This term paper introduces the reader to the world of Margaret Atwood, an internationally well-known Canadian author. She often uses myths and prominent works as a base for her own writings and concentrates on rewriting traditional or popular versions of stories, of which many undermine objectification or even refuse women (Wisker 2012: 67). It is striking how many times Atwood has used several texts within texts or intertexts throughout her career and thus it is worth having a closer look at it (Wilson 1993: 3).
In order to show how well Atwood is able to use intertextuality, the following chapter begins with Robert Browning’s dramatic monologue respectively poem ‘My Last Duchess’, which is essential for a better understanding of the intertextuality used in Atwood’s ‘My Last Duchess’ and important to finally understand the Duke’s and the Duchess’ role in both writings. The next chapter has a closer look at Atwood’s short story, published in a collection of connected short stories by her called ‘Moral Disorder’ in 2006, which “grapples with the complicated ethics of obligation, particularly the conflict between selfishness and sacrifice that can arise within the praxis of care” (DeFalco 2011: 236).
But many of the stories in the collection like ‘My Last Duchess’ also focus on the socialization of gender, a very central subject to Atwood, particularly the short stories set in the 1950s and 1960s, a time when gender was a principally discussed social issue (Wisker 2012: 165). In addition, as we will see in the short story ‘My Last Duchess’, Atwood regularly reverses the hero’s gender in order to alter the role of women from objects to subjects and she also doubles roles in order to make the same person look like a rescuer and a person being rescued (Wilson 1993: 32).
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. ‘My Last Duchess’ by Robert Browning
3. ‘My Last Duchess’ by Margaret Atwood
4. The Franklin Expedition
5. ‘The Age of Lead’ by Margaret Atwood
6. Conclusion
Objectives and Thematic Focus
This paper explores the literary device of intertextuality in Margaret Atwood's short stories, specifically analyzing how she adapts Robert Browning's poem "My Last Duchess" and the historical narrative of the Franklin Expedition to create complex, modern narratives that reflect on gender roles, environmental concerns, and the nature of human relationships.
- Analysis of intertextual references within contemporary fiction.
- Examination of gender dynamics and societal critique in Margaret Atwood’s work.
- Exploration of how historical events and traditional literature influence modern character development.
- The role of "initiation stories" and the transition into adulthood through literature.
- The symbolic relationship between environmental degradation and human mortality.
Excerpt from the Book
‘My Last Duchess’ by Margaret Atwood
Atwood opens her hypertextual short story by placing the first line (Dvořák in Brydon/Dvořák 2012: 124) “that’s my last Duchess painted on the wall” (Browning 1993: 1) of the dramatic monologue ‘My Last Duchess’ by Browning into the first line of her own short story (Dvořák in Brydon/Dvořák 2012: 124): “That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall, said Miss Bessie” (Atwood 2006: 57). Browning made the ‘I’ the speaking subject, thus the voice of the protagonist, while “Atwood’s sustained hybrid utterance refracts the original refraction of the progenitor hypotext, all the while drawing the intradiegetic receivers (the high school class) and the extradiegetic receivers (we readers) into exegetic activity”. So in the short story Atwood gives the English teacher Miss Bessie her own voice in order to guide the students line by line through Browning’s ‘My Last Duchess’ (Dvořák in Brydon/Dvořák 2012: 125): “Now, class. What does that single word, last, tell us right away?” (Atwood 2006: 57).
In addition, Atwood gives the reader an insight into the thoughts of the young female narrator Nell (Dvořák in Brydon/Dvořák 2012: 125): “Last Duchess. There had to be more than one, then. A whole bunch of Duchesses, all in a row' like a chorus line. No: it was last as in last year. The Duchess was back there in the past - gone, over with, left behind” (Atwood 2006: 58). By doing so Atwood skillfully introduces the reader into Browning’s world with its traps of polysemy, verisimilitude, and point of view. In addition, she tries to render the style of the literary world comprehensible and important by taking “it into […] the world of contemporary readers” (Dvořák in Brydon/Dvořák 2012: 125).
Chapter Summaries
1. Introduction: Outlines the research focus on Margaret Atwood’s use of intertextuality and the selection of Browning’s poem and the Franklin Expedition as primary source texts.
2. ‘My Last Duchess’ by Robert Browning: Analyzes the psychological dynamics and the reliability of the narrator in Robert Browning’s famous dramatic monologue.
3. ‘My Last Duchess’ by Margaret Atwood: Examines how Atwood reinterprets Browning’s poem through the perspective of a high school student, Nell, to explore gender conformity and literary consciousness.
4. The Franklin Expedition: Provides historical context regarding the failed 19th-century Arctic expedition and its subsequent influence on Atwood’s writing.
5. ‘The Age of Lead’ by Margaret Atwood: Discusses the integration of the Franklin Expedition narrative and themes of environmental decay into the story of the protagonist, Jane.
6. Conclusion: Summarizes the effectiveness of Atwood’s intertextual approach in deepening the thematic complexity of her short stories.
Keywords
Margaret Atwood, Intertextuality, Robert Browning, Franklin Expedition, My Last Duchess, The Age of Lead, Gender Roles, Literature, Environmentalism, Bildungsroman, Narrative, Feminism, Modernism, Symbolism, Adaptation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper examines how Canadian author Margaret Atwood employs intertextuality in her short stories to create more complex, multi-layered literary narratives by drawing on historical events and classical poetry.
Which specific works of Margaret Atwood are analyzed?
The paper focuses on the short stories "My Last Duchess" (from the collection *Moral Disorder*) and "The Age of Lead" (from the collection *Wilderness Tips*).
What is the primary objective of the study?
The objective is to demonstrate how Atwood utilizes "intertexts"—such as Robert Browning’s poetry and historical accounts of the Franklin Expedition—to explore themes like gender identity, modern environmental challenges, and the complexities of human relationships.
Which scientific method is utilized in this paper?
The author employs a comparative literary analysis, examining the primary source texts alongside Atwood's reinterpretations to uncover patterns and symbolic parallels.
What topics are covered in the main body of the paper?
The body covers the psychological implications of Browning's dramatic monologue, the development of the character Nell in Atwood's adaptation, the historical tragedy of the Franklin Expedition, and the symbolic link between that event and the protagonist Jane's personal life in "The Age of Lead."
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The work is characterized by terms such as Intertextuality, Gender Roles, Literary Adaptation, Environmentalism, and Atwood’s specific focus on Canadian national myths.
How does the character Nell in "My Last Duchess" relate to the Duke?
Nell identifies with the Duke's ruthlessness and his ability to act decisively, which serves as a catalyst for her to re-evaluate her own life, gender roles, and her relationship with her boyfriend, Bill.
Why is the Franklin Expedition central to "The Age of Lead"?
It acts as a metaphor for the dangers of modern technology and the environmental consequences of human actions, linking the historical tragedy of lead poisoning to contemporary social and personal decline.
- Quote paper
- Franco Mucci (Author), 2015, Intertextuality in Margaret Atwood’s “My Last Duchess” and “The Age of Lead”, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/310351
