Comically Tragic, Tragically Comic: Exploring Family Dynamics in Angela Carter's Wise Children
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2024 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | This conference paper aims at exploring the nuanced portrayal of tragicomic family dynamics in Angela Carter's novel Wise Children. With its existence blurred in the theatrical world, the Hazard family unfolds as a vibrant and eccentric tapestry of characters navigating the complexities of relationships, family identities, and their seemingly ordinarily extraordinary lives. The analysis will focus on the interplay of tragic, comic, and comedic elements within the narrative, examining how Carter masterfully blends humour with poignant reflections on family ties. The paper begins with an overview of the socio-cultural context that shapes the novel and introduces the Hazard family, whose challenging intertwined relations are presented in a humoristic tone as to overcome, or rather transform the burden which they epitomise. A detailed examination of the Hazard family dynamics unfolds, emphasizing the themes of illegitimacy and identity as key drivers of the narrative filled with symbolic elements and images related to family relationships, highlighting how the theatrical setting serves as a metaphor for the performative roles adopted within the family. The paper also examines how humour operates as a coping mechanism on the journey of the main protagonists. Subversion of familiar perspectives and conventional expectations, as inherent to Angela Carter’s writing, serves as in insight into the limitations of traditional societal values. |
| Related projects: |