novel. The second part will frame how the novels contain the synchronic perception of time and how the author instils this attitude into the novel with a unique approach. The final section will reveal the quartet`s cyclical time layer and tend to interpret the novelist's attitude towards art and the artist within this framework. Key Words: Ali Smith, Seasonal Quartet, Time, Temporality
The narrative strategies and temporal experiments in Martin Amis's Time's Arrow And London Fields
In the realm of contemporary literature, the narrative landscape continues to evolve, giving rise to an amalgamation of forms that challenge traditional storytelling conventions. In this context, the works of acclaimed British novelist Martin Amis stand out for his idiosyncratic style, which might be aptly described as a hybrid form of postmodernism. Characterized by its skepticism towards grand narratives, self-reflexivity, and bold experimentation with form and language, Amis's writing transcends traditional boundaries and embraces the multifaceted nature of the postmodern aesthetic. In this context, with a focus on Amis's groundbreaking novels Time's Arrow (1991) and London Fields (1989), this thesis embarks on a compelling exploration of his narrative strategies and temporal experiments within the framework of his distinct hybrid postmodernism. Through the analysis of these techniques, the thesis aims to shed light on the innovative techniques used and their implications for narrative construction and the boundaries of storytelling.
The Use of referential and representational texts in literature classes in ELT departments
ABSTRACT THE USE OF REFERENTIAL AND REPRESENTATIONAL TEXTS IN LITERATURE CLASSES IN ELT DEPARTMENTS Hülya ARSLAN Master Thesis, English Language Teaching Department Supervisor: AssC. Prof. Dr. Zuhal Akünal OKAN December 2001, 193 pages The purpose of the present study is lo help students of ELT Departments differentiate between the texts accepted as "referential" and "representational" and "literary" and "non-literary" and thus make them aware of the similarities and differences between them. For this purpose, two groups, a control and an experimental, were formed In the conirol group, canonical literary works (only canonical poetry) were utilized within the framework of content-based approach to teaching literature. However, the researcher utilized the same canonical literary works within the framework of language-based approach to literature for the experimental group. In addition to canonical poems (same poems that were used for the control group), some non-canonical or non-literary texts such as newspaper articles or advertisements (i.e. literature with a small "I"), having the same topic or same language structure found in the poems, were used together in this group. By means of two pre-tests and post-tests, two questionnaires and written comments of the students about the lessons, two approaches (language-based and content-based) were compared and literary competence of these students was assessed.In Chapter 1, after giving a brief background to the study and presenting the problems encountered in literature courses, the aim and scope of the study are clarified. Then, research questions and hypotheses are stated. Some terms that are important for this study are also defined. İn t lie first part of Chapter 2, discourses that are labelled as "literary" and "non-literary" are presented in a detailed way Within this framework, categorization of the texts as to "literary versus non-literary", "representational versus referential" and "canonical versus non-canonical" texts are given on the basis of "literariness" scale. Approaches to teaching literature are presented in the second part of Chapter 2. By putting the emphasis on Language-Based Approach to teaching literature, principles, techniques and activities, and roles of both teachers and students in these approaches are given. The final section of this chapter focuses on the contributions of Language- Based Approach to literature classes in the L2 context. Methodological information such as subjects and instrumentation is presented in Chapter 3. In addition, how data is collected from those subjects is explained in detail in this chapter. The analysis of the data collected is demonstrated in Chapter 4. This chapter shows the analysis of three instruments used in the study. These are tests, questionnaires, and written feedbacks. Last chapter deals with conclusions of the present study and then offers some suggestions for other researchers who want to conduct similar studies Key Words: Referential Texts, Representational Texts, Language-based Approach, Content-based Approach, Poetry, Literature with a small "I", Literary Competence
An Investigation on the use of drama methods in literature courses in the Engilish language and literature depertments in Turkey
The purpose of the present study is to see how and to what extent literary texts are accompanied with drama methods in literature courses in English Language and Literature Departments. The study attempts to find answers to the following hypothesis and question: 1) There is a significant difference between the opinions of students and teachers regarding the selection of literary texts and the use of drama methods in the English Language and Literature Departments, 2) How and to what extent are the drama methods used in the English Language and Literature Departments? The study is based on a descriptive approach. The data were obtained from questionnaires and classroom observations. These data were analyzed by using percentage study and chi-square test. The overall conclusion of the present study is that the positive feedback we get from students in relation to the study of literary texts through the utilization of drama methods does not coincide with the present applications. The other notable finding is that students and teachers have different interpretations regarding the application of drama methods in their literature courses.
Application of Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey on Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melnibone and Kentaro Miura's Berserk as examples of dark fantasy and anti-hero archetype
Heroes are common in literature and other media forms. Heroes have a long history from early classical texts to modern stories, and they appear in various forms and genres in traditional texts. Such examples as: Homer's Iliad, Geofrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, J.K Rowling's Harry Potter series and J.R.R Tolkien's The Hobbit can be considered as traditional text. However, there are texts that are dissimilar than traditional story structures. As there are non-standard story structures, there are also heroes that do not fit into the hero archetype. The non-standards in this sense are the Dark Fantasy sub-genre and the Anti-hero archetype. Both are quite different when compared to traditional hero archetypes and fantasy genre. However, there are questions regarding these topics about the difference from standard structure and their portrayal in popular narratives. Regarding these topic questions, texts like Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melnibone and Berserk are good examples of the Dark Fantasy sub-genre and show remarkable Anti-hero characters. Both texts are beloved by fans in popular culture yet are not discussed or represented in academic studies. The purpose of this thesis is to study and discuss the qualities of the Dark Fantasy sub-genre and Anti-hero archetype in these selected popular texts. For this analysis, Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey is going to be used and through this method the qualities regarding Dark Fantasy and Anti-heroes will be discussed.
Voices in the void: Meaninglessness and disconnection in Anthony Neilson's theatre
This study examines the plays The Wonderful World of Dissocia and Realism by contemporary British playwright Anthony Neilson within the context of the Theatre of the Absurd. Although Neilson is not traditionally classified as an absurdist writer, many fundamental features of the genre appear in his works. These include structural fragmentation, cyclical dialogues, abrupt scene transitions, repetition, silence, miscommunication, alienation, meaninglessness, and existential uncertainty. Neilson's characters struggle to navigate a reality surrounded by absurdity. Although they search for a meaningful life, the systems they inhabit frequently limit this search. This limitation demonstrates the core idea of the Theatre of the Absurd: the futility of seeking meaning. The scenes in Neilson's plays contain surreal, dreamlike, or grotesque elements. However, this is not an aesthetic choice; it also reveals Neilson's attempt to portray the psychological collapse and identity crisis of the modern individual. The plays deal with themes such as mental health issues, social isolation, and the oppressive nature of modern systems. Through his language and stylistic choices, Neilson demonstrates how absurd theatre has evolved into new forms in the contemporary British literature. This study analyses The Wonderful World of Dissocia and Realism in light of Martin Esslin's theory of the absurd and the historical development of British theatre. It also evaluates the reflection of the social transformation of Neilson's age in his works. As a result, the study identifies the absurdist elements within Neilson's plays. Keywords: Theatre of the Absurd, Anthony Neilson, Meaninglessness, Alienation, Engagement
Performativity of sexuality and gender in Sarah Waters' Tipping The Velvet and Michel Faber's The Crimson Petal And The White
In her book Gender Trouble, Judith Butler coins gender performativity as a concept, and describes it as the result of repetitive acts that establish a supposed true gender. Since gender is fluid and cannot be determined or defined according to one's sex, gender is considered to be performatively produced. Hence, there is no gender, but it is only produced by means of some performative acts that are regularized by gender coherence. The repetition of certain acts brings about labeling the identity as either a "he" or a "she," which leads to formation of heterosexual identities. This repetition of performative acts suggests the fluidity of sexuality, and indicates that there is no sexuality before actions. As a result, performativity of gender and sexuality challenges heteronormativity and lays bare the constructed nature of heteropatriarchal norms. As such, this thesis analyzes Sarah Waters' Tipping the Velvet and Michel Faber's Crimson Petal and the White to illustrate two different examples of the use of performativity in a NeoVictorian context. It aims to reveal the fluidity of gender and sexuality by the unconventional characters in a "queer" framework. As a result, it examines how the idea of performativity of gender and sexuality contributed to protagonists' flee from heteropatriarchal norms towards their self-realizations.
A quest for feminine identity in Timberlake Wertenbaker's plays: New Anatomies and The Grace of Mary Traverse
Women have been in the centre of many discussions especially since the seventeenth century as they start to search for ways to get rid of the oppression and restriction which they have been exposed to because of the socially constructed female roles in the patriarchal societies. While the first part of this thesis is conducted with the historical development of the feminist movement that has had different targets and discussions at different periods, in the second part the playwright and her two plays are analyzed in the framework of feminist debates and identity question. This study aims to scrutinize the main female characters in Timberlake Wertenbaker's New Anatomies and the Grace of Mary Traverse who traverse the boundaries of their stereotypical female identities and embark on quest of identity which is free from the restrictions. As this study shows, unless the patriarchal social construction changes, it is not possible to change the stereotypical female identity. Keywords: Feminism, Theatre, Timberlake Wertenbaker, Identity, Woman, Stereotype
An ecofeminist reading of Herland, The Edible Woman and Woman On The Edge Of Time
With the rise of industry, environmental crisis, animal issues and natural concerns have been discussed globally and have been widely represented in literary works in recent years. The ecological movements in 1960s, which were organized against the environmental deterioration, developed with the Second wave feminism and led to the creation of many literary works taking the concern for women and nature as their central issues. The emergence of ecofeminist thought and ecofeminist theory coincides with that time. Ecofeminism relates the domination of women to domination of natue. Therefore, it makes a critique of the patriarchal system through a concern for women and nature. This study, consisting of four chapters, aims to discuss the concept of nature in relation with feminism in Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood and Woman on the Edge of Time by Marge Piercy, which were written at different times. The aim of the analysis is to discover how ecofeminist themes like the subjugation of nature and nonhuman animals and oppression of women, marginalized people and "others" are represented in the selected novels. As a consequence, it is thought to be relevant to read these three novels through the ecofeminist theory to understand the concepts of ecofeminist thought.
Ecocriticism in romantik poetry
This study aims to discuss the nature concept found in the English Romantic period poets William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge in their ecocritical dimensions. The messages given in these poems will be detected which are observed to be in accordance with ecocritical theory because of the ecological consciousness they present, so as to demonstrate the fact that these poets had already done the same thing which today's ecocritical theoriticians try to do, two centuries earlier. The study is consisted of three chapters and the introduction and conclusion parts. In the first chapter, the emergence, development and the tenets of ecocriticism are explained and the relationship between the ecological consciousness and the concept of ethics is argued. In the second chapter, the changes that the society went through during the Industrial Revolution process are demonstrated and general information about Romantic poetry is given. Finally, in the last chapter, the handling of the concept of nature in poems of William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge are scrutinized and their relations to ecocritical principles are demonstrated.
Postmodern characterization in contemporary British novel as reflected in D. M. Thomas's The White Hotel and John Fowles's Mantissa
The concept of character is quite a problematic term in postmodern fiction since postmodern texts overtly subvert and transgress the conventions of characterization of the novels of previous ages. In relation to the paradoxical and ambiguous nature of postmodernism, character undergoes a radical transformation in postmodern fiction, and it cannot be pinned down with regards to the conventions of characterization. The character in postmodern fiction becomes a site where the text reverberates the epistemological and ontological concerns postmodernism rests upon. Thus, postmodern problematization of such contentious concepts as self, identity, essence, history writing, fiction, and fact is carried out and presented through postmodern characterization in the novel genre. As such, this thesis analyzes D M. Thomas's The White Hotel and John Fowles's Mantissa to lay bare how postmodern fiction employs characterization. It aims to exemplify how postmodern fiction is deprived of characters in the conventional sense. As a result, this thesis examines how postmodern character is utilized in the employ of postmodern themes and techniques, and it shows how postmodern fiction establishes its own conventions of characterization. Keywords: postmodernism, postmodern fiction, postmodern character, D.M. Thomas, John Fowles, The White Hotel, Mantissa.
Mikhail Bakhtin's concept of polyphony and the polyphonic novel as reflected in J.M. Coetzee's Summertime and Diary of a Bad Year
This study aims to scrutinize J.M. Coetzee's Summertime and Diary of a Bad Year, which were published in 2000s following Coetzee's relocation in Australia, in terms of the concept of polyphonic novel. Mikhail Bakhtin defines the concept of polyphony in his theoretical studies. The concept of polyphony, by destroying the superiority of the ultimate authorial voice, includes multiple voices, and enables each voice to speak, and Bakhtin bases his studies of polyphony on Dostoevsky and his novels. Bakhtin argues that Dostoevsky has been the first author who involves the concept of polyphony into his novels and who creates polyphonic works. Polyphony disregards the perception of 'the author's voice as ultimate and unique,' and provides all the characters with the freedom to speak their own ideas without the intrusion of authoritative voice. In a polyphonic novel, the characters are in continuous dialogical relations, and the novel has an open-ended plot. This open-ended closure of the novel makes it impossible to have an ultimate judgment/interpretation about the novel and it enables each reader to perceive the novel by filtering it through his/her own ideology and perception. This thesis also explores how Coetzee embodies polyphony in his own unique way in his two novels, Summertime and Diary of a Bad Year. Keywords: Polyphony, Polyphonic Novel, Mikhail Bakhtin, Fyodor Dostoevsky, J.M. Coetzee
Appropriation of science fiction elements in postmodern fiction as reflected in Angela Carter's the Passion of New Eve and Jeanette Winterson's The Stone Gods
There has been an interaction between postmodern fiction and science fiction since the emergence of postmodern tendencies in literature. Postmodern authors' willingness to incorporate elements from science fiction differentiates them from their Victorian realist and modernist predecessors, who did not include science fiction tropes and motifs in their novels. The shift from indifference to interest towards science fiction in British literature requires a thorough analysis. As such, this thesis first gives information about the histories and definitions of postmodernism and science fiction, and then investigates the exchanges between postmodern fiction and science fiction by making references to the studies of scholars and critics who also focus on this subject. As examples of the appropriation of science fiction elements in postmodern fiction, this thesis analyzes Angela Carter's The Passion of New Eve and Jeanette Winterson's The Stone Gods. It examines the employment of spatiotemporal science fiction motifs such as future-world, (post)apocalypse, space travel, and various science-fictional technologies in both novels. Ultimately, it argues that science fiction elements are appropriated in The Passion of New Eve and The Stone Gods because they provide the best means for making postmodern interrogations of time-space, progress metanarratives, social norms, and traditional dichotomies. Key words: postmodernism, postmodern novel, science fiction, Angela Carter, Jeanette Winterson, The Passion of New Eve, The Stone Gods