CSP 75 Twice-Told Tales Shifting Perspectives of Classic Novels

How did Dr. Jekyll's maid react to Mr. Hyde? What did the Bennets' housemaid and footman do while Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy traded barbs at balls? Was Gandalf an imperialist warmonger threatening a Mordor on the cusp of an industrial revolution? Parallel novels rework a familiar story from a different point of view. We will explore reimagined narratives from the perspectives of servants, spouses, lovers, children, or monsters; how Frankenstein's monster views his existence, the way Huck Finn's father behaves, and the early life of the "madwoman in the attic" from Jane Eyre may all be included. Examining a selection of the original texts and these adaptations and retellings will provide ample opportunity for literary, social, and cultural analysis.