Samuel Butler

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 447.

The literature of Ideas

· End of Victorian period

· A type of literature used as a vehicle/means for conveying ideas

· Mixed form: literature+ideas

· There should be balance in a text, not only ideas ( this would be just an essay) and not only literature (only stupid novel)

Plato “Dialogues” – philosophical bodies with literary shape, ideas dominate in the dialogues of characters e.g. “Feast” – protagonist, setting, plot, but what they talk is the most important

Predecessor: Thomas Love Peacock

· novels of ideas,

· the same scheme in all his works, group of people (4-5) who meet somewhere, drink, eat, and talk <- it is most important what they talk about

· key characters – masked characters (real famous people of his times)

· typical characters, but they discuss religion, art politics

· his works:

o “Nightmare Abbey”

o “Crotchet Castle”

· Lived in Victorian England

· “Erewhorn” (anagram of “nowhere” sth like utopia)

o Idealized vision of perfect country, beautiful, healthy people,

o If they get sick they are punished for not taking proper care of themselves

o Society makes people criminals

o The novel discusses social and legal ideas in a serious way, he doesn't criticize certain people but the system/organization.

· “The Way of All Flesh”

o The way the world goes round, biography

o A son influenced by family, institutions, schools, church – sadistic, punishing disobedience, crushing individuality, killing anything new and fresh

o Bitter and poignant novel

o The poor guy survives & is normal, he survives sadistic procedures

o Family, work, church, authority – the most important values for Victorians – the society based on these “holy” institutions is criticized