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NESBIT BACKGROUND (Some characteristics of Nesbit Victorian roots)
Cultural and historic elements:
Victorian Period (1837-1901) Sixty four years Edward VII Period (1901-1910) Nesbit (1858-1924) World War I George X Period (1910-1936)
- A traditional society that supported conservative values throughout the Victorian Period
- Family was a nearly sacred value. Queen Victoria was considered Mother’s Country in perfect harmony with her children; she promoted it
- Social Hypocrisy. Discarding other values, people pretended to live a family live
- Nesbit’s family wasn’t stable, her father died when she was three
- Changes that conservative schemes experimented in the Edwardian period (lead by the demands of the Industrial Revolution)
- Innovation and machines push progress against tradition
- Novelty: children are rebellious or naughty so they discover new reality through imagination. Nesbit is very innovative; she is willing to look forward
- Social criticism. Nesbit criticized stagnating costumes and conservative ideas
- (^) Equality: (the unbounded soil development): people were thrown away from the country. Thousands lived crowded in the city and dead by hundreds
- Repression: characters in her stories are rebellious and naughty
Past legend and Dragon’s evolution:
- Good and Evil in the Bible, Beowulf (X century) kills the evil dragons
- Diocleciano (III century) sent Jorge de Capadocia to Britania ( Saint George’s live (London, 1911), but Saint George is presented as an English person:
a) Middle Ages, The Aureate Legend , Jorge de Capadocia kills a dragon and releases the princess
b) XI century, William the Conqueror (two banners: one with a dragon and the other with the king’s colour)
c) XIV century, the Two Hundred Years War, Crecy battle, Edward III fought under a red silk banner embroidered with a golden dragon
d) XVIII century, The seven champions of the Christendom , now George the Knight happens to be natural from Coventry
FEATURES MONARCHY CRITICISM NOVELTY/ VALUES
TITLE TRADITION MODERNITY
The Last of the Dragons Humour/ Irony/Criticism
- ‘ every well-brought-up prince was expected to kill a dragon, and rescue a princess…’
Women-children emancipation:
- ‘…such tales are told, the Princess knew what she had to expect’ [a prize for the prince or the rest of the warrior, an object of bargain] - ‘…it would be much pleasanter not even to be rescued…’ [the Princess is rebellious]
-‘ all the princes I know are such a silly little boys’
Education through repression and suffering:
- _‘she took such pains that she became the… strongest, boldest, skilful and most, sensible princess’
- ‘Much safer for both to be free… than tied’ -_ Whimsical ‘The Prince… neglected his fencing lessons’.
Humanity in the World through education and kindness:
- ‘…let’s tame it [the dragon] _not to eat the princesses but to eat out of their hands’
- ‘everything can be tamed by kindness’
- ‘I have some biscuits_ […] ‘How clever’ said the princess ’
[the dragon] breathed fire and smoke… made of iron’
- _‘he clang and clatter … like the sound of the steam-hammers’
- ‘I’ll be proud to drink… a tiny drop of pupupetrol?
- ‘…changed him into a mechanical contrivance’_
- ‘the dragon, indeed, became the first aeroplane’
Gratefulness/ Kindness :
- ‘ When [the Prince] said that, he looked so kind that the Princess began to like him a little’
- The dragon cries when treated with kindness. - Dragon Dear! […] _the Prince drew his sword, and the Princess drew hers… they did not attack’
- ‘Nobody’ sobbed the dragon, ‘ever called me “dear” before’_
- The creature is human (not evil)
- ‘…a poor old dragon that’s never been anybody’s enemy but his own’
Victorian usefulness :
- ‘the Princess’s pet dragon- whom she had at once named Fido ’
Fido is a symbolic name for reliability , honesty, fidelity, commitment. It comes from the Latin word ‘ fides’
FEATURES
TITLE
KNOWLEDGE vs. LEGEND
MONARCHY
TRADITION
EDUCATION VALUES
The book of Beasts
In “The Edwardians Vita
The role of Education to resolve conflicts
Education as a modern means
Humour/ Irony/ Critics: ‘Sire, your great-great- great-great-grandfather, the King of…’ [a hint of
‘ [The king] was a strange man… he was fond of books’
‘[Lionel] I love to read. I am
Hierarchy and rank/ Humor: ‘…two very grave-looking gentlemen with gold coronets… like the cream in the very expensive jam tarts.’
- Nesbit is rebellious: Lionel is whimsical opening the book, his behaviour is not traditional
- Monarchy: Being children repressed, shouldn’t a king be treated in the same way? (the nurse slaps him)
- Authority: characters are devoted to other things (emancipation, kindness, citizenship, etc.). The sense of hierarchy is not as strong as in Grimm
- Education: a constant idea, Nesbit is very fond of education and books
- Supernatural: it is not always a dangerous enemy (Hippogriff in The Book of Beasts, dragons in the Deliverers of the country)
- Novelty and progress: by reading books and education new things can be discovered beyond rigid tradition
- Rebellious and whimsical: Reaction to obsolete tradition (the dragon in The last of the dragons, considers that he himself is obsolete)
- Values; those that are good are worth to keep but Nesbit wants to look forward toward progress
Nannies:
In Victorian families nannies are very important. Samuels Butler describes, in his Open letter to Broughan: the Public School as a necessary training for
Politics. The former phase would be the years spent under the Nanny’s Guardianship. Sir Winston Churchill loved his nanny and she loved him too. In one
of his novels “Saurola” it seems that he is thinking of her when he writes the following, ‘It is a strange thing, the love of these women. Perhaps it is the
only disinterested affection in the world.’
This is coincident with what Ralph G. Martin writes about them in The future Prime Minister’s mother: ‘ Nannies are substitute mothers who usually come
into the family when the infant was hardly a month old. They took care of the dirty diapers and kissed away the infant’s tears, they provided love and
authority, watchfulness and devotion throughout the child’s youth and often longer’
FEATURES
TITLE
MONARCHY
TRADITION, NATIONALISM
EDUCATION VALUES
Uncle James Criticism/ Humour:
‘ [In Rotundia] All the animals were the wrong sizes’ things were inverted, the other way around; it is a hint for a need of historic social changes
‘if you are a thoughtful child…’
‘This is the end of geography lesson. And now… natural history, so that we may not feel that we are wasting our time’
Kindness: ‘[the Princess Mary Ann] was always kind and polite…had a truly good heart: she never slapped her hippopotamus’
‘Everybody is kind to everybody in Rotundia’
Humour: The dragon ate Tom’s prize ‘History of Rotundia’ [and] ‘did not liked it…perhaps it’s all for the best, said Tom’
‘little duchesses, marchionesses, countesses were afraid [of the dragon] ‘Then the princes Mary Ann…said, don’t be silly, because it’s only in fairy stories and histories of England [were] people are unkind
Humour/novelty/progress: ‘And was the nation grateful? Well… was very wet. And by the time the nation had got dry it was interested in the new invention for toasting muffins by electricity, and all the dragons were almost forgotten’
‘I must give you a little information even in a fairy tale’
Women/Children emancipation: ‘Fido and I have arranged everything. You’ve only have to do as you are told… That’s easy, said the Princess , I’ve often done that!’
‘Oh, you dear, clever Tom’ [a child is the saviour through intelligence] ‘KDC means Clever Conqueror of the Dragon’
‘Go away, naughty little boy, and play with them [animals] somewhere else [Tom, a child, cleverly gets on well with animals against the evil magician]
Rebellious children role, criticism: [everybody is kind, there is nothing to be afraid of] unless they’re naughty… [but it is] for our own good
‘Tom was a kind boy, wouldn’t make a rabbit unhappy’
The Elephant’s name symbolizes reliability ‘how glad I am that I gave you Fido… You two have saved me’
Wicked/Uncle James says ‘we cannot begin too young to learn to think of the happiness of others rather than our own’
Improvement/ Progress/ Education/ Victorian effort: ‘though she was not very clever… always tried to do her lessons…to find they really are done’
magicians (against reasoning): ‘I should like to eat you’…nobody heard him except the Princess ’s uncle… accustomed to listening at doors [deceiver] ‘Magicians are always bad’
Greed: ‘Greedy and grasping people’ [can not be happy]
FEATURES
TITLE
Nesbit’s background (^) HISTORY, LEGEND, TRADITION
EDUCATION, NOVELTY, SCIENCE,
MODERNITY
VALUES
The deliverers of their country
Harry, the protagonist’s name, is the same as one of Nesbit’s brothers.
Effie, the little girl, was the name of the young one that John Ruskin, the writer (1819-1900) got married with
This marriage gave a lot to talk because of the great
Effie is reassured ‘You haven’t forgotten about the Seven Champions… deliverers never cry’
‘we ought to wake St George, said Harry’ Finally, he is useless
Criticism: ‘before…the coming night, when everybody
The use of fantasy to enlighten not to mystify ‘Effie’s father was a doctor’
‘A new specimen… Effie, run round to the professor’
‘The wings were… like the gear-cases on bicycles’
‘canvas towers covered with patent glue…dragon proof curtains’ ‘they were not allowed to play in the
Kindness: Harry uses violence but Effie behaves politely ‘he tried to waken [Saint George] by shaking Effie kissed the marble face and said “Oh, dear”
Dragons are somewhat harmless ‘always went to bed early because they were afraid of the chill night air… only ate lettuces…’
SCIENCE: children discover the way to become deliverers through knowledge; references to science and progress, education and technology; there is a
combination of science and values of affection and kindness with progress and invention
CHILDREN’S ROLE: Nesbit writes specifically for children, society didn’t rely on them, it was very strange that children became deliverers
FEATURES
TITLE
MONARCHY, TRADITION,
NATIONALISM
EDUCATION, NOVELTY, SCIENCE,
MODERNITY
VALUES
The ice dragon ‘There were no fireworks that year on Guy Fawkes’ Day’
Jacobo I (1603-1625) de la Casa de los Eduardo:
Guy Fawkes was an English soldier who, after becoming a catholic, was the main protagonist of the Powder Conspiracy, so called for its intention to destroy, with fire and powder, the building of the Parliament, whereas its members were gathered together with Jacob I, on the fifth of November in
The conspiracy was discovered on time and
Humour: Tales to enlighten not to mystify ‘Now, if you are of an inquiring mind –not at all a nice thing in a little boy who reads fairy tales…’
Children are disobedient, they want to go to the North Pole and discover a new place (nobody had gone there before). There are no free movements if we are submissive to repression.
Critic to repressing didactic methods: ‘they aren’t that sort of families [constellations] said her brother, kindly, trying to explain’
Modern civilized behaviour ‘Thus spoke the grouse, who certainly had very pretty manners’
Kindness: The dragon is not bad, it carries the children back home and eats the bad sportsman and collector.
The dragon is good ‘the dragon himself might help them’
Gratefulness/ good manners:
The grouse helps them ‘Can I be of any assistance?’
The moth ‘returned thanks in a suitable speech’
some of the conspirators were shot that day. In memory of this fact, this day firework and demonstrations take place all over England.
Humour: ‘the heir to the throne was not well. He was cutting his first tooth, and this is a very anxious time… even for a Royal person’
‘When the Prince had cut his tooth, rejoicings were not only admissible but correct’
‘It’s just the North Pole… and I shall … plant the British flag on the top’
Decoration: ‘changing colours in the thin parts, like the cut-glass chandelier in grandmamma’s’
Naughty curiosity “Oh, George, let’s”, she said. “We shall never have such a chance again –all alone by ourselves’ ‘This way to the North Pole’. “Way or no way, I know a slide when I see one”
Children were Rebellious with a good cause ‘The dragon rattled and tinkled…like the cut-glass chandelier when you touch it’
Wicked associated to ignorance: ‘The sealskin dwarfs had gone the wrong way… the fires only made [the dragon] feel as if he were going to die’
Wicked associated with luxury: “You are heartless” [sealskin dwarfs] “No… our hearts are made of the finest sealskin, like little fat sealskin purses’
FEATURES
TITLE
HISTORY, TRADITION NOVELTY, MODERNITY, DEMOCRACY VALUES
The dragon tamers Humour:
‘…fine dungeon [in the old castle] whose staples were…convenient for tying captives up to’
‘Even the lords…in the good times…would kick a prisoner… in their light-hearted, hopeful way’
‘The poems were very much admired …such deeds, beside which the actions of St George must appear quite commonplace to all with a feeling heart or a well –balanced brain’
Industrial Revolution:
‘There was once an old castle [were] John the blacksmith had set up his forge’
The dragon is like an iron machine ‘The dragon seemed to be made almost entirely of iron armour’ ‘One of my wings has got some of the rivets out’
The unbounded soil development. [John’s wife cries] ‘remembering the happy days when she lived with her father, who kept seventeen cows in the country’
Workers/proletarian’s suffering ‘[the baby] would begin to cry…so that she hardly got any rest at all’
Negotiation (worker/machine/‘What’s that? Asked the dragon- ‘something you value?…I’ll take care of i t [the baby] till you’ve done riveting me’
Kindness vs. Violence: ‘I’m not taking the hammer because I think there is anything… but it is handy for breaking the lumps of coal’
Whimsical ostentation: ‘…was making a goat-shoe for the goat of a very rich lady’
Humanity: “here’s a nice end for a respectable blacksmith.” The dragon seemed very much struck by this remark’
‘The dragon had purred till he was quite out of breath…patted the baby with his claw’
Well-done-work Victorian value enjoying it to do the best: ‘in the days when men sang over their work and put their hearts into it’
‘All the blacksmith welled up in John’s heart, and he felt more at ease’
Legend: ‘Her name was Sabrinetta, and her grand mother was Sabre, who married St George after he had killed the dragon’
“Who must you marry to cure… a Princes. That’s how St George cured his burns"
responses to it:
‘The dragon was shy, and would not show himself’
“If you had known as much as I do” Elfin went on, ”you [monarchy, Prince] might have saved your pack”
said the princess, smiling’ Children’s role as saviours: “We’ve saved the country”, said the Princess. “You’ve saved the little children”
Ignorance/wickedness: ‘You went out the wrong time of day. The dragon should be hunted at night’ “ you’re [the prince] more of a silly even than I thought” said Elfinn’
Good prevails: “The only cure for a dragon burn…is pig’s fat… that faithful creature knows it…in the language of true affection…wish it well in the depths of his loving heart”
Usefulness: ‘ [Finally, the dragon does useful work] warming the water’
- Really-Real-Royal-Reliable-Reality:
We cannot infer that Nesbit is totally in favour of monarchy representing tradition.
We can infer that, her views on this point are that a real monarchy should meet some requirements to really deserve being considered suitably royal.
The topic of monarchy is depicted with two –bad and evil- characters:
- The real royal one is Sabrinetta, a girl that deserves to save the country because she is kind
- The boy, is bad mannered cousin that is not suitable because he ‘had never been a really truthful boy’.
- Women emancipation: this couple would be connected with that of The Last of the Dragons , were the princess manages to deserve to be so, in contrast with the whimsical prince.
- Children’s role: Finally, good children are saviours and will deserve everything they manage to get through kindness, intelligence and good behaviour.
FEATURES
TITLE
Nesbit’s background
TRADITION, LEGEND MODERNITY VALUES
Kind little Edmund ‘Edmund lived with his grandmother’
“I don’t think you’re likely to find out anything that none of the wise in the whole world have thought of all these thousands of years”, said the granny’
Children’s curiosity/awareness: ‘…his grandmother and his other friends said that he had an inquiring mind’
‘Edmund did not want to learn things: he wanted to find things out, which is quite different’ Rebelliousness/ Novelty: “I want to find out new things that nobody has thought of but me”
‘Other boys played truant too…but Edmund… wanted to find out what made…’
Innovation/New devices: ‘He had invented, all by himself a very ingenious and new kind of lantern’
Industrial Revolution: ‘It was like watching a goods train go by in Germany?
Education: Humour, ‘He could not bear to think of a master’s time and labour being thrown away on a boy like himself – who did not wish to learn, only to find out’
‘With these and a lesson book or two that he had
Effort/Persistence: ‘The passage wound and twisted, and twisted and turned, and turned and wound, but Edmund kept on’
Useful education: “I expect it’s the fire in the middle of the earth”, said Edmund, who had not been able to help learning about that at school’
Supernatural is a civilized help to solve troubles: Cockatrice is good, like Hippogriff and Manticora ‘I’m poor starving cockatrice’. ‘Then the good cockatrice called out’
Children natural goodness: ‘Edmund’s kindly nature was charmed to see the cockatrice’ ‘Did I tell you before what a kind-hearted boy Edmund was? He sat…and waited “Oh, my poor, dear granny”, said Edmund, for he had a feeling heart’ Draklin is good and well mannered: ‘I beg your pardonI
Wicked ignorance: ‘caned Edmund harder then ever. The master was ignorant and unbelieving […] he was very obstinate, and would not believe his own eyes if they told him anything different’
Equality/ Women emancipation: ‘the Princess lived on her income: and that is a thing which a great many people would like to be able to do’
