To indulge my current obsession, I'm gathering better resources for the next time I teach the course. I had a very strong guest speaker from the UW come in to talk with the students about his own new class (similar to the one that I've taught for years, but at a much higher and philosophical level). Bestill my research-starved heart.
I'm also starting to gather online resources for a possible technology-oriented extension of the course for next year. Why not parallel the fledgling technologies in the novel with our contemporary experiments of today? Why not use the podcasts, blogs, and Web technologies to illustrate our classroom journey toward truth in Stoker's text (and the genre)?
As I traveled into the world of these new resources, I came across a Web site (All Things Dracula) with a Christie's auction listing for the April, 2002 sale of Stoker's original manuscript. I had to wipe away the drool. The auction listing noted missing pages and the reassembling by Stoker of the pages in the collection. What a phenomenal parallel between the writing process and the narrative structure/devices of the text! The novel draws clear attention to the problems of archiving and organization of notes. It focuses on fractures in truth as a result of lost artifacts, multiple translations, and misinterpretations. Drool again. Oh to be able to get my hands on such artifacts of research--to reach into the past and touch the King Vampire of the textual writing moment. While the Rosenbach Museum in Philadelphia houses much of Stoker's plot notes, research on Vlad Tepes ,
and novel outlines, one wonders what has been lost along the way. Like the elusory Dracula image of the vampire in Stoker's novel, such tools and artifacts of literary history currently escape my curious grasp. I ache to delve into those archives of classic literary folklore and the psychological process of the long-dead writer. I want to know what was going on in Stoker's head. What was his full intention? Like Seward, it is not enough for me to just trust in the artifacts. I need to know the beliefs and truths. I need to commune with the literary dead. I desire to travel the research path to uncover my own vampires of the text. But alas, I do not have the means of Lord Godalming, nor the protective support system of Mina. I fear I would end up like Lucy, the walking UnDead, until someone cuts off my head (or my funding).
If you've read Stoker's novel, and you are still wondering what a leiter-wagon looks like, check out this link.
I ramble. I really just wanted to say that I've a new obsession. Bah! I'll go read a few chapters of The Historian now.
3 comments:
So...what else are they reading? Is it just vampires? Or other 'vampiric' creatures/individuals as well? And will Buffy make an appearance in class?
On a somewhat related note, I recently came to the conclusion that when one is having trouble sleeping, choosing to read Lovecraft before bed probably isn't all that wise.
And, while I'm having a tangent fest, I've always felt that M. T. Anderson's Feed has vampiric overtones, which I suppose makes sense since he's written vampire novels.
Thanks for the note, K8.
It has been really difficult just getting my clientele to read a book as long as Stoker's Dracula, so other pieces have been far and few. I tried Polidori with them, but 1/2 the class just couldn't handle it. I was deeply saddened by that. His style is tough, but I think Lovecraft is even more difficult for kids. I think I'll use Carmilla next time. They also have done quite a bit of background reading in the history of old Vlad Tepes as well as the cultural myths from around the world. All returning to Stoker and his central text.
Perhaps Buffy will make a guest appearance, though time is short in the last two weeks. We will be using the Ford Coppola for sure next week. It's the best adaptation.
BTW, I haven't used Feed. I really am not fond of that book. Another teacher on staff uses it though for a YA Lit class.
I'm always looking for good pieces that have strong socio-political subtexts to match the power of Dracula. Any ideas?
Oh, and some of the creative assignment contributions from the students are just plain phenomenal.
Lovecraft's a bit baroque - although, The Rats in the Wall has enough action to move readers past some of Lovecraft's writing "issues."
Granted, I'm a geek, but I like folklore versions of vampires (and other creepy crawlies). And stories featuring vampiric women such as Poe's Ligeia (the audio recording of Vincent Price reading it is hysterical)and Keat's Lamia. And of course, Diana Wynne Jones' Fire and Hemlock, which is grounded in those types of legends of the life-sucking woman.
Then there's Stephen King's 'Salems Lot and the related short story Jerusalem's Lot. Actually, I think that generally speaking, I like his short stories better.
Ok, I should get back to my dissertation - too much fantasizing about what I'd like to read if I were reading about this genre.
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