Hey guys, I'm really not good at English and was wondering if I could get some constructive feedback on my essay coming up in a few day. Much appreciated!
Discuss the ways your author has created setting and character(s) to achieve their purpose.
In Hannah Kent's exploration of the power of storytelling and her inherent reflection complexity of humanity through setting, Kent can uncover the lost story of Agnes Magnusdottir in Burial Rites. Her portrayal of Agnes exemplifies postmodern ideals by depicting her as a multi-dimensional and complete individual, presenting her complexities through diverse truths.
Kent’s utilisation of Margret’s character enables her to uncover the lost voice of Agnes through the power of storytelling. Kent repeatedly shifts between a third-person omniscient narrator to Anges’ first person view to further the depiction of Agnes. This is first seen when Margret expresses her disdain for Agnes, calling her a “murderess”, the perspective then shifts to Agnes’, where she describes how “they will not see” her and will only see “the whore” and the “the murderess”. She presents Margret as general society by her having preconceived notions of Agnes without having met her. Through this dual perspective shift, Kent, throughout Burial Rites uses numerous characters to provide Agnes with a varied depiction, conveying to the audience her voice by allowing her to express her personal view through emotive language. Kent also contrasts what Agnes reveals to us and what other characters understand. Kent uses this dramatic irony to disrupt the character's understanding of Agnes such as leaving Margret stumped when she refused to “deliver" and “cradle” despite having helped tremendously during the labour. The audience understands that Inga’s baby being born “too soon” and being “dead” in her “hands” led Agnes to believe that “everyone I [she] loves is taken” from her. By having Margaret observe Agnes “soothing” Roslin and momentarily considering her to be a “part of the family”, Kent gives Agnes a varied depiction by having her seem as someone capable of good and not a “murderess” - a preconceived notion everyone holds. By switching between the unbiased omniscient narrator and Agnes’ first person perspective Kent suggests that storytelling is powerful in recovering lost stories - in that she “waters her [Agnes] as though she lived”.
The narrative is not only split into numerous perspectives, but also includes official historical documents. Based on a real person, the documents represent the way Agnes would be described by officials, who would disregard her opinions in favour of setting an “example” out of her. Kent further explores this notion during the epilogue, Blondal’s short recount of the novel is juxtaposed with Agnes’ execution. By calling Agnes a “criminal” kept at a “remote station” Blondal fails to mention how Agnes was possibly innocent and keeping her voice in the dark, commenting on how without subjective truths, objective ones leave unheard. Kent utilises the page from the magistrate’s book to explore the power of storytelling, by using it to symbolise how Agnes’ life was described by historical documents, disregarding how everyone involved felt, conveying to the audience through Blondal’s authoritative power, that people of Agnes’ “low class” have their voices left out. Tn]
Kent implores the usage of setting to further give Agnes a voice in Burial Rites. The Icelandic landscape is a paradox, described as "land frozen to the core" yet offering restorative qualities. Kent describes the harsh environment of Icelandic scenery as a reflection of the cold-hearted people in Agnes' life. Kent's description of Iceland as "a cold that threatened to split flesh from bone" and other allusions contrast with nature's positive aspects, symbolising a potential for change in human behaviours. The setting immediately provides Agnes with solace; the moment she is freed from captivity, she is "staggered in the light of the world, highlighting how the Icelandic setting can be restorative. The setting can shift from destruction to restoring something in Agnes; Margret and her family believed Agnes to be a "murderess", hating her, ultimately showing her compassion. The restorative qualities of nature are furthered by the recurring symbol of the stone Agnes gets from her mother, the rock acts as a form of communication with the natural world - a connection she formed after being “abandoned” by her mother. Kent utilises the setting in Burial Rites to reflect the potential for humans having destructive and restorative qualities, highlighting to the audience how Agnes lived and how it provided her with comfort when people couldn’t.
Within literary contexts, ravens are widely regarded as bad omen. In Burial Rites[OB1] , Kent challenges this simplistic classification of ravens as a symbol of evil and extends this challenge to how people are often categorised as such. Agnes characterises ravens as "cruel, but wise," which prompts the audience to reconsider its preconceived notions of the bird. The recurring motif of ravens reflects Agnes' life as a woman too intelligent for her own good. Agnes' relationship with ravens is further explored through the metaphorical representation of her ability to communicate with them by putting a "stone under [her] tongue" during moments of isolation; ravens serve as comfort for Agnes. During her final moments, Agnes "cannot tell which is which" between the ravens and Jon's family, revealing the extent of her bond with them. The only thing she perceives is them, signifying that the "family at Kornsa" is now like her own, merging the only source of comfort she has had for most of her life with a family that once despised her. Kent’s utilisation of ravens allows her to shine light on Agnes’ story as it reminds the audience the importance of understanding the complexities of an individual’s story.
Through utilising the dual-narrative structure, the juxtaposition of the historical documents and Agnes’ experience and using the Icelandic landscape to reflect the people of Agnes’ time, Kent is able to uncover the lost voice of Agnes Magnusdottir.
