Saturday, December 14, 2013
British Literature Fall 2013 Top 5
December is the point at which we tend to pause and consider the past year. Everywhere you look there are top ten lists of 2013, tributes to the ones we have lost and the nation takes on a reflective tone as we ready to launch into a new year. Reviewing for the final exam for this class has fit nicely with this contemplative theme. Rereading key bits of each text brings the characters and themes back into sharp focus, for better or for worse, and I can't stop myself from categorizing them into my own top 5's.
Top 5 Villains:
5)The Grendel - Beowulf
4)The Duke - Measure for Measure
3)Angelo - Measure for Measure
2)Mephistopheles - Dr. Faustus
1)Satan - Paradise Lost
Satan earns this dubious distinction because - well he's Satan. Additionally, he is the perfect study of a good man gone bad. He was once an angel, after all. Most importantly, Satan has the most awesome arch enemy of all. Speaking of which...
Top 5 Heroes:
5)Beowulf - Beowulf
4)The Wife of Bath - Canterbury Tales
3)Isabella - Measure for Measure
2)Oroonoko - Oroonoko
1)God - Paradise Lost
God is the easy winner because, like Satan, he is of legendary proportion. He is also the only hero without flaws, which skews the playing field a bit. Doesn't a hero need flaws? Regardless, it is my top 5.
Most Interesting Character:
The Wife of Bath
Honorable Mention: Satan - Paradise Lost
This was a difficult decision, because Satan is such a round and, at times, empathetic character. The Wife of Bath takes the honors because she is a kick-butt female character in a time before heroines. Sure, she is a bit of a parody, but I feel her strength overrides any comic factor she has.
Most Pathetic Lead:
Tie: Gulliver - Gulliver's Travels & Faustus - Dr. Faustus
Equally weak and despicable, these two men lack the backbone to be anything more than a cautionary tale. Gulliver's sense of self is easily compromised,as evidenced in his willingness to identify with horses after his return to England and Faustus, well, Faustus is just a very lonely, weak man.
Place I would least like to visit:
Utopia
No privacy, no thank you. Way too much togetherness, not enough identity and I have the sneaky suspicion I would be stuck as a full time farmer.
I humbly submit, my Top 5's of Brit. Lit. Fall 2013
5 of 5 WOOT!
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I thought your choices for your British Literature Rankings were interesting. Some I hands down agree with. I think the Wife of Bath is an remarkable character, and I found it interesting that you put her as a hero and the most interesting on your lists. I also agree the Devil should the head of the Villain list for the main the reason that he's evil. I don't know if I would have included Mephistopheles as one of my top demons though because Faustus' actions and decisions do not make Mephistopheles seem as evil to me since he consented to this life.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree that the Wife of Bath was one of the most interesting characters because women were never written or seen as strong or independent. Many men mostly saw them as property who would just listen to them and not argue, and the Wife of Bath completely went against this, so she was a very unique character for this time period.
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