THE HOURS , by Michael Cunningham VERSUS MRS DALLOWAY, by Virginia Woolf
Instructions:
1 1.Your document must be 2 pages
long (A4 , Arial 12, double spacing, justified paragraphs) and must contain at
least 2 extracts to illustrate each topic you’re asked to explore.
2.Cite your sources properly.
You’re advised to use the sources already provided to you by your teacher.
INCLUDE:
1) In INTRODUCTION to introduce what you are analysing, book and author, in one paragraph.
2) Topic sentences for each paragraph of your analysis to signal what the paragraphs are about.Then an explanation backed up by the extracts.
3) You must analyse your topics using the sources provided by me and citing them in your References at the end of your document. The novel should be cited as one of your sources as well.
3 4)You must find 2-3 extracts for each topic, where the main ideas in your analysis are clearly shown. Cite the author: (Cunnigham 34).
5)Your document must be 2 pages long (A 4 – ARIAL 12 – double spacing – justified paragraphs).
6) DO NOT write the extracts alone, because in that case, there is no actual analysis and your readers won't understand what your analysis is about.
7) A CONCLUSION to round up ALL your arguments.
8) You can start with a quote pertinent to your area of analysis if you like, before the introduction.
5)Your document must be 2 pages long (A 4 – ARIAL 12 – double spacing – justified paragraphs).
6) DO NOT write the extracts alone, because in that case, there is no actual analysis and your readers won't understand what your analysis is about.
7) A CONCLUSION to round up ALL your arguments.
8) You can start with a quote pertinent to your area of analysis if you like, before the introduction.
8 9) Proper heading:
Instituto Superior del Profesorado Nº 4, Ángel Cárcano
ENGLISH LITERATURE II
Analysis of The Hours, by Michael Cunningham
& Mrs Dalloway, by Virginia Woolf
& Mrs Dalloway, by Virginia Woolf
Group members: ___________________
3.You must share your production
with me by email on MONDAY 25, MAY – 09:00 AM
8.
DEADLINE for publication in the
Blog: SATURDAY 30, MAY – 09:00 AM
Group 1: Barbara Amherdt, Cecilia Montini, Micaela Valiente, Gabriel
Malagueño and Alejandro Sosa
A-Laura
Brown and Clarissa Vaughn Versus Clarissa Dalloway
B-Postmodernism
in The Hours.
Group 2: Altamirano Leandro, Lodi Malena, Soto, Eleonora, Nuñez,
Yanina and Tourn, Luisina.
A-Richard
in The Hours Versus Virginia Woolf's Richard Dalloway and Septimus Smith in Mrs Dalloway.
B- Compare
and contrast the styles of both writers, Woolf and Cunningham.
Group 3: Brian Segovia, Micaela
Ramirez, Samuel Sager and Nahuel Maglier.
A- Mary
Krull Versus Miss Killman
B-Explore
the theme of DEATH in the novels.
Instituto Superior del Profesorado Nº 4, Ángel Cárcano
ReplyDeleteENGLISH LITERATURE III
Analysis of the Characters Mary Krull versus Miss Killman
and the theme of DEATH in Michael Cunningham’s The Hours & Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway.
Group 3: Brian Segovia, Micaela Ramirez, Samuel Sager and Nahuel Maglier.
Introduction:
In the following piece of academic writing the focus of interest will be on Mary Krull and Miss Kilman and how these characters are closely intertwined in both novels, Michael Cunningham’s The Hours and Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway. In addition to this, the theme of death depicted in the said novels will also be scrutinised, taking into consideration how the protagonists are not only influenced but also affected by it.
Mary Krull versus Miss Kilman
Sexual orientation is portrayed in many characters within The Hours, such is the case of Richard, Carissa’s age-old friend and lover, a bisexual who now suffers from AIDS. Also, there is Walter Hardy who is homosexual and Mary Krull who finds Julia, Clarissa’s daughter, particularly attractive (Bartonová 29).
Furthermore, a detailed comparison between Miss Kilman from Mrs Dalloway and Mary Krull from The Hours is drawn. In Mrs Dalloway, Elizabeth, Clarissa’s daughter forges a close relationship with the devout and bitter Miss Kilman. They spend a great deal of time together and Clarissa finds this idea unappealing, since not only does Miss Kilman behave condescendingly towards Clarissa but Kilman’s pessimistic view of the world depicts a personality trait which Clarissa strongly disapproves of it (Bartonová 35-36): “Mary lingers a moment behind Julia, allowing herself a view of Julia’s broad, graceful back, the twin moons of her ass. [...] Julia inspires in her erotic patriotism, as if Julia were the distant country in which Mary was born and from which she has been expelled” (Cunningham 161). Moreover, there is a parallel in both novels which can be clearly seen between Miss Kilman’s obsession with Elizabeth Dalloway and Julia’s with Clarissa Vaughn’s daughter. Such characters are seriously considered by both Clarissas as being domineering and tyrannical (Bartonobá 36). “She did not much like parties, Elizabeth said. Miss Kilman opened her mouth, slightly projected her chin, and swallowed down the last inches of the chocolate éclair, then wiped her fingers, and washed the tea round in her cup” (Woolf 145).
Finally in Mrs Dalloway, despite the fact that Miss Kilman is not truly in love with Elizabeth, she is in need of triumphing over her. Whereas in The Hour a tender loving care is represented in the relationship between Mary and Julia (Bartonová 37).
Theme of Death
DeleteDeath is constantly present in both novels, and characters such as Clarissa Dalloway in Mrs. Dalloway and Clarissa Vaughan in The Hours suffer from the emotional impact of death.
Clarissa Dalloway hears at her party that Septimus has committed suicide, and this has provoked Clarissa to see death as a relief after so much suffering and that his death was an “attempt to communicate” (Bartonová 14). Likewise, Clarissa Vaughan shares feelings of death after her friend and former lover Richard commits suicide. However, Clarissa Vaughan perceives Richard’s death as if she was helpless to comfort him (Bartonová 33). These following extracts illustrate their impression of death:
"Death was defiance. Death was an attempt to communicate, people feeling de impossibility of reaching the centre which, mystically, evaded them; closeness drew appart; rapture faded; one was alone. There was an embrace in death” (Woolf 202).
“She would like to speak to him, but can’t. She simply rest her head, lightly, against his back. [...] She would talk to him about how she herself, Clarissa, loved him in return, loved him enormously, but left him on a street corner over thirty years ago” (Cunningham 203).
Conclusion
In order to conclude it can be said that The Hours bears striking similarities to Mrs Dalloway and such are portrayed by the use of intersexuality. In addition to this, it has been clear from the start that Cunningham succeeds in attaining the view of different sexual identities throughout the novel. Not only does he delve deeply in the illustration of the ambiguous sexual identity, but he also manages to address the personal freedom as time goes by.
Finally, characters of The Hours regard death as an escape route from everyday life which is in want of excitement. Moreover, death comes under scrutiny in both novels causing characters to appreciate their lives and decide how they want to spend their last days of life.
REFERENCES
Bartoňová, Lucie. “Michael Cunningham's Reading of Mrs Dalloway” Prague,
2008. Print. 17 May. 2020.
Cunningham, Michael. The Hours. London, England: Harpercollins
Publishers, 2006. Print.
Woolf, Virginia. Mrs. Dalloway. Hertfordshire, England: Wordsworth Editions
Limited, 1996. Print.
Oosterik, Liedeke. “On buying flowers and other (not so) ordinary events. An
intertextual analysis of Mrs. Dalloway and The Hours” 22 August. 2011.
Print. 15 May. 2020.
Pillière, Linda. “Michael Cunningham’s The Hours: echoes of Virginia Woolf”
2004. Print. 17 May. 2020.
Instituto Superior del Profesorado Nº 4, Ángel Cárcano - ENGLISH LITERATURE III
ReplyDeleteMichael Cunningham’s The Hours & Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway
A- Analysis of Richard in Michael Cunningham’s The Hours Versus Richard Dalloway and Septimus Smith in Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway
B- Comparison of both writers’ styles.
Group 2: Altamirano, Leandro; Lodi, Malena; Nuñez, Yanina; Soto, Eleonora; Tourn, Luisina.
Introduction
Inspired by Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway (1925), Michael Cunningham's The Hours was published in 1998. Both novels belong to the 20th century, to the Modernist and Post-Modernist movements respectively, and they share some features that will be analyzed in this thesis. One of the lineament both works are characterised by, and that will represent the focus of this essay, is the characters' feeling of "alienation, loss, and despair" (Lorcher 1). As an illustration of the latter, some characters from both novels will be explored, compared and contrasted.
Richard Brown versus Richard Dalloway & Septimus Smith
It is impossible not to draw a parallel between characters in both novels. However, when Cunningham created Richard Brown, the author only gave him the name of Clarissa Dalloway’s husband and based his personality on Septimus Smith. (Pilliere 3) (:)“...someone strong of body but frail-minded; someone with a touch of genius, of poetry, ground under by the wheels of the world, by war and government, by doctors; a someone who is, technically speaking, insane, because that person sees meaning everywhere… a deranged poet, a visionary, will be the one to die” (Cunningham 211)
Richard Brown's and Septimus Smith's lives are marked by suffering, hardship and hopelessness, as they both struggle with mental disorders. While Richard contracted AIDS in his youth, Septimus Smith is afflicted by PTSD from fighting in the First World War. Ultimately, their frail state of minds leads them to suicide by throwing themselves out of a window. (Narinabad 3)
However, a difference must be drawn: Septimus' death is violent and it is witnessed by a crowd. Richard's death, on the contrary, seems to be more peaceful and calm, and only Clarissa Vaughan, his friend, sees him. This serves as an illustration of the individualism of that period. (Oosterik 51)
Style
DeleteA technique Cunningham takes from Woolf is repetition of words and phrases, which he uses in order to build a closer link to Woolf’s text. A clear connection between the two novels can be seen in the recurrent quotations extracted from Mrs Dalloway (Pillière 140). “She picks up her pen. Mrs Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself” (Cunningham 35).
Both authors choose to focus on the events that happened during the course of one single day, but Cunningham focuses on three characters whereas Woolf’s novel revolves around one. (Oosterik 39)
Conclusion
Virginia Woolf’s modernist novel Mrs Dalloway (1925) has clearly laid the foundations for Cunningham’s post-modernist novel The Hours (1998).
Michael Cunningham has adopted several of Woolf’s techniques to build his novel. He remains true to Woolf’s ideas; however, he does not necessarily use them in the same way. Cunningham manages to create his own world where he deals with different themes and approaches characters in his own original way.
References
DeleteCunningham, Michael. The Hours. 1998. Print.
Lorcher, Trent. “Modernism in Literature: Quick Overview.” Bright Hub Education. March 22 2015. October 20 2018. Edited by Wendy Finn. (Booklet)
Narinabad, Hajar Abbasi. “A Study of Postmodern Narrative in Michael Cunningham's The Hours”. International Journal of Applied Linguistics & English Literature. 1 September, 2012. Web. May 11, 2020.
Oosterik, Liedeke. “On buying flowers and other (not so) ordinary events”. 22 August, 2011. PDF File. May 11, 2020.
Pilliere, Linda. “Michael Cunningham’s The Hours: echoes of Virginia Woolf”. 1 Oct, 2004. PDF File. May 11 2020.
Instituto Superior del Profesorado No 4 Ángel Cárcano
ReplyDeleteENGLISH LITERATURE III
“Postmodernism in Michael Cunningham’s The Hours & Analysis of Characters (Laura Brown and Clarissa Vaughn Versus Clarissa Dalloway)”
Group 1: Barbara Amherdt, Cecilia Montini, Micaela Valiente, Gabriel Malagueño and Alejandro Sosa.
Introduction
The purpose of this analysis is to depict why Michael Cunningham’s The Hours (1998) is considered a postmodern novel. Postmodernism is an important movement in English Literature that flourished in the 1960s as a consequence of the Second World War. Among its most important characteristics we can mention fragmentation, and intertextuality.
It is widely known that Michael Cunningham’s characters reflect those of Virginia Woolf’s in Mrs. Dalloway. In this assignment, two of Cunningham’s characters - Laura Brown and Clarissa Vaughn - are to be compared with Woolf’s main character: Clarissa Dalloway.
Postmodernism
Around the 1960s, modernism changed into postmodernism. The overwhelming events of the Second World War were noteworthy for the re-thinking of Western Civilization´s system of values. Besides, the consequences of the Post war included not only an increasing disapproval of modernity, but also a criticism on their belief in universal morality and order (Bartoňová 17).
The postmodern novel
Postmodern writers find motivation on writings from the previous movement since they used it as a material to experiment with narratives. In other words, they make slight changes to those materials in order to make new ones (Bartoňová 20). “It embodies fragmentariness, contradiction, ambiguity, diversity, parody, intertextuality and interreferentiality.” (Bartoňová 22)
Fragmentation
ReplyDeleteAs regards postmodernist features, it is undeniable that fragmentation comes as one of the most significant and noticeable characteristics of this movement in literature. Throughout The Hours many instances of fragmentation are displayed in a variety of ways. Considering the organization of this book, for instance, we are introduced presented to three different stories about three different women who lived in three different periods in time. Each story is divided into various chapters but these chapters do not tell each story continuously. The beginning of a new chapter interrupts the flow of the story that is told before. Therefore, the reader leaps from one point in space and time, to another, from the very beginning of the book until the end of it (Bartoňová 36-37).
Intertextuality
Postmodernist writers are sometimes criticised for their lack of originality (Oosterik 36). Suffice to say that they tend to take a written work and create a new innovative one out of it. Considering intertextuality as a postmodernist feature, it could be said that there is an intimate connection between Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway and Cunningham’s The Hours (Oosterik 41). Not only has Cunningham taken Mrs Dalloway’s original title for his work (Bartoňová 25), but he has also borrowed certain events that are central parts of the three different stories in The Hours, pragmatically speaking (Oosterik 41). In both novels, there is ‘’a suicide’’ (Septimus’ and Richard’s), ‘’a kiss’’ (between Clarissa Dalloway and Sally, and Clarissa Vaughan and Richard) ‘’and an unnamed illness’’ (Septimus’ shell shock and Laura’s obsession to seek perfection) (Oosterik 41-43).
Comparing Clarissa Vaughn and Clarissa Dalloway
ReplyDeleteCunningham’s Clarissa Vaughan undoubtedly represents a postmodern version of Woolf’s Clarissa Dalloway. Although they have a different last name, they bear the same first name, both are of the same age and moreover, they share extremely similar features. (Bartoňová 26). In the novel The Hours, both characters have doubts about the choices they have made. Despite the fact that both Clarissas have been in a relationship for a long time, they still think how their life would have been different with another couple: “How it is possible that she feels regret? How can she imagine, even now, that they might have had a live together?” (Cunningham 39). In Mrs. Dalloway, Clarissa wonders if she would've been happier with Sally than she is with Richard. However in The Hours Clarissa is with Sally, and she still wonders about her life (Hankins 1). Clarissa Dalloway is subtly suggested to have hidden homosexual tendencies based on the impact the kiss with Sally Seaton had on her. Conversely, with much more prominence and totally openly, Clarissa Vaughan actually has a sort of natural, long-term public homosexual relationship that has been going for eighteen years approximately (Bartoňová 28).
Comparing Clarissa Dalloway and Laura Brown
When it comes to similarities between Laura Brown, from The Hours and Woolf’s Clarissa Dalloway, are both portrayed on a morning of June doing the preparations for a special occasion, Dan’s birthday in Laura’s case. Similarly, the atmosphere of a post-world context affects the characters’ lives, mood and mindsets. (Bartoňová 45).
Laura usually contemplates suicide as the way to escape from her painful reality. “It is possible to die” (Cunningham 152), however, Laura and Clarissa adore life. “she loves life; she loves it hopelessly” (Cunningham 152).The Clarissas also share an interest for the “mysteries” of death, both of them consider suicide. In Mrs Dalloway, Clarissa is quite old and sees suicide as “comforting” while in The Hours, Clarissa Vaughn undergoes traumatic experiences such as Richard’s suicide, which makes her think about killing herself (Hankins 2) . Another similarity is that Laura and Clarissa are fussy about their productions, and they are afraid of making mistakes in the process. Despite the fact that Laura longs for making the best cake in order to gain her husband’s admiration and Clarissa wants her party to be enjoyable, both of them do not achieve the expected results. Laura is also dissatisfied with the decisions she has taken through her life, which can be compared to Mrs Dalloway’s Clarissa who is always brooding about doing the right thing (Latham 1-2). Both women - Mrs. Dalloway and Laura Brown - married the man they have chosen to marry. It was safer for Laura to marry Dan (Richard Dalloway’s counterpart), and Laura feels that doing the safe thing was the mundane thing to do. Another striking resemblance and parallelism with Mrs. Dalloway, is the suggestiveness of Laura’s homosexuality revolving around the episode of Kitty’s visit and eventual kiss, situation which alludes to Mrs. Dalloway with Sally clearly. (Bartoňová 48)
Conclusion
ReplyDeleteTo sum up, in The Hours, Michael Cunningham managed to make great use of Postmodernism’s main features, such as fragmentation and intertextuality. As regards their style, it can be concluded that Cunningham and Woolf share numerous similarities in their ways of writing.
Furthermore, Cunningham successfully borrows Woolf’s main ideas, places, events, character’s personalities, among many other things; and uses them to create not only new characters but also three great different stories. Although The Hours is a completely different novel from Mrs. Dalloway, it is widely known that they are strongly connected.
References
Bartoňová, Lucie. “Michael Cunningham's Reading of Mrs Dalloway”. Charles University in Prague. Faculty of Education. Department of English Language and Literature. 2008. 18th of May, 2020.
Hankins, Samantha. “A comparison of The Hours and Mrs Dalloway” Prezi. Web. 1st December 2014, accessed 16th May, 2020.
Latham, Monica “A Poetics of Postmodernism and Neomodernism: Rewriting Mrs Dalloway” Macmillan, Print.
Oosterik, Liedeke. ‘‘On buying flowers and other (not so) ordinary events’’. August 22nd, 2011.
Glad you liked it.
ReplyDelete