The Modern City

    Cards (49)

    • Which cities are mentioned as examples of modern cities that rose in the 19th century?

      London, Paris, and St. Petersburg
    • How did the rise of modern cities shape literature and art in the 19th century?

      It profoundly influenced writers and artists to explore new realities.
    • What aspects of urban spaces did writers explore in their works during the rise of modern cities?
      Rapid growth, social stratification, and industrialization
    • What literary techniques did writers use to explore the realities of modern cities?

      They blended realism, romanticism, and the grotesque.
    • What dualities do modern cities symbolize according to the study material?

      Opportunity and alienation, crime and beauty
    • How do modern cities reflect the transition from traditional societies to modernity?

      They embody the changes in social structures and cultural dynamics.
    • How does Dickens depict London in his works?

      As a vast, chaotic metropolis filled with grandeur and misery
    • What does London symbolize in Dickens's novels?

      The tension between wealth and poverty
    • How do the markets and slums in London reflect its social structure?

      They illustrate the coexistence of wealth and poverty
    • What themes are explored in Dickens's novels like Bleak House and Oliver Twist?

      • The labyrinthine nature of London
      • Chance encounters
      • Crime
      • Mystery
    • Name two novels by Dickens that explore the nature of London.

      Bleak House and Oliver Twist
    • Which authors depicted Paris as a city of contrasts?

      Balzac and Victor Hugo
    • How is Paris characterized in the works of Balzac and Victor Hugo?

      As a city of contrasts—luxury and decadence versus poverty and revolution
    • What aspects of London does Dickens portray in his novels?

      He portrays it as a place where chance encounters, crime, and mystery thrive
    • What themes does Hugo explore in Les Misérables?

      The revolutionary spirit and moral ambiguity of urban life
    • What literary form is associated with the Parisian roman-feuilleton and boulevard novels?

      They convey the allure and danger of the city
    • What are the key characteristics of the Parisian roman-feuilleton and boulevard novels?

      • Blend social critique with sensational plots
      • Convey the allure and danger of the city
    • What dual role does St. Petersburg play in Russian literature according to the study material?

      It serves as both a mystical and oppressive space.
    • How does Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment depict St. Petersburg?

      As a psychological maze reflecting alienation and inner torment.
    • What elements of St. Petersburg contribute to the atmosphere in Crime and Punishment?

      The harsh winters, poverty, and isolation.
    • What is the significance of St. Petersburg's environment in Crime and Punishment?

      • Creates a backdrop for crime and redemption
      • Enhances the psychological depth of characters
      • Reflects the societal issues of the time
    • What marks the advent of modernity in cities?

      The displacement of nature by streets, factories, and railroads
    • How do urban spaces affect traditional connections to nature?

      Urban spaces diminish traditional connections to nature and rural life
    • In what way is the human condition redefined in modern cities?

      It is redefined within the new, artificial landscape of the modern city
    • What are the key characteristics of modernity as described in urban settings?

      • Displacement of nature
      • Emergence of streets, factories, and railroads
      • Diminished connections to nature and rural life
      • Redefined human condition in artificial landscapes
    • What are some pressures of city life mentioned in the study material?
      Competition, anonymity, and social fragmentation
    • How do the pressures of city life affect individuals?

      They place individuals in new moral and psychological contexts
    • What issues must characters navigate in the context of city life?
      Identity, ambition, and survival
    • What is the impact of the loss of community and tradition in city life?

      • Characters face challenges related to identity
      • Ambition becomes a driving force
      • Survival becomes a critical concern
    • How is the modern city depicted in literature according to the study material?
      As a bewildering and unfamiliar space
    • What feelings do characters often experience in the modern city?
      Disorientation and confusion
    • How does urban life contribute to alienation according to the study material?

      It fosters isolation and disconnection from others
    • Which character exemplifies the theme of alienation in urban life?
      Raskolnikov from Crime and Punishment
    • What does the study material suggest about the relationship between crime and the modern city?

      The city creates fertile ground for crime due to its anonymity and complexity
    • In the works of which authors is crime depicted as a product of social conditions and moral decay?
      Charles Dickens and Fyodor Dostoevsky
    • How is the city described in relation to transgression in the study material?

      The city becomes a breeding ground for transgression
    • What are the main themes related to urban life as discussed in the study material?
      • Strangeness: Bewildering and unfamiliar space
      • Alienation: Isolation and disconnection from others
      • Crime: Anonymity and complexity leading to moral decay
    • What is the role of mystery in modern city literature?
      Mystery reflects the psychological and social complexities of urban life.
    • How does grotesquerie manifest in urban literature?

      It appears in exaggerated characters and bizarre events, revealing absurdity and contradictions.
    • Who are examples of Dickens's villains that embody grotesquerie?

      Quilp and Fagin.