In Victorian literature, water as a natural element is often more than what it appears at first sight. In fact, contrary to what one might think, it is anything but static. Firstly, it is a a metamorphic substance. This feature allows it to manifest itself in the environment in many forms: rain, snow, fog, rivers, lakes and even bodies of water in which it seems apparently immobile, such as ponds and swamps. All these water manifestations are, also rich in life forms. Some Victorian authors, including George Eliot and Thomas Hardy, exploited the potential of this element in their production, and made it an integral part of the plot. However, when dealing with this topic, it is important to go beyond the simplistic conception according to which water is a mere literary motif. In fact, as an "agent" substance, water can be decisive in the life of human beings. To understand the impact of water on human existence, it is crucial to consider the historical period in which the novels of the authors mentioned were written. Between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Great Britain changed radically because of the Industrial Revolution. Gradually, the Country moved from a predominantly agricultural society to a more technological and mechanized one. In this context, man became the author of technological progress by exploiting water in the form of steam, thus transforming it from a natural element to a functional tool. Therefore, water became exploitable for humans' economic interests. In that period, water not only became one of the gears that contributed to the economic development of the country. In fact, its exploitation determined the development of new political and social dynamics that, in turn, had repercussions on the structure of coeval society. For this analysis, four novels were considered: "The Mill on the Floss" and "Middlemarch" by George Eliot; "The Woodlanders" and "The Return of the Native" by Thomas Hardy. In "The Mill on the Floss", the lives of the main characters - especially that of the protagonist Maggie Tulliver - are intrinsically linked to the river, whose name appears in the title. Maggie's family has been running the mill that exploits the waters of the Floss for generations. However, the indiscriminate exploitation of the waters, which prove unpredictable, will have catastrophic consequences on the lives of Maggie and her brother Tom. In "Middlemarch", water-related images play a key role in the events. The protagonist, named Dorothea, is extremely unhappy because of her husband (Mr. Edward Casaubon) neglects her. She finds comfort in his cousin, charismatic Will Ladislaw. After sensing that there is mutual affection between his wife and her cousin, Casaubon, who is now extremely ill, adds a clause to his will: if after his death Dorothea marries Ladislaw, the woman will lose her husband's inheritance. The aquatic images that appear in the novel are often intended to reflect the state of mind of the characters: for example, a storm reflects the inner turmoil of the characters. In "The Woodlanders", which is set in a village whose inhabitants are mainly engaged in tree-cutting jobs, water images are closely connected to an evocative arboreal imagery. In this context, the indissoluble relationship between man and nature emerges. In "The Return of the Native", water becomes a crucial element of the landscape and the lives of the characters. Appearing in many of forms, water emphasizes the relationship between some of the novel's key characters and Egdon Heath, the village in which the novel is set. Furthermore, as in "The Mill on the Floss", water will burst forth in all its force, with fatal consequences.
Nella letteratura vittoriana, spesso l’acqua in quanto elemento naturale è più di ciò che appare a prima vista. Essa, infatti, contrariamente a ciò che si potrebbe pensare, è un elemento tutt’altro che statico. Il suo essere una sostanza metamorfica le permette di manifestarsi nell’ambiente sotto molteplici forme, tutte dinamiche e ricche di forme di vita. Alcuni autori vittoriani, tra i quali George Eliot e Thomas Hardy, hanno sfruttato all’interno delle loro opere il potenziale di questo elemento, facendolo diventare parte integrante della narrazione. Tuttavia, quando viene trattato questo argomento, è importante andare oltre la concezione semplicistica secondo cui l’acqua sarebbe un mero motif letterario. Infatti, in quanto sostanza “agente”, può rivelarsi determinante nella vita dell’essere umano. Per capire l’impatto dell’acqua sull'esistenza umana è necessario considerare il periodo storico in cui i romanzi degli autori citati furono scritti. Tra il diciottesimo ed il diciannovesimo secolo, il volto della Gran Bretagna cambiò radicalmente con l’avvento dalla Rivoluzione Industriale. Gradualmente, si passò da una società prevalentemente agricola ad una più tecnologica e meccanizzata. In questo contesto, l’uomo si fece autore del progresso tecnologico sfruttando l’acqua sotto forma di vapore, trasformandola quindi da elemento naturale a strumento funzionale, sfruttabile per i propri interessi economici. In quel periodo, l’acqua non solo diventò uno degli ingranaggi che contribuì allo sviluppo economico del Paese. Infatti, il suo sfruttamento determinò lo sviluppo di nuove dinamiche politico-sociali che, a loro volta, ebbero ripercussioni sull'assetto della società coeva. Per questa analisi, sono stati presi in considerazione quattro romanzi: "Il mulino sulla Floss" e "Middlemarch" di George Eliot; "Nel Bosco" e "La Brughiera" di Thomas Hardy. Ne "Il mulino sulla Floss", le vite dei personaggi principali - in particolare quella della protagonista Maggie Tulliver - sono intrinsecamente legate al fiume, il cui nome compare nel titolo. La famiglia di Maggie gestisce da generazioni il mulino che sfrutta le acque della Floss. Tuttavia, lo sfruttamento indiscriminato delle acque, che si rivelano imprevedibili, avrà delle conseguenze catastrofiche sulle vite di Maggie e del fratello Tom. In "Middlemarch", le immagini legate all'acqua, pur essendo meno intense se messe a confronto con quelle del romanzo precedente, svolgono un ruolo chiave nei fatti narrati. La protagonista Dorothea, estremamente infelice a causa di un marito (Mr. Edward Casaubon) che la trascura, trova conforto nel cugino di lui, il carismatico Will Ladislaw. Intuendo che tra la moglie ed il cugino vi sia un sentimento di affetto reciproco, Casaubon, molto malato, aggiunge una clausola al suo testamento: se dopo il suo decesso Dorothea sposerà Ladislaw, la donna perderà l'eredità del marito. Le immagini acquatiche che compaiono all'interno del romanzo hanno spesso lo scopo di riflettere lo stato d'animo dei personaggi: ad esempio, un forte temporale rispecchia il tumulto interiore dei personaggi. Ne "Nel Bosco", ambientato in un villaggio i cui abitanti si dedicano prevalentemente a lavori legati al taglio degli alberi, le immagini acquatiche sono strettamente connesse ad un immaginario arboreo suggestivo. In questo contesto, emerge l'indissolubile rapporto tra uomo e natura. Ne "La Brughiera", l'acqua diventa elemento cruciale del paesaggio e delle vite dei personaggi. Comparendo in molte sue forme, essa è in grado di enfatizzare il rapporto tra alcuni personaggi chiave del romanzo ed Egdon Heath, il villaggio in cui è ambientato il romanzo. Inoltre, come ne "Il Mulino sulla Floss", l'acqua proromperà in tutta la sua forza, con conseguenze fatali.
The Agential Role of Water in Victorian Novels: An Analysis of George Eliot and Thomas Hardy's Imagery
MINELLI, ARIANNA
2023/2024
Abstract
In Victorian literature, water as a natural element is often more than what it appears at first sight. In fact, contrary to what one might think, it is anything but static. Firstly, it is a a metamorphic substance. This feature allows it to manifest itself in the environment in many forms: rain, snow, fog, rivers, lakes and even bodies of water in which it seems apparently immobile, such as ponds and swamps. All these water manifestations are, also rich in life forms. Some Victorian authors, including George Eliot and Thomas Hardy, exploited the potential of this element in their production, and made it an integral part of the plot. However, when dealing with this topic, it is important to go beyond the simplistic conception according to which water is a mere literary motif. In fact, as an "agent" substance, water can be decisive in the life of human beings. To understand the impact of water on human existence, it is crucial to consider the historical period in which the novels of the authors mentioned were written. Between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Great Britain changed radically because of the Industrial Revolution. Gradually, the Country moved from a predominantly agricultural society to a more technological and mechanized one. In this context, man became the author of technological progress by exploiting water in the form of steam, thus transforming it from a natural element to a functional tool. Therefore, water became exploitable for humans' economic interests. In that period, water not only became one of the gears that contributed to the economic development of the country. In fact, its exploitation determined the development of new political and social dynamics that, in turn, had repercussions on the structure of coeval society. For this analysis, four novels were considered: "The Mill on the Floss" and "Middlemarch" by George Eliot; "The Woodlanders" and "The Return of the Native" by Thomas Hardy. In "The Mill on the Floss", the lives of the main characters - especially that of the protagonist Maggie Tulliver - are intrinsically linked to the river, whose name appears in the title. Maggie's family has been running the mill that exploits the waters of the Floss for generations. However, the indiscriminate exploitation of the waters, which prove unpredictable, will have catastrophic consequences on the lives of Maggie and her brother Tom. In "Middlemarch", water-related images play a key role in the events. The protagonist, named Dorothea, is extremely unhappy because of her husband (Mr. Edward Casaubon) neglects her. She finds comfort in his cousin, charismatic Will Ladislaw. After sensing that there is mutual affection between his wife and her cousin, Casaubon, who is now extremely ill, adds a clause to his will: if after his death Dorothea marries Ladislaw, the woman will lose her husband's inheritance. The aquatic images that appear in the novel are often intended to reflect the state of mind of the characters: for example, a storm reflects the inner turmoil of the characters. In "The Woodlanders", which is set in a village whose inhabitants are mainly engaged in tree-cutting jobs, water images are closely connected to an evocative arboreal imagery. In this context, the indissoluble relationship between man and nature emerges. In "The Return of the Native", water becomes a crucial element of the landscape and the lives of the characters. Appearing in many of forms, water emphasizes the relationship between some of the novel's key characters and Egdon Heath, the village in which the novel is set. Furthermore, as in "The Mill on the Floss", water will burst forth in all its force, with fatal consequences.| File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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Descrizione: Nella letteratura vittoriana, spesso l’acqua in quanto elemento naturale racchiude in sé molto più di ciò che mostra ad un livello superficiale.
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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14239/27762