Extinction, Taxidermy, Tableaux Vivants: Staging Race and Class in The House of Mirth

PMLA ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 115 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennie A. Kassanoff
Keyword(s):  
Charlotte Perkins Gilman ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Class Mobility ◽  
Race And Class ◽  
Rare And Endangered Species ◽  
Tableaux Vivants ◽  
Rare And Endangered ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The House Of Mirth

Edith Wharton's 1905 novel The House of Mirth documents a twenty-nine-year-old debutante's disinheritance—from money, family, power, love, and social position. On a more profound level, however, the novel pursues the opposite end. Although Lily Bart is plainly vulnerable to the whims of what Charlotte Perkins Gilman called the “sexuo-economic relation,” she is nonetheless dramatically resistant to the attritional ravages of racial disintegration. This paper argues that race in The House of Mirth is an essentialist—if deeply problematic—answer to the cultural slippages of class and gender. By locating the novel within the diverse range of cultural phenomena that contributed to its racialized logic, this essay connects Wharton's fears of class mobility, mass production, immigration, and “race suicide” to the taxidermic aesthetic of racialized stasis. Part of a rare and endangered species, Lily becomes Wharton's decadent specimen of racial permanence.

Diaghilev and British Writing

2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-92
Author(s):  
Susan Jones
Keyword(s):  
Visual Arts ◽  
The Body ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Literary Responses ◽  
Literary Aesthetics ◽  
Ballets Russes ◽  
The Arts ◽  
The Subject ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Opening Up

This article explores the diversity of British literary responses to Diaghilev's project, emphasising the way in which the subject matter and methodologies of Diaghilev's modernism were sometimes unexpectedly echoed in expressions of contemporary British writing. These discussions emerge both in writing about Diaghilev's work, and, more discretely, when references to the Russian Ballet find their way into the creative writing of the period, serving to anchor the texts in a particular cultural milieu or to suggest contemporary aesthetic problems in the domain of literary aesthetics developing in the period. Figures from disparate fields, including literature, music and the visual arts, brought to their criticism of the Ballets Russes their individual perspectives on its aesthetics, helping to consolidate the sense of its importance in contributing to the inter-disciplinary flavour of modernism across the arts. In the field of literature, not only did British writers evaluate the Ballets Russes in terms of their own poetics, their relationship to experimentation in the novel and in drama, they developed an increasing sense of the company's place in dance history, its choreographic innovations offering material for wider discussions, opening up the potential for literary modernism's interest in impersonality and in the ‘unsayable’, discussions of the body, primitivism and gender.

Minorities in the Contemporary Egyptian Novel

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Youssef
Keyword(s):  
Literary History ◽  
First Century ◽  
Nation State ◽  
Colonial Rule ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Robust Analysis ◽  
Specific Approach ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
Historical Moment

This book examines questions of identity, nationalism, and marginalization in the contemporary Egyptian novel from a postcolonial lens. Under colonial rule, the Egyptian novel invoked a sovereign nation-state by basking in its perceived unity. After independence, the novel professed disenchantment with state practices and unequal class and gender relations, without disrupting the nation’s imagined racial and ethno-religious homogeneity. This book identifies a trend in the twenty-first-century Egyptian novel that shatters this singular view, with the rise of a new consciousness that presents Egypt as fundamentally heterogeneous. Through a robust analysis of “new-consciousness” novels by authors like Idris ᶜAli, Bahaᵓ Tahir, Miral al-Tahawi, and Yusuf Zaydan, the author argues that this new consciousness does not only respond to predominant discourses of difference and practices of differentiation along the axes of race, ethno-religion, class, and gender by bringing the experiences of Nubian, Amazigh, Bedouin, Coptic, Jewish, and women minorities to the fore of Egypt’s literary imaginary, but also heralds the cacophony of voices that collectively cried for social justice from Tahrir Square in Egypt’s 2011-uprising. This study responds to the changing iconographic, semiotic, and formal features of the Egyptian novel. It fulfills the critical task of identifying an emergent novelistic genre and develops historically reflexive methodologies that interpret new-consciousness novels and their mediatory role in formalizing and articulating their historical moment. By adopting this context-specific approach to studying novelistic evolution, this book locates some of the strands that have been missing from the complex whole of Egypt’s culture and literary history.

Unrivalled Influence

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith Herrin
Keyword(s):  
Political Life ◽  
General Introduction ◽  
Women And Gender ◽  
Mothers And Daughters ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Long Span ◽  
Imperial Court ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Many ◽  
First Time

This book explores the exceptional roles that women played in the vibrant cultural and political life of medieval Byzantium. This book evokes the complex and exotic world of Byzantium's women, from empresses and saints to uneducated rural widows. Drawing on a diverse range of sources, the book sheds light on the importance of marriage in imperial statecraft, the tense coexistence of empresses in the imperial court, and the critical relationships of mothers and daughters. It looks at women's interactions with eunuchs, the in-between gender in Byzantine society, and shows how women defended their rights to hold land. The book describes how women controlled their inheritances, participated in urban crowds demanding the dismissal of corrupt officials, followed the processions of holy icons and relics, and marked religious feasts with liturgical celebrations, market activity, and holiday pleasures. The vivid portraits that emerge here reveal how women exerted an unrivalled influence on the patriarchal society of Byzantium, and remained active participants in the many changes that occurred throughout the empire's millennial history. The book brings together the author's finest essays on women and gender written throughout the long span of her career. This volume includes three new essays published here for the very first time and a new general introduction. It also provides a concise introduction to each essay that describes how it came to be written and how it fits into her broader views about women and Byzantium.

Cryobanking of Amphibian Genetic Recourses in Russia: Past and Future

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 319-324
Author(s):  
Victor K. Uteshev ◽  
Edith N. Gakhova ◽  
Ludmila I. Kramarova ◽  
Natalia V. Shishova ◽  
Svetlana A. Kaurova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Material ◽  
Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Cell Biophysics ◽  
Amphibian Species ◽  
Modern Biology ◽  
Rare And Endangered Species ◽  
Long Term Storage ◽  
Current State ◽  
Rare And Endangered ◽  
Academy Of Sciences

In modern biology, a search for efficient and safe ways of long-term storage of animal genomes is vital for the survival of rare and endangered species. To date, the only reliable method of prolonging the preservation of genome is deep freezing of somatic and reproductive cells, including spermatozoa. Here we overview the current state of reproductive technologies and present the cryopresevation strategies of genetic material of selected amphibian species. These strategies were developed at the Institute of Cell Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Russia. Cryopreservation could help managing the threatened populations of amphibian species through genome storage and mediate the production of healthy animals from the stored material.

Who’s holding up the sky? On Rymba, a novel by A. Bushkovsky

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 150-158
Author(s):  
A. V. Zhuchkova
Keyword(s):  
Gender Politics ◽  
The State ◽  
Christian Faith ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Central Question ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Flood Zone ◽  
The Social ◽  
Russian North ◽  
And Gender

The article deals with A. Bushkovsky’s novel Rymba that goes beyond the topics typical of Russian North prose. Rather than limiting himself to admiring nature and Russian character, the author portrays the northern Russian village of Rymba in the larger context of the country’s mentality, history, mythology, and gender politics. In the novel, myth clashes with reality, history with the present day, and an individual with the state. The critic draws a comparison between the novel and the traditions of village prose and Russian North prose. In particular, Bushkovsky’s Rymba is discussed alongside V. Rasputin’s Farewell to Matyora [ Proshchanie s Matyoroy ] and R. Senchin’s The Flood Zone [ Zona zatopleniya ]. The novel’s central question is: what keeps the Russian world afloat? Depicting the Christian faith as such a bulwark, Bushkovsky links atheism with the social and spiritual roles played by contemporary men and women. The critic argues, however, that the reliance on Christianity in the novel verges on an affectation. The book’s main symbol is a drowning hawk: it perishes despite people’s efforts to save it.

Highlighting the Correlation Between Telomere Shortening and the Susceptibility to the Novel SARS-CoV-2 Virus (COVID-19)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aml Ghanem
Keyword(s):  
Telomere Length ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Telomere Shortening ◽  
Infection Pathways ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Demographic Distribution

COVID-19 is a global crisis that requires a deep understanding of infection pathways to facilitate the development of effective treatments and vaccines. Telomere, which is regarded as a biomarker for other respiratory viral infections, might influence the demographic distribution of COVID-19 infection and fatality rates. Viral infection can induce many cellular remodeling events and stress responses, including telomere specific alterations, just as telomere shortening. In brief, this letter aims to highlight the connection between telomere shortening and susceptibility to COVID-19 infection, in addition to changes in telomeric length according to the variation of age and gender of confirmed cases with COVID-19 infection. To sum up, the correlation is revealed from the available data that connect telomere length and COVID-19 infection, demonstrated in the fact that the elderly patients and males are more susceptible to COVID-19 due to shortening in their telomere length.

ЗУБРЫ НА СЕВЕРЕ РОССИИ — НАСТОЯЩЕЕ И БУДУЩЕЕ

2019 ◽  
pp. 42-44
Author(s):  
I.V. GUSAROV ◽  
V.A. OSTAPENKO ◽  
T.V. NOVIKOVА
Keyword(s):  
Biological Diversity ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Economic Consequences ◽  
European Bison ◽  
Rare And Endangered Species ◽  
The North ◽  
Rare And Endangered ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
First Time ◽  
The Relationship

Впервые в мире создана популяция зубров на территории 60 градусов северной широты. В новых климатических условиях разведения и сохранения зубров определены и проанализированы факторы существования вида на севере Европейской части РФ. Выявлены признаки, динамика численности, которые являются составной частью системы, предназначенной для управления биоразнообразием. Интродукция, являясь процессом введения в экосистему нехарактерных для нее видов, может усиливать изменения биоценозов как положительно, так и отрицательно. Насколько быстро и успешно проходит процесс адаптации заселенного вида, и усматривается его влияние на окружающую среду зависит дальнейшее существование зубров и в целом биоразнообразия. В статье обсуждаются вопросы взаимоотношения зубров с другими видами копытных и хозяйственной деятельностью человека, а также дальнейшим использованием зубров в сельскохозяйственном производстве. Пластичность зубров, выявление изменений и их анализ при вселении видов в новые условия обитания необходимы не только для определения развития или деградации биоценозов и в целом экосистемы, но и прогноза социально-экономических последствий интродукции как одного из методов сохранения редких и исчезающих видов фауны.For the first time in the world, a bison population has been created in an area of 60 degrees north latitude. In the new climatic conditions of breeding and preservation of bison, the factors of the species existence in the north of the European part of the Russian Federation are identified and analyzed. The signs, dynamics of abundance, which are an integral part of the system designed to manage biodiversity are identified, since the preservation of biological diversity on the planet is one of the main problems of our time. Introduction, being the process of introducing non-typical species into an ecosystem, can enhance changes in biocenoses, both positively and negatively. The question posing sounds especially when it comes to such a large hoofed animal as the European bison. How quickly and successfully the process of adaptation of the universe takes place and its environmental impact is seen depends on the continued existence of bison and biodiversity in general. The article discusses the relationship of bison with other types of ungulates and human activities, as well as the further use of bison in agricultural production. How these issues will be resolved positively depends on the future of these animals. Thus, the plasticity of bison, the identification of changes and their analysis, with the introduction of species into new habitat conditions is necessary not only to determine the development or degradation of biocenoses and the ecosystem as a whole, but also to predict the socio-economic consequences due to the introduction as one of the methods of preserving rare and endangered species of fauna.

Genetic diversity and genetic structure of the rare and endangered species, Primula ranunculoides

2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 601-609
Author(s):  
Wang Deyun ◽  
Peng Jie ◽  
Chen Yajing ◽  
Lü Guosheng ◽  
Zhang Xiaoping ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Genetic Structure ◽  
Endangered Species ◽  
Rare And Endangered Species ◽  
Rare And Endangered

Geoecological analysis of the Russian Federation regions representation in the state program “Environmental Protection”

2020 ◽  
Vol 957 (3) ◽  
pp. 47-53
Author(s):  
E.A. Kravets
Keyword(s):  
Endangered Species ◽  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Russian Federation ◽  
The State ◽  
Volga River ◽  
Unequal Distribution ◽  
State Program ◽  
Rare And Endangered Species ◽  
Rare And Endangered ◽  
The Russian Federation

The author offers mapping and geoecological analysis of the Russian Federation regions presence in the state program “Environmental Protection”. The unequal distribution of the program’s targets and activities in different regions is revealed. A considerable number of relevant environmental problems for several mentioned regions have not been reflected in the program. It is important to increase the area of specially protected natural areas for a significant number of subjects of the Russian Federation. The status “part of the territory occupied by specially protected natural territories of Federal value in the total area of the subject of the Russian Federation” is recommended to be assigned all regions of Russia. Identification and elimination of objects of accumulated environmental damage that threat to the Volga river is relevant, at least for all the regions in which the Volga flows. Not all regions with a high level of air pollution and/or large masses of air pollutants have the indicator “reduction of total emissions for the reporting year”. It is necessary to increase the Program of measures for the protection of rare and endangered species of plants and to expand the list of regions in which it is planned to protect rare and endangered species of animals.

North and South

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Gaskell ◽  
Sally Shuttleworth
Keyword(s):  
Middle Class ◽  
Difficult Problem ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Social Authority ◽  
Industrial Town ◽  
Middle Class Woman ◽  
Class Woman ◽  
And Gender ◽  
North And South ◽  
Obedience To Authority

`She tried to settle that most difficult problem for women, how much was to be utterly merged in obedience to authority, and how much might be set apart for freedom in working.’ North and South is a novel about rebellion. Moving from the industrial riots of discontented millworkers through to the unsought passions of a middle-class woman, and from religious crises of conscience to the ethics of naval mutiny, it poses fundamental questions about the nature of social authority and obedience. Through the story of Margaret Hale, the middle-class southerner who moves to the northern industrial town of Milton, Gaskell skilfully explores issues of class and gender in the conflict between Margaret’s ready sympathy with the workers and her growing attraction to the charismatic mill ownder, John Thornton. This new revised and expanded edition sets the novel in the context of Victorian social and medical debate.

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