I
initially chose the subgenre epistolary fiction because a group member informed
us that it was a form of writing through letters. Through research I found that
epistolary novels are not limited to the form of letters but can also be
written as diary entries, blogs, or as a series of documentations. The letter
form is the most common way to write an epistolary novel but amongst the
various forms I found a single commonality; epistolary novels provide a sense
of release and intimacy as a result of the subgenre’s form.
As
I was researching the subgenre, I found it fairly simple to learn about
epistolary fiction. Most of the articles I read focused on the genre’s impact
during the 18th century. According to Vivien Jones, it was during
this time that epistolary novels played a key role in the ‘rise’ of novels.
After reading more articles, I found this rise was as a result of how authors
were releasing their suppressed thoughts. Elizabeth Cook examines how women
specifically would formulate a response to cultural anxiety about private
appetites by using this genre. I was eager to search for an article or text
that continues this notion of authors using epistolary fiction for a sense of
release. One of the last articles that I encountered spoke about how epistolary
fiction continues to give a voice to authors, women specifically, to this day.
Oppression
of women remains a problem in the 21st century, especially in
geographical locations like Italy. Dacia Maraini’s epistolary novel titled Dolce Per Se, advances the Italian
feminist project of developing a cultural lineage for women. The protagonist of
the novel writes letters to the niece of the man she is having an affair with. Maraini focuses her novel
on non-conventional bonds between two female characters through the bounds of this
subgenre. Laura Salsini, who wrote the journal articles in regards to Maraini’s
novel, explains that she is particularly successful because of the genre’s
ability to expose an intimate perspective. I found it challenging to find other
articles and books that exposed this side of the genre. Fortunately, Salsini’s
article provides deep insight about Maraini’s epistolary novel published in
1997.
There
were many excerpts that mentioned the subgenre’s success as a result of the
various perspectives incorporated in epistolary novels. There are at least
three points of view underlying within epistolary novels: the letter’s author,
its intended/actual recipient, and the external reader. This was an especially
interesting theory made by Eva Karpinski in her article about the genre.
Epistolary novels have been used as an outlet to authors since the 18th
century. Readers are able to resonate with a piece of writing in a way unlike
any other genre I have been exposed to. The subgenre has given rise to other novels
but has also provided a way for readers experience catharsis with the work
written by the author. I think that’s the beauty of epistolary novels… a sense
of intimacy between the author, work itself, and readers.
It's really interesting to think about the connection between the author, the person writing the letter, the person receiving the letter, and us (the reader). A question I had is if writing letters is considered a "feminine" thing, and if the epistolary novel is usually used as a way to express the inner thoughts of female characters. The only epistolary novel I've read is The Color Purple, which is very much about women and the relationship between women.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that the rise of this subgenre was due to the release of author's suppressed thoughts. For this reason, I am wondering who dominates this literary subgenre. Is it predominately women who were (and still are) inherently oppressed by a literary world dictated by men? Do these letters reveal the sexual identities of either male or female writers during the time?
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, as you said, the form itself is not exclusive to letters. I wonder what the first works were to experiment outside of the "letter" construction. Did those work coincide with historical events or technological advancements? I ask this because I wonder if its form will alter due to modern day influences such as texts or other instant messaging applications.
I find it interesting that the rise of this subgenre was due to the release of author's suppressed thoughts. For this reason, I am wondering who dominates this literary subgenre. Is it predominately women who were (and still are) inherently oppressed by a literary world dictated by men? Do these letters reveal the sexual identities of either male or female writers during the time?
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, as you said, the form itself is not exclusive to letters. I wonder what the first works were to experiment outside of the "letter" construction. Did those work coincide with historical events or technological advancements? I ask this because I wonder if its form will alter due to modern day influences such as texts or other instant messaging applications.
After receiving my secondary annotations back, I realized how much more research needed to be done. Half of the sources that I was using to guide my research turned out to be faulty. As I began my secondary research once again, I found articles that were able to delve deeper into the theories I had already made. For example, I originally made the observation that women in the 19th century had been using epistolary novels as an outlet of sorts. The article was not able to give me examples that I could actually look at. During my second round of research, I found an article that provided specific information about this observation that I had made. It mentioned how American epistolary novels were used by women to express their distress within a male dominant society. Furthermore, Kimmie's comment really urged me to dig deeper to find epistolary novels that would coincide with historical and technological advancements. Interestingly, I came across a novel titled "TTYL," which has an instant messaging form as she mentioned in her comment. This round of research was able to provide me with a better understanding of the genre I was looking into. I also became quicker at filtering what was relevant or irrelevant.
ReplyDelete