Personal Statement
Literature goes beyond building our imaginations. I find it to be the
beating heart of the human condition, and while T. S. Eliot may
disagree with me through his theory of ‘impersonality’, I believe it
most capably endows writers with the power of unique expression.
Through reading we are given an insight into a myriad of different
experiences, concepts and attitudes throughout history; this became
the catalyst for my interest to study English Literature at University.
As my interest in Literature has developed, I have encountered
many enthralling portrayals of the magic of illusion and its intrinsic
link to the human condition. Through my A-level studies, I
discovered Tennessee Williams' 'A Streetcar Named Desire', and
found that Blanche's addiction to masking her immoral actions with
her fantastical imagination provides social commentary on how
humans use fantasy as a self-defense mechanism against the cruel
realities of the world. In a production I watched by the National
Theatre Company, I found the use of shadows and shards of light
particularly poignant in representing Blanche's fears manifesting
before her eyes, and therefore postulating society's fear of
tarnishing the idyllic image of the 'American Dream'. Through
further reading on this theme, I noticed that Oscar Wilde's 'The
Picture Of Dorian Gray' shares the same idea. Like the Greek Myth of
Narcissus, Dorian Gray's fixation with his own vanity leads him to
exchange morality for immortality. I view Wilde's use of supernatural
elements to pose a mirror of truth to the late Victorian Society as
innovative and challenging, as Wilde used Dorian Gray's clandestine
sins as a stimulus to provoke a societal awakening. Consequently,
the evident controversy surrounding the novel in this period only
suggests Wilde was right in doing so.
Another concept of literature I anticipate to enjoy further at
University is the presentation of identities over time. In a lecture I
attended at the University of Oxford on Medieval Literature, I
discovered an Old Norse poem called 'The Wife's Lament'.
Intriguingly, the ambiguity of this text allowed me to create my own
interpretations by connecting it to similar texts I've read. Emily
Brontë's 'Wuthering Heights' is imbued with the same ghostly grief
strung throughout 'The Wife's Lament', and I found the concept of
the living dead representative of humans dealing with mortal
hardships. Cathy's lamentations towards Heathcliff convey an
illusive expression of yearning that Brontë uses as a mouthpiece for
the destructive nature of love. Their fragmented souls suggest that
love strips a person of their individual identity, and as this theme is
prevalent in both 'The Wife's Lament' and 'Wuthering Heights', it
shows how literature truly transcends time.
Literature goes beyond building our imaginations. I find it to be the
beating heart of the human condition, and while T. S. Eliot may
disagree with me through his theory of ‘impersonality’, I believe it
most capably endows writers with the power of unique expression.
Through reading we are given an insight into a myriad of different
experiences, concepts and attitudes throughout history; this became
the catalyst for my interest to study English Literature at University.
As my interest in Literature has developed, I have encountered
many enthralling portrayals of the magic of illusion and its intrinsic
link to the human condition. Through my A-level studies, I
discovered Tennessee Williams' 'A Streetcar Named Desire', and
found that Blanche's addiction to masking her immoral actions with
her fantastical imagination provides social commentary on how
humans use fantasy as a self-defense mechanism against the cruel
realities of the world. In a production I watched by the National
Theatre Company, I found the use of shadows and shards of light
particularly poignant in representing Blanche's fears manifesting
before her eyes, and therefore postulating society's fear of
tarnishing the idyllic image of the 'American Dream'. Through
further reading on this theme, I noticed that Oscar Wilde's 'The
Picture Of Dorian Gray' shares the same idea. Like the Greek Myth of
Narcissus, Dorian Gray's fixation with his own vanity leads him to
exchange morality for immortality. I view Wilde's use of supernatural
elements to pose a mirror of truth to the late Victorian Society as
innovative and challenging, as Wilde used Dorian Gray's clandestine
sins as a stimulus to provoke a societal awakening. Consequently,
the evident controversy surrounding the novel in this period only
suggests Wilde was right in doing so.
Another concept of literature I anticipate to enjoy further at
University is the presentation of identities over time. In a lecture I
attended at the University of Oxford on Medieval Literature, I
discovered an Old Norse poem called 'The Wife's Lament'.
Intriguingly, the ambiguity of this text allowed me to create my own
interpretations by connecting it to similar texts I've read. Emily
Brontë's 'Wuthering Heights' is imbued with the same ghostly grief
strung throughout 'The Wife's Lament', and I found the concept of
the living dead representative of humans dealing with mortal
hardships. Cathy's lamentations towards Heathcliff convey an
illusive expression of yearning that Brontë uses as a mouthpiece for
the destructive nature of love. Their fragmented souls suggest that
love strips a person of their individual identity, and as this theme is
prevalent in both 'The Wife's Lament' and 'Wuthering Heights', it
shows how literature truly transcends time.
