H05007 WOMEN AND SEXUALITY QUESTION - 1/26/05 - HARDY FORUM ARCHIVES ____________________________________________________________________________
From: nataliefagan20@hotmail.com
Subject: dissertation
Date: January 26, 2005 8:11:29 AM PST
To: HARDY-L@csusm.edu
Reply-To: HARDY-L@csusm.edu
Hi there!
I have never used this forum before so I don't really understand what I have to do-ha! But, I'm doing my dissertation on Return of the Native and Far from the Madding Crowd. I have chosen to focus my argument on the themes such as; women and sexuality and also the notion of the fallen woman. If anyone has any ideas, I would really appreciate it.
Many Thanks
Nat.
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From: NHardyboy@aol.com
Subject: Re: dissertation
Date: January 26, 2005 10:24:41 AM PST
Natalie,
Surely you know that our own Rosemarie Morgan wrote THE book on women and sexuality in Hardy. . .appropriately titled _Women and Sexuality in the Novels of Thomas Hardy_? That's the ideal starting point.
Paul Niemeyer
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From: peter.brown46@btopenworld.com
Subject: Sex Adultery Fallen Women...Red
Date: January 26, 2005 10:43:52 AM PST
I've not trawled through the bibliographies - but it maybe worth following up Martin Seymour-Smiths's discussion Hardy [1994] p.228/9 of Eustacia Vye as a Bovary type...'Hardy must have read Bovary':
'No sooner had Madame Bovary entered the kitchen than she went straight to the fire. She took hold of her skirt at the knee with two fingers, lifted it just sufficiently to reveal her ankles, and extended her black-shod foot to the blaze, across the joint which was turning on the split(sic). The flames irradiated her whole figure, the fierce glow penetrating the stuff of her dress, the poors of her smooth white skin, and even the lids of her eyes which she kept constantly blinking. A flood of red rippled across her as the wind blew through the half open door.' [Trans. Gerard Hopkins The world's Classics, OUP, 1959, p.95]
Peter Brown
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From: nataliefagan20@hotmail.com
Subject: Re: dissertation
Date: January 26, 2005 11:02:07 AM PST
Oh yes, I have got that book, but I was just looking for any other sources which would be helpful.
Regards
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From: fsiedow@omniglobal.net
Subject: Re: dissertation
Date: January 26, 2005 7:05:47 PM PST
Dear Natalie: I have found the best is to "Tell The Truth" -- write down your thoughts, ideas, feelings, fears, hates, joys, etc., about your sexuality (includes about being a female/not-male); then on your notions, ideas, fears, ....on being a "fallen woman" -- IS there such a thing? etc. I wouldn't comtaminate your mind with other peoples stuff just yet.
Telling the truth, as you know it will give you the best start from which to diverge, if you have to. You may surprise yourself and come up with the best of all just from your truth/experience, and won't even have to make anything up.
Of course, then you can always relate your experience to expounding on/ comparing to Hardy's stories. Or, relate other peoples' ideas if there is room. Good Luck!
Fred Siedow, Sr. Aerospace Engineer/Rocket Scientist, retired
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From: J.L.Pearce@exeter.ac.uk
Subject: RE: dissertation
Date: January 27, 2005 4:06:46 AM PST
Hi,
Welcome to the Forum, as a fellow student I have found it invaluable, as well
as very enjoyable! Depending on your approach you may find Ambivalence in
Hardy: a study of his attitude to women, by Shanta Dutta useful, there are
many, many more of course but this might give you a different perspective,
also you should try the Thomas Hardy Journal which contains many interesting
articles that you should find relevant. Good Luck!
Jess Pearce
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From: nataliefagan20@hotmail.com
Subject: RE: dissertation
Date: January 27, 2005 4:47:51 AM PST
Thanks Jess for replying to my e-mail! I've placed an order for Shanta Dutta in the library, so hopefully it will be useful for my subject area.
Many Thanks
Nat.
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From: hardycor@owl.csusm.edu
Subject: RE: dissertation
Date: January 27, 2005 7:41:37 AM PST
Dear Natalie,
I'm happy to hear your have Rosemarie Morgan's book _Women and Sexuality_,
because its bibliography alone holds over 100 contemporary, 19th century
periodicals treating with
the woman question. This would be the ideal place to gather sources.
Rosemarie has also written a spelendid article on the subject in _The
Oxford reader's Companion to Hardy_, Ed. Norman Page, 2000.
However, it is most important to start with the primary material. I think
that most scholars will agree that you need to read deeply in Hardy's works
first of all, to delevop an original thesis. After that the reading of
secondary sources can be helpful in corroborating your ideas, and above
all, making sure you are not simply repeating what has already been done.
Good luck with your project!
Best Wishes,
Betty Cortus
hardycor@owl.csusm.edu
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