Note
Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Member of
Contributors
Publisher
Florida Atlantic University
Date Issued
1983
Description
The five novels of Margaret Atwood contain a pattern
borrowed from The Aeneid of Virgil, Aeneas , guided by the Cumaean
Sibyl, descends to the underworld to gain knowledge from his
father, then returns to earth, equipped to fulfill his destiny.
Atwood confronts her protagonists with similar tasks.
The presence of an effective guide and of a positive
parental influence contribute to the completion of each quest,
but the prime determiner of success is the nature of the journey
itself. Seen in her early novels as a source of growth and
enlightenment, the journey is a vehicle of personal development
and awakening. In later works, however, it becomes a snare of
delusion which entraps characters in fantasy, cynicism, madness,
despair and even death. Attwod unfolds a darkening vision of
reality by the manipulation of various elements within the frame-work of descent and return.
borrowed from The Aeneid of Virgil, Aeneas , guided by the Cumaean
Sibyl, descends to the underworld to gain knowledge from his
father, then returns to earth, equipped to fulfill his destiny.
Atwood confronts her protagonists with similar tasks.
The presence of an effective guide and of a positive
parental influence contribute to the completion of each quest,
but the prime determiner of success is the nature of the journey
itself. Seen in her early novels as a source of growth and
enlightenment, the journey is a vehicle of personal development
and awakening. In later works, however, it becomes a snare of
delusion which entraps characters in fantasy, cynicism, madness,
despair and even death. Attwod unfolds a darkening vision of
reality by the manipulation of various elements within the frame-work of descent and return.
Language
Type
Form
Extent
62 p.
Subject (Topical)
Identifier
14167
Additional Information
Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1983.
FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Date Backup
1983
Date Text
1983
Date Issued (EDTF)
1983
Extension
FAU
FAU
admin_unit="FAU01", ingest_id="ing1508", creator="staff:fcllz", creation_date="2007-07-19 02:12:29", modified_by="staff:fcllz", modification_date="2011-01-06 13:09:06"
IID
FADT14167
Issuance
monographic
Organizations
Attributed name: Florida Atlantic University
Person Preferred Name
HART, SANDRA PATTERSON.
Graduate College
Physical Description
62 p.
application/pdf
Title Plain
DESCENT TO THE UNDERWORLD IN THE NOVELS OF MARGARET ATWOOD
Use and Reproduction
Copyright © is held by the author, with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Origin Information
1983
monographic
Boca Raton, Fla.
Florida Atlantic University
Physical Location
Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Place
Boca Raton, Fla.
Sub Location
Digital Library
Title
DESCENT TO THE UNDERWORLD IN THE NOVELS OF MARGARET ATWOOD
Other Title Info
DESCENT TO THE UNDERWORLD IN THE NOVELS OF MARGARET ATWOOD