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postgraduate thesis: Constructions of the subject: sexuality in Rice's "Lestat" and Meyer's "Edward"
Title | Constructions of the subject: sexuality in Rice's "Lestat" and Meyer's "Edward" |
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Authors | |
Issue Date | 2011 |
Publisher | The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong) |
Citation | Van Bever Donker, M. H. C.. (2011). Constructions of the subject : sexuality in Rice's "Lestat" and Meyer's "Edward". (Thesis). University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.5353/th_b4756063 |
Abstract | This thesis conducts a comparative analysis of Anne Rice’s Lestat, in her The
Vampire Chronicles and Stephenie Meyer’s Edward, in her Twilight Saga, focusing
primarily on the construction of their respective sexualities. Beginning by clarifying the
theoretical groundwork for the analysis, I first discuss the theory of the Gothic in which I
situate the texts and read some of the theory pertaining to the gothic body. From there I
turn to queer theory and identity politics, introducing the concept of the thematic /
problematic distinction on which to map the differences and debates between the two – an
important area to establish as it resonates throughout the paper. Then I proceed to consider
Freud’s Uncanny, touching on the work of Joan Copjec and Barbara Creed. Once this
groundwork has been established, I work through Foucault’s arguments in The History of
Sexuality, Volume One: The Will to Knowledge, detailing its significance as the focalizing
theory for my analysis of the novels – particularly the three related elements of power,
discourse and the body. Coupled with other theorist’s readings of Foucault’s arguments,
this will then set me up to work the three elements into the thematic/problematic
relationship, the uncanny and the gothic body. Once this theoretical work is completed, I
will return to a literary analysis of the difference between the two characters based on their
construction of sexuality in their subjectivity. Finally, after turning to the novels
themselves, I show how Lestat engages with the thematic as he is seen to queer the notions
of sex that Edward portrays, and is therefore more effective as a monstrous figure, and
more effective in evoking the uncanny. Ultimately, The Vampire Chronicles is more
successful in utilizing its possibilities for ‘dissent’ as a gothic novel, than the Twilight
Saga. |
Degree | Master of Arts |
Subject | Sex in literature. |
Dept/Program | Literary and Cultural Studies |
Persistent Identifier | http://hdl.handle.net/10722/174433 |
HKU Library Item ID | b4756063 |
DC Field | Value | Language |
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dc.contributor.author | Van Bever Donker, Marjolein Hanny C. | - |
dc.date.issued | 2011 | - |
dc.identifier.citation | Van Bever Donker, M. H. C.. (2011). Constructions of the subject : sexuality in Rice's "Lestat" and Meyer's "Edward". (Thesis). University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.5353/th_b4756063 | - |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10722/174433 | - |
dc.description.abstract | This thesis conducts a comparative analysis of Anne Rice’s Lestat, in her The Vampire Chronicles and Stephenie Meyer’s Edward, in her Twilight Saga, focusing primarily on the construction of their respective sexualities. Beginning by clarifying the theoretical groundwork for the analysis, I first discuss the theory of the Gothic in which I situate the texts and read some of the theory pertaining to the gothic body. From there I turn to queer theory and identity politics, introducing the concept of the thematic / problematic distinction on which to map the differences and debates between the two – an important area to establish as it resonates throughout the paper. Then I proceed to consider Freud’s Uncanny, touching on the work of Joan Copjec and Barbara Creed. Once this groundwork has been established, I work through Foucault’s arguments in The History of Sexuality, Volume One: The Will to Knowledge, detailing its significance as the focalizing theory for my analysis of the novels – particularly the three related elements of power, discourse and the body. Coupled with other theorist’s readings of Foucault’s arguments, this will then set me up to work the three elements into the thematic/problematic relationship, the uncanny and the gothic body. Once this theoretical work is completed, I will return to a literary analysis of the difference between the two characters based on their construction of sexuality in their subjectivity. Finally, after turning to the novels themselves, I show how Lestat engages with the thematic as he is seen to queer the notions of sex that Edward portrays, and is therefore more effective as a monstrous figure, and more effective in evoking the uncanny. Ultimately, The Vampire Chronicles is more successful in utilizing its possibilities for ‘dissent’ as a gothic novel, than the Twilight Saga. | - |
dc.language | eng | - |
dc.publisher | The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong) | - |
dc.relation.ispartof | HKU Theses Online (HKUTO) | - |
dc.rights | The author retains all proprietary rights, (such as patent rights) and the right to use in future works. | - |
dc.rights | This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | - |
dc.source.uri | http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B47560630 | - |
dc.subject.lcsh | Sex in literature. | - |
dc.title | Constructions of the subject: sexuality in Rice's "Lestat" and Meyer's "Edward" | - |
dc.type | PG_Thesis | - |
dc.identifier.hkul | b4756063 | - |
dc.description.thesisname | Master of Arts | - |
dc.description.thesislevel | Master | - |
dc.description.thesisdiscipline | Literary and Cultural Studies | - |
dc.description.nature | published_or_final_version | - |
dc.identifier.doi | 10.5353/th_b4756063 | - |
dc.date.hkucongregation | 2012 | - |
dc.identifier.mmsid | 991033216719703414 | - |