Download or read book The Symbolism and Sources of Outlander written by Valerie Estelle Frankel and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2015-04-07 with total page 219 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Outlander is much more than a television romance about a World War II nurse and a Jacobite soldier in a fetching kilt. The series--and the massive serial novel on which it is based--has been categorized as a period drama, adventure saga, military history and fantasy epic. Inspired by the Irish legends of Fionn Mac Cumhaill and the prophecies of Brahan Seer, the storyline is filled with mythology and symbolism from around the world, from the Fair Folk and the Loch Ness monster to wendigos, ghosts, zombies and succubae. Literary references abound, from the Bible to the classics, to Shakespeare and the English romantic poets. The series is also rich with its own symbolism: heather and white roses, the dragonfly in amber, Claire's blue vase and wedding gown, her wedding rings and pearl necklace. This book untangles the myriad of myths, legends, symbols and literary references found in the series.

Download or read book Television s Outlander written by Mary Ellen Snodgrass and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2021-05-21 with total page 300 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over its five seasons on the air, the televised series Outlander has combined romance, adventure, history, and time travel into a classic saga of love, war, and the ties that bind family together. After surviving the 1746 uprising of the Scottish Highlanders, the intrigue-ridden Paris of Charles Stuart, and a sea voyage across the Caribbean, Claire and Jamie Fraser finally settle in the mountains of North Carolina. There, they build a community of immigrant farmers who continue to struggle for justice, democracy, and independence from British colonialism. This companion volume offers detailed information on more than 125 topics including characters, themes, places, events, actors, herbalism, and historical chronology. For fans and scholars alike, it separates fact from fiction and aids in understanding the effects of the 1746 Jacobite uprising on the formation of the United States.

Download or read book Public Memory and the Television Series Outlander written by Valerie Lynn Schrader and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2020-12-30 with total page 191 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Using rhetorical criticism as a research method, Public Memory and the Television Series Outlander examines how public memory is created in the first four seasons of the popular television show Outlander. In this book, Valerie Lynn Schrader discusses the connections between documented history and the series, noting where Outlander's depiction of events aligns with documented history and where it does not, as well as how public memory is created through the use of music, language, directorial and performance choices, and mise-en-scéne elements like filming location, props, and costumes. Schrader also explores the impact that Outlander has had on Scottish tourism (known as the “Outlander effect”) and reflects on whether other filming locations or depicted locations may experience a similar effect as Outlander’s settings move from Scotland to other areas of the world. Furthermore, Schrader suggests that the creation of public memory through the television series encourages audiences to learn about history and reflect on current issues that are brought to light through that public memory.

Download or read book Adoring Outlander written by Valerie Estelle Frankel and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2016-02-17 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What is behind Outlander fever--the hit television drama's popularity? Is it author Diana Gabaldon's teasing posts on social media? Is it the real history reimagined? The highly emotional melodrama? Or is it the take-charge heroine and the sweet hero in a kilt? One of the show's biggest draws is its multigenre appeal. Gabaldon--whose Outlander novels form the basis of the series--has called it science fiction, fantasy, romance, historical fiction and military fiction, depending on her audience. This collection of new essays explores the series as a romance, a ghost story, an epic journey, a cozy mystery, a comedy of manners, a gothic thriller and a feminist answer to Game of Thrones, and considers the source of its broad appeal.

Download or read book Outlander s Sassenachs written by Valerie Estelle Frankel and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2016-07-12 with total page 171 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A time travel epic featuring history and romance, Outlander--unlike most adventure series--is aimed at women audiences. The kilted male characters, the female narrator, the fantastic period costumes are atypical of male-gendered television. Both the show and the novels on which it is based address issues most series shy away from, like breast feeding, abortion and birth control. Role reversals are common--the powerful Claire rescues her virginal husband Jamie from sexual abuse. When the villainous Black Jack Randall displays his genitals to the heroine Jenny, she laughs. This collection of new essays examines Outlander as an exploration of what it means to be a capable 18th century woman and what it means in the modern world. As Claire explores different models of strength in both periods, Jamie comes to understand the nuances of male honor, power and alternative sexuality through the contrasting figures of Black Jack and Lord John. As the heroes negotiate the complications of marriage and life, they make discoveries about gender that resonate with modern audiences.

Download or read book Diagnosing history written by Katherine Byrne and published by Manchester University Press. This book was released on 2022-03-22 with total page 202 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This timely collection examines representations of medicine and medical practices in international period drama television. A preoccupation with medical plots and settings can be found across a range of important historical series, including Outlander, Poldark, The Knick, Call the Midwife, La Peste and A Place to Call Home. Such shows offer a critique of medical history while demonstrating how contemporary viewers access and understand the past. Topics covered in this collection include the innovations and horrors of surgery; the intersection of gender, class, race and medicine on the American frontier; psychiatry and the trauma of war; and the connections between past and present pandemics. Featuring original chapters on period television from the UK, the US, Spain and Australia, Diagnosing history offers an accessible, global and multidisciplinary contribution to both televisual and medical history.

Download or read book Fourth Wave Feminism in Science Fiction and Fantasy written by Valerie Estelle Frankel and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2019-10-29 with total page 233 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:  Fourth wave feminism has entered the national conversation and established a highly visible presence in popular media, especially in cutting-edge science fiction and fantasy films and television series. Wonder Woman, the Wasp, and Captain Marvel headline superhero films while Black Panther celebrates nonwestern power. Disney princesses value sisterhood over conventional marriage. This first of two companion volumes addresses cinema, exploring how, since 2012, such films as the Hunger Games trilogy, Mad Max: Fury Road, and recent Star Wars installments have showcased women of action. The true innovation is a product of the Internet age. Though the web has accelerated fan engagement to the point that progressivism and backlash happen simultaneously, new films increasingly emphasize diversity over toxic masculinity. They defy net trolls to provide stunning role models for viewers across the spectrum of age, gender, and nationality.

Download or read book Adapting Bridgerton written by Valerie Estelle Frankel and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2024-03-18 with total page 245 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The beloved television show Bridgerton breaks racial barriers as it explores an alternate history in which biracial Queen Charlotte elevated people of color to dukes and earls, welcoming new perspectives in Regency London. Essays in this work examine in detail the hit Netflix series. Topics covered include Bridgerton's unique, racially conscious casting and its effect on common tropes and roles; the overt sexuality in the context of prim Jane Austen films and historical shows like Downton Abbey, Outlander, and recent nineteenth-century adaptations; dueling; art; manners; dress; social conventions; feminism; privilege; power; dreamcasting; colorism; and yes, the sex scenes.

Download or read book Superheroines and the Epic Journey written by Valerie Estelle Frankel and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2017-03-23 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The heroine's journey echoes throughout ancient legend. Each young woman combats her dark side and emerges stronger. This quest is also a staple of American comic books. Wonder Woman with semi-divine powers gives us a new female-centered creation story. Batgirl, Batwoman and Black Widow discover their enemy is the dark mother or shadow twin, with the savagery they've rejected in themselves. Supergirl similarly struggles but keeps harmony with her sister. From Jessica Jones and Catwoman to the new superwomen of cutting-edge webcomics, each heroine must go into the dark, to become not a warrior but a savior. Women like Captain Marvel and Storm sacrifice all to join the ranks of superheroes, while their feminine powers and dazzling costumes reflect the most ancient tales.

Download or read book Star Wars and the Hero s Journey written by Valerie Estelle Frankel and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2021-03-12 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The original Star Wars trilogy famously follows Joseph Campbell's model for the hero's journey, making Luke Skywalker's story the new hero quest for a modern age. With the nine-plus film saga complete, however, new story patterns have emerged as the hero's journey is imagined over and over for characters of different ages, genders, and backgrounds. The prequels offer the plot arc of the villain's journey through Anakin. Leia and Padme, while damsels in the men's story, break out to undergo their own ordeals. The heroine's journey is exemplified by Rey and Jyn. Obi-Wan, Yoda, and Vader must accept the loss of power and fade into spirit guardians, perpetuating the lifecycle. By the sequel era, the original trio become mentors to the younger generation and finally must do the same. Meanwhile, the Mandalorian explores a different form of the quest as he transforms from immature warrior to patriarch. This book tracks the journeys of over 20 characters throughout the franchise.

Download or read book The Women of Orphan Black written by Valerie Estelle Frankel and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2018-04-13 with total page 233 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Orphan Black's Tatiana Maslany plays a host of the show's main characters, all clones of an illegal experiment. The mighty heroines save one another and destroy the patriarchy while subverting gender expectations. The feminist clones are Sarah, who clashes with her radical feminist foster-mother; Alison, the quintessential post-feminist housewife; Cosima, a second-wave feminist lesbian; Beth, a third-wave feminist bogged down by addiction; and M.K., a fourth-wave feminist who tackles the hardships of disability through the Internet. The book explores the women's war against corporate power and how it relates to the science and ethics surrounding cloning.

Download or read book Wonder Women and Bad Girls written by Valerie Estelle Frankel and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2020-10-12 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn, Shuri, and Black Widow. These four characters portray very different versions of women: the superheroine, the abuse victim, the fourth wave princess, and the spy, respectively. In this in-depth analysis of female characters in superhero media, the author begins by identifying ten eras of superhero media defined by the way they portray women. Following this, the various archetypes of superheroines are classified into four categories: boundary crossers, good girls, outcasts, and those that reclaim power. From Golden Age comics through today's hottest films, heroines have been surprisingly assertive, diverse, and remarkable in this celebration of all the archetypes.

Download or read book The Villain s Journey written by Valerie Estelle Frankel and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2021-12-08 with total page 248 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The villain's journey is rare in popular culture--most characters are fully-formed tyrants with little to no story arc. However, a few particularly epic series take the time to develop complex villains, including Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, Smallville, Babylon 5, Game of Thrones, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Increasingly, villains' origin stories have found new popularity through films like Wicked, Maleficent, and Despicable Me, alongside shows starring serial killers and Machiavellian schemers. This book examines the villain's decline and subsequent struggle toward redemption, asking why these characters are willing to cross moral lines that "good" characters are not. The first half follows characters like Loki, Jessica Jones and Killmonger through the villain's journey: an inverse or twisted version of scholar Joseph Cambell's hero's journey. The remainder of this book examines the many different villainous archetypes such as the trickster, the outcast, the tyrant, or the misunderstood hero in greater detail. Written for writers, creators, fans, and mythologists, this book offers a peek into the minds of some of fiction's greatest villains.

Download or read book Women in Doctor Who written by Valerie Estelle Frankel and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2018-03-04 with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over the past half-century Doctor Who has defined science fiction television. The women in the series--from orphans and heroic mothers to seductresses and clever teachers--flourish in their roles yet rarely surmount them. Some companions rescue the Doctor and charm viewers with their technical brilliance, while others only scream for rescue. The villainesses dazzle with their cruelty, from the Rani to Cassandra and Missy. Covering all of the series--classic and new--along with Class, K9, Torchwood, The Sarah Jane Adventures, novels, comics and Big Finish Audio adventures, this book examines the women archetypes in Doctor Who.

Download or read book The Trans and Non Binary Hero s Journey written by Valerie Estelle Frankel and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2024-07-10 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A brave heroine whose quest involves living her true gender. A genderqueer knight who battles the transphobic court to save their prince. Often fearing discovery, the trans hero embarks on adventure, aided by an accepting mentor and other allies, and challenged by transphobic villains and sometimes uncomprehending family members. Ultimately, the trans hero triumphs, finding love, selfhood, and affirmation. This book adapts Joseph Campbell's classic pattern of comparative mythology and applies it to trans and non-binary heroes in modern popular media who are traversing multiple worlds. Analyzed are works for the screen such as Steven Universe, The Matrix, Sense8, and Sandman; print materials such as DC and Marvel comics; and television, fantasy books, and graphic novels from trans and non-binary creators worldwide.

Download or read book The Comics of Joss Whedon written by Valerie Estelle Frankel and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2015-06-15 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A great deal of scholarship has focused on Joss Whedon's television and film work, which includes Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, Doctor Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, The Cabin in the Woods and The Avengers. But Whedon's work in the world of comics has largely been ignored. He created his own dystopian heroine, Fray, assembled the goofy fannish heroes of Sugarshock, and wrote arcs for Marvel's Astonishing X-Men and Runaways. Along with The Avengers, Whedon's contributions to the cinematic Universe include: script doctoring the first X-Men film, writing a ground-shaking Wonder Woman screenplay, and co-creating ABC's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Today, Whedon continues the Buffy and Firefly stories with innovative comics that shatter the rules of storytelling and force his characters to grow through life-altering conflicts. This collection of new essays focuses on Whedon's comics work and its tie-ins with his film and television productions, emphasizing his auteurism in crossing over from panel to screen to panel. Essays focus on the comic inspirations and subversive tropes of the Whedonverse, as well as character changes and new interpretations.

Download or read book Pretty Young Rebel written by Flora Fraser and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2022-09-15 with total page 321 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A SPECTATOR AND SCOTSMAN BOOK OF THE YEAR 'So well researched, pacily written and sympathetic to the Auld Cause that it almost makes one a Jacobite' Andrew Roberts, Spectator 'Enthralling . . . Throws us straight into the fresh air, heather, rain and midges of the Hebrides, followed by the swamps and creeks of North America . . . Full of unforgettable glimpses' The Times The year is 1746. The Jacobite rebellion has failed catastrophically and Scotland is reeling in the devastating aftermath of the battle of Culloden. Far to the west, on an island in the Outer Hebrides, twenty-four-year-old Flora Macdonald is woken in the dead of night by a messenger with urgent intelligence. Bonnie Prince Charlie is outside, begging for her help. With Flora's assistance, the Stuart prince is disguised as an Irish maid and smuggled to the Isle of Skye, evading government troops. Flora's bravery and determination will see her immortalised in ballads and proclaimed a Scottish heroine. But her efforts also result in her capture and detention in London. Released the following year and returning to Skye, Flora goes on to marry and emigrate to North Carolina, only then to be caught up in the American Revolutionary War. In Pretty Young Rebel, award-winning biographer Flora Fraser tells the remarkable story of Flora Macdonald. It is a tale of adventure and daring, wit and charm, struggle and survival, and of a woman who showed extraordinary courage in the face of great danger.