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Adapting to the novel- Lecture notes
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Notes on the lectures of Adapting to the Novel. Theories and terms explained, same goes for the books and adaptations.
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Hoor- en werkcolleges Adapting tot he novelWeek 1
17/11/2023
- Question: Think of an adaptation you find interesting & bring sample to class
(Luhrmann, 1996- Romeo + Juliet)
- Cardinal functions, Brian McFarlan: If you make an adaptation, you have to transpose
the central elements that drive the plot. Are the cardinal things of the original plot
also implemented on the adaptation. Cardinal functions are subjective
- Essence, Rushdie: if you adapt, you have to hold on to the essence of the original.
Successfully its own, the new thing and yet carries with it the essence, the spirit, the
soul of the first thing. An essence is also a subjective thing.
- 2: authors aren’t elite, literature has a one stage artform (like a painting, no
interaction). This carries two consequences: the illusion of inventiveness: all art, the
assumption of what the writer put on paper (there is one truth, although there is a
different interpretation from a reader maybe). Two stage artform; more necessary to
make it into life (publishers). Reading the novel before the film or vice versa
differentiates your view of the story.
- 3: purpose of film music to specifify time, place and foreshadowing a narrative.
Internal reference to the audience, making someone cry etc. Some people don’t
notice filmmusic. Unconscious feelings you have
- 4: introduction, complicated meaning of an adaption. Hudgens (stated explicitly,
needs to be a process) adds to this by saying that themeparks can be seen as an
adaption (if it captures the essence). Adaptions are part of a network, every
adaptions take different elements from different adaptations. Cardinal functions.
- Charlie and the chocolatefactory:
- imagology: the way in which culture is represented in curtural artifacts. Often related
to national culture, or women, lgtbtq, gardeners etc. representation of cultural
groups.
- Charlie as the all American boy: clean slate, so you can project yourself on him.
,Week 2
22-11-2023
English heritage
- Fay Weldon ‘’Austen means class, literature, virginity, and family viewing. ‘’we love
Jane Austen because she’s Heritage’’.
- Heritage industry: by Robert Hewison. In it he argues that:
1. The uk is overly obsessed with the past because the country is seen to be in
decline (wars on the miner strikes, almost civil war, lots of poverty, sees itself as
the sick men of Europe)
2. The past is turned into heritage a closed off, unchangeable culture
3. The past is seen as essential to British society.
4. There must be a dialogue between the past and the present, the present can still
contribute to the achievements of the past. (144)
5. Brittain in a bell jar: Hewison. The late twentieth century is captured in a bell jar;
no ideas can enter and none can escape. (144)
- The past (Buckingham palace, Stonehenge etc.) is turned into heritage because it
reflects ‘’great Britain’’. What does it mean to be English? Now reflects the past liking
drinking tea, being well mannered etc.
- Natural trust: not owned by the government, which is unique. In Brittain it is
everywhere, they maintain places and objects. For everyone, for ever. Culture to be
shared but also culture that is stated as such; THIS is our culture, our identity, for
everyone for ever. Involved in Jane Austen adaptations.
- BBC: needs to provide education, national identity, bring culture to the masses but it
also has to be popular (because of the license fee BBC has). They therefore create
popular programs at a popular time stamp, BBC 2 or BBC 3 show the cultural
programming later. Or they infuse culture in popular programs. That’s why they also
create adaptations as the high of infusing culture in popularity.
- Culture is pushed on a place that does not exist (anymore)
- ‘’poldark effect’’: a property boom caused by a tv show, or audiences and tourism.
Scenic filming locations cause troubles due to the effect it has on the audience.
- Merchant & Ivory: great house of British costume drama, focusses on the early 20th
century Edwardians.
- Rules of period drama:
1. Life in the past is less complicated
2. Life in the past is not about politics, or religion or sex (or only in a funny way- like
religion in Emma is presented as a joke)
3. Period drama offers a model, it explains what it means to be (a woman, English, a
good person, etc.)
4. Period drama must offer something, anything, it must have a purpose, it is not
mere entertainment.
, Short diversion; other periods
- You could also argue that films set in for example thatcher’s Britain are also period
drama. They perform similar functions:
1. the uk is overly obsessed with the past because the country is seen to be in
decline
2. the past is turned into heritage- a closed off, unchangeable culture.
3. The past is seen as essential to British identity.
- The most obvious sort of period drama of this kind in Britain is the war movie, many
people have argued that these movies, often played on tv during the holidays- have
formed a collective history of being in the war
- Nostalgia for the time of the second world war has saturated political life in England.
But this is not simply a sickness (an algia) for a desire to return home (nostos- Greek)
or to comforting past. This is a cruel nostalgia, which brings real and future damage-
Robert eaglestone.
Short diversion: Bodice ripper:
- term to describe a specific type of historical novel (romance history novel). Sort of
novel in which the heroine gets her bodice ripped off. These novels offer romance
and sex for primarily female readers, in a historical setting. It is not seen as a
compliment.
Beyond bodice rippers; adaptations
- addressing our histories of colonialism and historic slavery (national trust)- seen in
Bridgerton. Often seen as anti-British (not in line with the Bell jar)
- is current period drama still influenced by heritage industry?
1. Does it still preserve a sense of Englishness for people in and outside of the UK
2. Does it still stifle debate
3. Is it past of cruel nostalgia (Cf: ‘’late twentieth century heritage films instruct their
spectators in the many ideological uses of heritage culture: consume this film as
icon n an endangered cultural tradition, use it as a form of tourism or class
snobbery; make it camp and give it edge’’)
4. So, is any off this change in modern period drama a real challenge to heritage?
Is Emma part of the heritage industry? Is it part of recreating what we see as Jane Austen,
Brittain?
Jane Austen
- ACU: Austen Cinematic Universe, can you compare it to the MCU?
- No: there are no cross-over characters, no arc, or multiverses
- But: on the other hand yes, a clear place, where fans expect Austen heroines to find
to love, experience etc.
- Audience created of females and their entourage: New multiply marketed Jane
Austen movies attract discriminating female viewers across niches, theatre cenues
and national locations (as well as their partners, husbands and daughters). To
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