The enlightenment was an urban and highly literary movement during the 18th century, which produced many great thinkers who believed that rational criticism should be applied to everything including religion and politics. During this time we begin to see the separation of the educated from the less educated as well as a separation between the elite and peasants. The middle class embraced the enlightenment and started to become a part of the growing alliterate society. For the first time in Europe there is an intellectual dissent, and rules and ways start to be questioned. This give rise to public opinion, and eventual sociability. These events bring to light the beginning of the enlightenment era.
The novel The Nun, by Denis Diderot was written in the 18th century and was based loosely on a real issue and addressed real problems of the time. It was a social critique that criticized social institutions, such as the church and schools, the roles of women, and social status. In this paper I will analyze the novel The Nun, by putting it in its enlightenment context by showing the critiques of these issues.
The role of women and how they are portrayed in this novel are very important to the time of the enlightenment era. Suzanne, a young girl of no more than twenty, is forced into a convent to become a nun by a family who despises her of no fault of her own. The fault of this matter is of course directed to be the fault of Suzanne's mother, who had an affair, which Suzanne was the result of. Since her father has his suspicions about her legitimacy he in turn treats her in an unfavorable manor. Suzanne's other two sisters are taken care of by being "married off" and dowries paid. Suzanne on the other hand gets nothing from her family. .
Her illegitimacy was a big social problem for her and her family. Since she was not her father's real daughter, she was never given the family name.
The nun is a very kind woman. ... The Nun is very loving and compassionate. ... The Nun is a very dainty and courtly woman. ... Lastly, the nun is very, very womanly. ... Overall, the Nun is a perfect example of everything a woman should be. ...
III/ THE BEAST-EPIC The Nun"'"s Priest Tale belongs to the genre of the Beast epic. ... The first episode is the Chanticleer story later used by Chaucer in the Nun"'"s Priest tale. ... The third of May is alluded to in The Nun"'"s Priest Tale. ... The Nun"'"s Prierst obviously holds this view but dismisses it as a joke. The Nun's Priest's Tale is a cautionary tale about dream interpretation. ...
The Second Nun's Tale, a conventional religious biography, tells the story of St. Cecilia. Chaucer uses symbolism and imagery to manifest Cecilia as a Saint of God. St. Cecilia becomes the archetype of the savior in this tale. She saves Valerian and his brother and opens their eyes to Christ. V...
William Wordsworth's sonnet "Nuns Fret Not at Their Convent's Narrow Room," explains how a person has a place and purpose that they themselves can only discover. ... He says "nuns fret not at their convent's narrow room: and hermits are contented with their cells; and students with their pensive citadels" (lines 1-3). Although Wordsworth does not clearly state his position, the lines take on a bit of a sarcastic tone that makes the reader think that nuns, hermits, and students are not truly "contented" with their lifestyle. ... The "nuns fret n...
A Review of Memoir of a Basque Lieutenant Nun Transvestite in the New World Memoir of a Basque Lieutenant Nun Transvestite in the New World is the translated autobiography of Catalina de Erauso, a woman who spent most of her adult life posing as a man after fleeing her convent shortly before she would take her final vows. ... It seems to me that the Lieutenant Nun either was super-human, protected by God or exaggerating her life. The Lieutenant Nun had very few reoccurring characters in her life, but for those who had been a part of it numerous times I question their observational skill...
When it was the nun's turn to tell a tale, I wasn't paying any attention. ... What is a nun doing telling a gruesome tale about murder? ... The nun is quite materialistic, which is obvious by her eccentric rosary. ... The nun's forehead isn't even covered. Furthermore, what is a nun doing on a pilgrimage? ...
She combines her comedic heriosm to transform lifeless nuns in a convent into something special. ... Goldburg becomes a realist and enjoys her time with the Nuns in the convent. ... She began to bring the lifeless nuns to reality with her funny gestures and teaching style as nun choir director. ... She is the comedic feature of the conflict, because all the nuns love the change. She exclaimes in the movie, pleading the Head Nun: "We can pack this joint! ...
A devout and humble nun would never wear such an item, would never attract attention in that way. This Nun also has been described wearing "a coral trinket" and a "set of beads, the gaudies tricked in green" (Chaucer 162-163). These articles do not seem to fit the income of a so-called humble nun. ... Instead of this nuns heart being with the church, her love is of the more earthly pleasures. ... In addition to the Nun, the Merchant is another of Chaucer's flawed characters. ...
