Studied by 4 people
Looks like no one added any tags here yet for you.
irvine welsh’s biography
likely purposefully contradictory, to confuse the media
irvine welsh’s background
grew up on an impoverished working-class housing estate on the outskirts of edinburgh
how does trainspotting’s narrative style add to the story (accent and vocabulary-use of the scottish working-class)
adds to the novels realism, gives the narrative a strong sense of locality, validates the use of non-standard forms of english in literary forms
controversy about trainspotting
some accused it of glorifying drug culture
how does mark renton transcend class lines
he is well educated and smart but also a herion addict and rough spoken
why does welsh argue for using ‘bad language’
uses it not to shock but rather to create emphasis, rhythm, and realism
trainspotting’s main focus
heroin addiction and the degradation that results from it; what it means to be scottish and working class in a mordern urban environment
trainspotting’s exploration of its thematic issue subjects related to the working-class experience
government housing, unemployment, football, sectarianism, hooliganism, lack of opporunities, exploitation, drug abuse, classs division, emigration, prejusice, humour, and anti-englishness
what does welsh view his writing as?
a literary attack on an overbearing, domineering middle class which has alienated its working class
what is the significance of trainspotting’s title
based off the hobby which involves hanging around railway stations, watching trains, recording serial numbers of them
the term ‘train spotter’ has been derogatory, and is used in reference to a person who pointlessly collects useless information
the attitude towards trainspotters includes the widely-held belief that many of them are socially inept people who are obsessed with trivial, endless, and futile pursuits
what is the attitude of trainspotting’s main characters?
cynical about the potential for social improvement and reform
what does ‘drug culture’ in trainspotting represent?
the depiction of an anti-social and unacceptable reaction to the percieved injustices, boredom, and futility of normal society
what does the criminality in trainspotting represent?
heroin addiction is used as a metaphor for total disillusionment and the rejection of values associated with modern, urban society
what does trainspotting assert about society?
that addiction is a symptom of a society that is itself ill, its all a question of what society accepts versus what it rejects
why was trainspotting not shortlisted for a booker prize?
it offended the ‘feminist sensibilities’ of two judges
who directed the film adaptation of trainspotting
danny boyle
how in trainspotting is there conformity through transgression?
the criminal group, despite their attempts to escape ‘law-abiding society’ and their subsequent attempts to criticise and reject ‘normal’ social values, end up conforming to the rules of their own criminality
there is no escape from society, social or anti-social
the criminal group as a reflection of society in trainspotting
they reject capitalism and individualism, yet pursue drugs instead of houses
they are a twisted mirror image of the society they try to rebel against
how does trainspotting explore abusive human relationships?
people are caught up in the ‘double bind’ of victim and victimizer, or ‘the fearful and the fearless’
example of relationship between begbie and renton
does trainspotting offer solutions to perceived social problems?
no, the emphasis throughout the text is on how the characters rebel against society but cannot seem to escape the consequences of their antisocial subversiveness
what does renton’s exile from scotland at the end of trainspotting suggest?
welsh’s criticism of scotland’s ‘social situation’ (modern, urban scottish culture), since renton’s defection suggests the situation is hopeless
in trainspotting, what is renton’s freedom at the cost of?
he betrays his friends, his country, and his own sense of ‘scottishness’ in order to escape the negative aspects of his culture
his freedom is purchased at the expense of his class and nationality
what is courtly love?
a 19th century term for a concept of romantic love that emerged throughout europe and the united kingdom during the middle ages
what does courtly love describe?
an intense but unconsummated love of a male suitor for a woman, often involves a knight describing the passion he feels for a high-status woman whom he cannot have for some reason
who was courtly love ideas spread by?
11th and 13th century troubadours (during their performances of poetry and songs in royal courts)
what is chivalry?
a medieval code of conduct for knights and gentlemen that emphasized the importance of being courteous, compassionate, and restrained towards women (an important part of courtly love literature)
what are some of the principal texts that define courtly love tradition?
ovid’s ars amatoria (the art of love) and andreas capellanus’s de amore (about/concerning love)
what is love according to capellanus’ de amore?
love is a powerful, even all-consuming emotion that can affect appetite, sleep, and peace of mind, is fueled by jealousy, and can lead to obsession
where did the courtly love tradition develop?
not primarily in england, but did influence english literature during the medieval or middle english period
what is the middle english period (1066-1500)?
began with the battle of hastings and the norman (french) conquest of england and ended with the adent of the renaissance period in england
what is the middle english literary period marked by?
a transition in the language and culture of england, it was during this time that a more ‘modern’ form of the english language evolved, partly as a consequence of the french occupation of england
who was chretien de troyes?
a 12th century french poet, who wrote about arthurian subjects such as sir lancelot, sir perceval, and the holy grail
created some of the central motifs of courtly love poetry
motif definition
a literary device that is repeated throughout a literary work, and can take the form of images, symbols, concepts, words, and plot elements
motifs expressed in the theme of courtly love
a beautiful but inaccessible woman for some reason
a knight who has sworn to serve and love her
a passionate but forbidden love between the knight and the lady
the forbidden, and therefore dangerous nature of the love, which cannot be consummated without a risk to either or both lovers
what social class are characters at the centre of courtly love romances?
aristocratic, takes places between members of the nobility in palaces and royal courts
what rituals were usually involved in relationships of courtly love?
the exchanging of gifts and performing favours
what would the male suitor usually offer in courtly love relationships?
symbolic tokens of his love, such as poetry, music, flowers, and acts of service
how would the lady in a courtly love relationship show her affection?
only in the most subtle ways with a slight tilt of the head, or dropping of the eyes, or with a blush and a slight smile
what are examples of the conventions of courtly love in shakespeare?
serious depictions of romantic love in romeo and juliet and the winter’s tale, and more satirical treatments in as you like it
who was alfred lord tennyson?
one of the most prominent english poets of the 19th century, and poet laureate from 1850 until his death in 1892
born in the early years of the romantic literary period
what did tennyson’s poetry help to reinforce?
some of the central concerns of the romantic period, including its intrest in medieval history, literature, and themes
what was tennyson fasinated by?
the arthurian legend, which had originated in a loose collection of narratives about the legendary king arthur during the medieval era
what is the romantic period in english literature?
started around the time of the french revolution, part of a pan-european cultural movement movement known as ‘romanticism’
what is romanticism?
originating in france and germany during 18th century, influenced art, music, philosophy, and literature
what were romanticism and the romantic period in literature a reaction against?
the enlightenment values of reason, science, technology, objectivity, urbanisation, and industrialization
what did romanticism emphasize?
the primacy of the imagination, creativity, emotion, individualism, and the world of nature
what did the arthurian legend emerge from?
celtic mythology
who were the celts?
the indigenous people of the british isles, from at least the iron age until the middle ages
in who’s writings was the arthurian legend developed?
geoffrey of monmouth (historia regum britanniae), robert de boron (merlin and the grail), chretien de troyes (erec and lancelot), and sir thomas malory (le morte d’arthur)
what is the basic story of king arthur?
arthur is the illegitimate son of cornish duke (or king) urther pendragon
he pulls the magical sword named ‘excalibur’ from a stone, thus becoming king of all britian
he reigns from camelot, marries guinevere, and assembles a group of nobles to formt he knights of the round table
various iterations involve a counseling wizard named merlin, an enchantress named morgan le fay, battles, romantic liasions between sir lancelot and queen guinervere, and quests for the ‘holy grail’
what is the holy grail in the arthurian legend?
a symbolic chalice representing god’s mercy
what is tennyson’s lady of shalott?
set in the realms of the arthurian legend, focusing on one particular story about a woman who falls in love with sir lancelot, but dies of unrequited love
what does tennyson explore in the lady of shalott?
the intimate relationship between love and sorrow while drawing on concepts of romance developed throughout the middle ages
what is tennyson’s the lady of shalott an homage to?
a lost and mythologized era in history, and a reimagining of some of the central images, characters, and themes of the courtly love tradition
in tennyson’s poem, why does lancelot not love the lady of shalott?
he is not aware of her existence
in tennyson’s poem, how does the lady of shalott feel about lancelot?
she is smitten by him, so much so that she breaks the magic spell over her, is cursed, and eventually dies
what courtly love motif is explored within tennyson’s poem?
the forbidden, and therefore dangerous nature of the love, which cannot be consummated without a risk to either or both lovers
how in tennyson’s poem is lancelot described as the perfect chivalric knight?
use of adjectives such as ‘brazen’ and ‘bold’
how does tennyson reinterpret the romantic poetry of the middle ages?
he inverts the relationship between the knight and the lady
instead of having a male suitor attempting to woo an unattainable woman, the lady longs for lancelot’s love so much that she breaks a magic spell and dies
what could the lady of shalott’s death in tennyson’s poem represent?
too much adherence to the courtly notions of romantic love can be risky, even foolish, because it means giving up any sense of self-definition and independence over to an intense, overwhelming emotion that can drive the lover towards madness
who was john william waterhouse?
a painter who was strongly influenced by the pre-raphaelities (classical mythology and literature inspiration)
what paintings did waterhouse make based off tennyson’s poem?
i am half-sick of shadows, said the lady of shalott
lady of shalott looking at lancelot
lady of shalott
what is the pre-raphaelite brotherhood?
a semi-secret, and short-lived society of young artists created in 1848, and established in england
counter-cultural movement in arts that pushed against the idealism, emphasized nature, realism, seriousness, and drew on themes from religion, mythology, and literature
what emotion does loreena mckennitt’s performance of the lady of shalott emit?
heaviness and sorrow, tragedy
how does loreena mckennitt’s performance feel towards the lady of shalott?
its very empathetic, does not view her as misguided
