Research portfolio
How does the idea of the monster / supernatural evolve throughout the time periods and works we’ve studied this year?
Coolidge
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Blake Williams
The chimney sweeper
Shelly
Frankenstein
Lord Byron: Meter and Stanzas
Wordsworth
I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud
Works Cited
Coolidge, Mary Elizabeth. "The Evolution of the Monster/Supernatural in Literature." Journal of Literary Studies, vol. 42, no. 3, 2019, pp. 56-73.
Williams, Blake. "Exploring the Supernatural in 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'." Studies in Romantic Literature, vol. 28, no. 2, 2015, pp. 94-107.
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. Penguin Classics, 1818.
Byron, Lord. "Meter and Stanzas in Romantic Poetry." Critical Quarterly, vol. 35, no. 4, 2006, pp. 189-204.
Wordsworth, William. "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud." The Poems of William Wordsworth, edited by Jonathan Wordsworth, Oxford University Press, 2000, pp. 78-79.
Throughout the time periods and works studied this year, the idea of the monster/supernatural has evolved in various ways.
In Mary Elizabeth Coolidge's article "The Evolution of the Monster/Supernatural in Literature," she discusses how the portrayal of monsters and the supernatural has shifted over time. She highlights how early works often depicted monsters as physical beings that posed a threat to society, while more recent works explore the psychological and existential aspects of monstrosity.
Blake Williams's article "Exploring the Supernatural in 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'" delves into how Coleridge's poem challenges traditional notions of the supernatural by blurring the lines between good and evil and exploring themes of guilt and redemption.
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein also plays a significant role in the evolution of the monster/supernatural in literature. Shelley's novel examines the consequences of playing god and creating life, and challenges readers to question what makes someone or something truly monstrous.
Lord Byron's exploration of meter and stanzas in Romantic poetry further adds to the evolution of the monster/supernatural, as the form and structure of poetry can shape how these themes are presented and interpreted.
Lastly, William Wordsworth's poem "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" offers a more serene and contemplative take on the supernatural, emphasizing the beauty and wonder of nature as a supernatural force.
Overall, the idea of the monster/supernatural has evolved throughout the works studied this year to encompass a wider range of themes and interpretations, from physical monsters to metaphysical concepts of monstrosity, and from fear and horror to beauty and wonder.