251 resultados para Hell.
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Jean Paul Sartre’s 1944 play No Exit comes alive in this new English adaptation by academics and theatre practitioners Caroline Heim and Christian Heim. It is the most complete articulation of the ideals of Sartre’s existentialism. No Exit is an absurdist play about three people who meet in hell. This new adaptation premiered at the World Psychotherapy Congress in Darling Harbour, Sydney in August 2011. The production integrated and extended Sartre's concepts of "The Gaze", "Love and Sadism" and "Nothingness." Post-performance discussions were held after the performances to explore the discourses of the play.
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The availability of new media as a universal communication tool has an impact on the power of the general public to comment on a variety of issues. This paper examines this increase in consumer power with respect to bloggers. The research context is controversial advertising, and specifically Tourism Australia’s “Where the bloody hell are you?” campaign. By utilising Denegri-Knott’s (2006) four on-line power strategies, a content analysis of weblogs reveals that consumers are distributing information, opinion and even banned advertising material, thereby forming power hubs of like-minded people, with the potential to become online pressure groups. The consequences and implications of this augmented power on regulators, advertisers and bloggers are explored. The findings contribute to the understanding of blogs as a new communication platform and bloggers as a new demographic of activists in the process of advertising.
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I grew up in academic heaven. At least for me it was. Not only was Sweden in the late 1980s paradise for any kind of empirical research, with rich and high-quality business statistics being made available to researchers without them having to sign away their lives; 70+ percent response rates achieved in mail surveys to almost any group (if you knew how to do them), and boards of directors opening their doors to more qualitatively orientated researchers to sit in during their meetings. In addition, I perceived an environment with a very high degree of academic freedom, letting me do whatever I found interesting and important. I’m sure for others it was sheer hell, with very unclear career paths and rules of the game. Career progression (something which rarely entered my mind) meant that you tried as best you could and then you put all your work – reports, books, book chapters, conference papers, maybe even published articles – in a box and had some external committee of professors look at it. If you were lucky they liked what they saw for whatever reasons their professorial wisdom dictated, and you got hired or promoted. If you were not so lucky you wouldn’t get the job or the promotion, without quite knowing why. So people could easily imagine an old boys club – whose members were themselves largely unproven in international, peer review publishing – picking whoever they wanted by whatever criteria they choose to apply. Neither the fact that assessors were external nor the presence of an appeals system might have completely appeased your suspicious and skeptical mind, considering the balance of power.
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Synopsis and review of Australian feature film Walk into Paradise (aka Walk into Hell) directed by Lee Robinson and starring Chips Rafferty.
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The present study discusses the theme of St. Petersburg-Leningrad in Joseph Brodsky's verse works. The chosen approach to the evolving im-age of the city in Brodsky's poetry is through four metaphors: St. Petersburg as "the common place" of the Petersburg Text, St. Petersburg as "Paradise and/or Hell", St. Petersburg as "a Utopian City" and St. Petersburg as "a Void". This examination of the city-image focusses on the aspects of space and time as basic categories underlying the poet's poetic world view. The method used is close reading, with an emphasis on semantical interpretation. The material consists of eighteen poems dating from 1958 to 1994. Apart from investigating the spatio-temporal features, the study focusses on exposing and analysing the allusions in the scrutinised works to other texts from Russian and Western belles lettres. Terminology (introduced by Bakhtin and Yury Lotman, among others) concerning the poetics of space in literature is employed in the present study. Conceptions originating from the paradigm of possible worlds are also used in elucidating the position of fictional and actual chronotopes and heroes in Brodsky's poetry. Brodsky's image of his native city is imbued with intertextual linkings. Through reminiscences of the "Divine Comedy" and Russian modernists, the city is paralleled with Dante's "lost and accursed" Florence, as well as with the lost St. Petersburg of Mandel'shtam and Akhmatova. His city-image is related to the Petersburg myth in Russian literature through their common themes of death and separation as well as through the merging of actual realia with the fictional worlds of the Petersburg Text. In his later poems, when his view of the city is that of an exiled poet, the city begins to lose its actual world referents, turning into a mental realm which is no longer connected to any particular geographical location or historical time. It is placed outside time. The native city as the homeland in its entirety is replaced by another existence created in language.
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The material I analyze for my master's thesis is a teaching manual used by the Mormons (the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), called "Duties and Blessings of the Priesthood". This work includes numerous lesson plans, each one with a separate topic. The manual is intended especially for teaches, but can also be used for individual study. The main target of my research is to find out how men and their bodies are constructed in the manual. Prescriptive texts together with narrative stories and illustrations create a multifaceted picture of Mormon notions of masculinity and corporeality. I approach my research material from a constructivist perspective. I build my interpretative reading upon Critical Discourse Analysis. I am especially interested in how the manual interprets and understands connections between gender, embodiment and religion. I understand gender in Judith Butler's terms, as a performance of styled and repeated gestures. Some of the discussions I raise in my work draw upon the disciplines of Critical Men's Studies and Sociology of Religion. In Mormonism, gender is thought to be an elementary part of human ontology. It is an eternal trait inherited from God the Father (and God the Mother). The place of men in Mormon cosmology is determined by their double role as patriarchs, fathers and priests. The main objective of mortal life is to gain salvation together with one's family. The personal goal of a Mormon man is to one day become a god. Patriarchs are responsible for the spiritual and material well-being of their family. The head of a household should be gentle and loving, but still an unconditional authority. In the manual, a Mormon man is depicted as a successor of mythical and exemplary men of sacred history. The perfect and sinless body of Jesus Christ serves as an ideal for the male body. Mormon masculinity is also defined by priesthood - the holy power of God - which is given to practically all male Mormons. Through the priesthood, a Mormon man serves as the governor of God on Earth. The Mormon priest has the authority to bind the immanent and the transcendent worlds together with gestures, poses and motions performed with his body. In Mormonism, the body also symbolizes a temple or a space where the sacred meets the profane. Because the priesthood borne by a man is holy, he has to treat his body accordingly. The body is valuable in itself, without it one cannot be saved. Men are forbidden of polluting their bodies by using stimulants or by having sexual relations out of wedlock. A priesthood holder must uphold healthy habits, dress neatly, and conduct himself in a temperate manner. He must also be outgoing and attentive. The manual suggests that a man's goodness or wickedness can be perceived from his external appearance. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a hierarchical and man-led organisation. The ideals of gender and corporeality are set by a homogenous priesthood leadership that consists mainly of white heterosexual American men. The larger Mormon community can control individual men by sanctioning. Growing as a Mormon man happens under the guidance of one's reference group.
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Resumen: El espacio otorga al héroe la posibilidad de situarse en determinado lugar para que se produzca el contacto con la aventura; el espacio resulta, entonces, escenario de las hazañas del caballero y de los logros que producen el perfeccionamiento de sus virtudes. Estos lugares no siempre tienen características edénicas, a veces se manifiestan como auténticos infiernos en los que la aventura se convierte en un verdadero suplicio. Este trabajo tratará de enunciar una posible clasificación de los diferentes lugares mágicos en los que el caballero tiene su encuentro inesperado con lo Otro
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A Ilha Grande (Angra dos Reis, RJ) apresenta dois acontecimentos que marcam a história recente do lugar: a instituição de leis ambientais com a criação de quatro unidades de conservação da natureza (entre 1971 e 1990); e a intensificação do fluxo turístico após a implosão do Instituto Penal Cândido Mendes - IPCM (1994), que marcou o fim de cerca de 100 anos de um sistema penitenciário. A Ilha, sempre associada às belezas naturais e à ideia de paraíso, a partir desse momento, deixa de ser referida como o paraíso-inferno e passa a ser reconhecida predominantemente pelas potencialidades paisagísticas, voltando-se para o turismo, que se torna um componente central da vida no lugar. Reconstituindo a trajetória do turismo na Ilha, e considerando o quadro atual das atividades turísticas (a partir da minha participação em fóruns para discussão e resolução dos problemas da Ilha, de pesquisa em jornais, e de entrevistas com moradores e participantes desses fóruns), mostro os significados e visões sobre o paraíso Ilha Grande e o turismo o que se tem e o se quer , tanto no nível dos discursos e das representações, quanto no nível das práticas e das relações sociais instituídas. Revela-se aí um campo de disputa entre diferentes atores sociais com interesses diversos para salvar e explorar a Ilha Grande; onde a natureza e o turismo se apresentam como dois elementos utilizados como estratégias para sobrevivência de grande parte da população e como estratégia política do poder público; um paraíso marcado pelo turismo e um paraíso para o turismo. Faço uma leitura da ocorrência e das implicações do turismo na Ilha Grande através da ideia de turismização, em analogia com o pensamento de Norbert Elias sobre processo civilizador e de J. S. Leite Lopes sobre ambientalização, e reconhecendo o diálogo e os embates entre o processo turismizador e o processo ambientalizador na Ilha Grande.
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A partir de abril de 1500 a armada de Pedro Álvares Cabral dá início ao contato e ao registro através das páginas da carta de seu escrivão, Pero Vaz de Caminha de um novo mundo e uma nova humanidade: os índios que habitavam o território que atualmente conhecemos por Brasil. No desenrolar dos quinhentos, estes diferentes povos e culturas foram decodificados e reinterpretados de diversas maneiras em cartas, livros e demais documentos manuscritos. No campo das artes visuais portuguesas, não foi diferente. Esse outro assume um papel coadjuvante quase sempre inserido em duas temáticas principais, a arte religiosa e as grandes navegações mas nem por isso menos interessante: o gosto pelo exótico, característica marcante durante o período das expansões ultramarinas, não só em Portugal, mas em outras regiões europeias, aliado ao etnocentrismo e a influência do Cristianismo, acabou por caracterizar os índios do Brasil, mutatis mutandis, como novos homens selvagens. Para uns, são como bestas, mais perto do inferno; para outros, são cristãos em potencial, mais próximos do céu
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小檗科是毛茛类的核心成员之一,属于较原始的被子植物类群。目前有关该科在毛茛类的系统位置还没有一致的意见。一种观点认为它与毛茛科有密切关系,属于本目中较原始的一支;另一些学者则根据小檗科与罂粟科在心皮结构上的相似性提出它们有较近的亲缘关系,并可能在毛茛类中处于较高的演化水平上。小檗科的范畴与科内系统至今仍存在着较大争论。自本世纪初以来已有若干系统发表,其中有的采取广义小檗科的概念,而有的则分别成立2-4个科。在生殖结构演化方面,有关小檗科植物花的一些形态学本质,如花基数、蜜腺来源、心皮性质等仍有待揭示。因此,有必要对该科的结构、分化和系统发育进行深入的研究。 本研究首次报导了小檗科9属植物的花部形态发生、10属植物胚胎发育、9属植物的种皮纹饰和八角莲属与桃儿七属的rbcL基因全序列。并综合已有的研究资料,对小檗科的系统学问题进行了讨论。主要实验结果及结论如下: 1花部形态发生 小檗科植物典型花部形态为三数轮列、雄蕊与花瓣对生、单生心皮、侧生胎座。花器官发育的独特性状包括雄蕊与花瓣以共同原基方式发生;心皮原基环形、周缘组织等速向上发育而建成瓶状心皮,不形成腹缝线。我们认为,三基数在小檗科植物中可能是共同起源的,为典型轮列花;花瓣(蜜腺叶)来源于花瓣一雄蕊共同原基,而小檗属、十大功劳属、兰山草属花瓣上的小囊状蜜腺是其本身的附属结构,与雄蕊无关;雄蕊与花瓣对生来源于雄蕊一花瓣共同原基的发生方式;小檗科的心皮发生方式在毛茛类中是独特的,它不同于Hell (1981,198 3)描述的囊状心皮. 2胚胎学 小檗科植物的主要胚胎学性状有:腺质绒毡层,药室内壁带状加厚,2细胞花粉粒,胚珠具双珠被、厚珠心,珠孔由内外珠被组成,直线型大孢子4分体,蓼型、稀待宵草型(红毛七属)或葱型(桃儿七属)胚囊,反足细胞宿存,核型胚乳,柳叶草型或茄型胚胎发生。根据小檗科各属植物的胚胎学与种皮表面雕纹性状的分化,小檗科可以划分为:南天竹属,小檗属一十大功劳属,红毛七属一牡丹草属一狮足草属,山荷叶属一八角莲属一桃儿七属一足叶草属,淫羊藿属一鲜黄连属5个属群。说明胚胎学性状对揭示本科植物属间及属群间系统关系有较大的价值。 3分子数据 利用本研究测得的八角莲属、桃儿七属rbcL基因序列,结合从GenBank中得到的小檗科其他9属、毛茛科(4属)、防己科(2属)和木通科(1属)的rbcL序列,用PAUP软件进行分支分析。支持广义小檗科是单系类群的观点;.山荷叶属、八角莲属和桃儿七属构成的分支得到Bootstrap分析的完全支持(100%),3属植物是科内的一个自然类群;具x=6染色体基数的草本属间存在密切关系(90%);十大功劳属与兰山草属近缘(73%);南天竹属与红毛七属可能有一定联系(53%)。 4系统排列 广义小檗科(17属)为一单系类群得到本研究所获得的花形态发生、胚胎学和分子证据支持;综合各学科的研究结果提出小檗科分5族系统的建议.其系统排列为:1).南天竹族,含南天竹属1属.2).小檗族,分小檗亚族(小檗属、十大功劳属)和兰山草亚族(草本的兰山草属),共3属.3).狮足草族,含红毛七属、狮足草属和牡丹草属3属。4).足叶草族,分足叶草亚族(足叶草属、八角莲属与桃儿七属)和山荷叶亚族(山荷叶属),共4属.5).淫羊藿族,分淫羊藿亚族(淫羊藿属、 Vancou ver ia、Jef fersonia、鲜黄连属与Bongardia)和裸花草亚族(裸花草属),共6属。 5系统位置 根据小檗科花形态发生的独特性状,如心皮瓶状发育、雄蕊一花瓣以共同原基发生、二者对生、花药瓣裂和分子系统学的结果,以及据已有资料比较,小檗科在毛茛目中的特征较独特,与毛茛科的关系较远。支持小檗科提升为目的处理。
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本论文的研究工作由两部分组成,第一部分研究了海带(Laminaria japonica)水提取物中的活性物质,并研究了提取物对蔬菜促生长的影响及其作用机制。第二部分对三列凹顶藻(Laurencia tristicha)乙醇提取物的乙酸乙酯相进行了活性筛选和化学成分研究,并对其中分离得到的单体化合物进行了生物活性筛选。 第一部分主要以中国人工养殖的海带为原料,使用与海藻多糖生产相结合的提取技术并浓缩其中的有效成分。对浓缩提取物进行了蔬菜的农田效果实验,并对作物抗旱性能的增加、作物硝酸盐积累的减少、作物品质的改善、以及作物抵抗病毒病的能力等影响进行了作用机制方面的研究。海藻浓缩提取物进行的农田效果实验表明:作物抗旱型相对含水量RWC值在92%~94%之间;病毒病的防治效果最高可达到91%;作物的品质有明显的改善,最重要的是首次发现海藻提取物有降低蔬菜中硝酸盐的含量(硝酸盐的含量是与有机蔬菜区别的重要指标之一)的作用。该部分研究工作的创新性主要体现在:(1)首次在国内外提出和采用与海藻多糖生产相结合的提取技术。该技术的应用不但减少了提取成本,使工业化生产成为可能,更重要的是使我国的海藻工业生产可能实现高值化和开辟综合利用的新途径。(2)首次发现海藻中的小分子海藻多糖具有和细胞激动素、甜菜碱、植物生长素等活性物质同样的生物活性。 第二部分的研究是在查阅了大量的近20年来国内外有关红藻凹顶藻中化学成分研究的相关文献的基础上,对凹顶藻中的次生代谢产物进行了综述。该论文主要是通过对红藻三列凹顶藻的95%乙醇提取物的乙酸乙酯相进行化学成分分析和生物活性筛选以期能够发现具有药用前景的活性先导化合物。 为了寻找具有生物活性的化合物,我们对采自我国南海硇洲岛海域的红藻三列凹顶藻的95%乙醇提取物的乙酸乙酯相进行了活性筛选。采用MTT法对其在KB细胞株、Bel-7402细胞株、PC-3M细胞株、MCF-7细胞株、Ketr-3细胞株模型上进行了细胞毒活性测试;采用酶模型对其进行了Na+,K+-ATPase的抑制活性测试;采用MTT法对其在犬主动脉血管模型上进行了血管平滑肌细胞增殖抑制活性测试;结果表明,三列凹顶藻的95%乙醇提取物的乙酸乙酯相对Na+,K+-ATPase和犬血管平滑肌细胞增殖具有一定的抑制活性。 利用正相和反相色谱、Sephadex LH-20色谱以及反相HPLC等手段进行分离纯化,从我国南海海域的红藻三列凹顶藻中分离得到33种化学成分,通过波谱学方法(IR、MS、NMR)以及X-ray单晶衍射试验对其化学结构进行了确证,其中化合物L1~L8为新结构化合物,化合物L5为具有新骨架的全新结构化合物,化合物L9~L13为新天然产物,化合物L18和L22系首次从海洋生物中获得,所有化合物均为首次从该属海藻中得到。新化合物L1~L8均为倍半萜类化合物,命名分别为:(1R,3R)-(-)-3-(3-hydroxy-4-methylphenyl)- 1,3-dimethyl–2-methylidene cyclopentanol (L1), (1R,3R)-(-)-3-(4-methylphenyl)-1,3-dimethyl-2-methylidenecyclopentanol (L2), (1R, 3R)-(-)-3-(2-hydroxy-4-methylphenyl)-1,3-dimethyl–2–methylidenecyclopentanol (L3),(+)-(1S,2R)–2-(3–hydroxy–4–methylphenyl)-1,2-[3.1.0]bicy-clohexane (L4),()-(1S,2R) -5-hydroxy–6–methyl-spiro-dihydrobenzofuran-2(3H),2-{1-methyl-[3.1.0]bicyclohexane} (L5), (+)-6-methyl-2-(p-tolyl)hept-4-en-2,6-diol (L6),(3R,3aS,8bS)-(-)-2,3,3a,8b–tetrahydro–7-bromo – 3 a– hydroxymethyl - 3, 6, 8b - trimethyl-1H- cyclopenta[b] benzofuran (L7 ),(3R, 3aS, 8bS) - (-) - 2,3,3a,8b–tetrahydro–3 a–hydroxymethyl-3,6,8b -trimethyl -1H – cyclopenta [b] benzofuran (L8)。25个已知结构化合物确定为:(+)-(1R,2R)-4-bromo-1,5, 9–trimethyl–12– methylidene–8–oxa-tricyclo[7.2.1.02]dodeca-2,4,6-triene (L9),(3S,3aR,8bS)-(-)-2,3,3a, 8b– tetra -hydro–7-bromo–3–hydroxy-3,3a,6,8b-tetramethyl-1H-cyclopenta[b]benzofu- ran (L10 ),(3R, 3aR, 8bS) - (-) - 2, 3, 3a, 8b – tetrahydro – 7 - bromo – 3 – hydroxy - 3,3a,6,8b - tetramethyl - 1H - cyclopenta [b] benzofuran (L11 ),(3S,3aR,8bS) - (-) - 2, 3, 3a, 8b – tetrahydro –3–hydroxy -3, 3a, 6, 8b - tetramethyl-1H-cyclopenta[b]benzofuran (L12 ), ( 3aR, 8bS) - (-) - 3a,8b –dihydro–7 - bromo – 3, 3a, 6, 8b - tetramethyl - 1H - cyclopenta[b]benzofuran (L13 ),aplysinol (L14 ) ,aplysin (L15),laurebiphenyl (L16),johnstonol (L17),gossonorol (L18),7,10-epoxy-ar- bisabol-11-ol (L19),10-epi-7,10-epoxyarbisabol-11-ol (L20) 3β-hydroxy- 5α, 6α-epoxy- β- ionone (L21 ),3β-hydroxy-5β,6β-epoxy-β-ionone (L22 ),胆甾醇 (L23 ),胆甾-5-烯-3β,7α二醇胆甾-5-烯-3β,7α二醇 (L24),β-谷甾醇 (L25),叶绿醇 (L26 ),玉米黄素 (L27 ),对羟基苯甲醛 (L28 ),3-吲哚甲醛 (L29 ),1-O-十六烷酰基-3-O-β-D-吡喃半乳糖基-丙三醇(L30 ),1-O-十八烷酰基-3-O-β-D-吡喃半乳糖基-丙三醇 (L31 ),丙三醇-1-软脂酸单酯 (L32 ),正十六碳酸 (L33 )。 采用MTT法对其中23个单体化合物在Bel-7402细胞株、BGC-823细胞株、A549细胞株、A2780细胞株、HCT-8细胞株和HELL胞株模型上进行了细胞毒活性测试;采用MTT法对其中13个单体化合物在犬主动脉血管模型上进行了血管平滑肌细胞增殖抑制活性测试;结果表明,部分单体化合物显示出一定的生物活性。
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Wheeler, Nicholas, 'Dying for `Enduring Freedom': Accepting Responsibility for Civilian Casualties in the War against Terrorism', International Relations (2002) 16(2) pp.205-225 RAE2008
Resumo:
Głównym celem dysertacji jest interpretacja twórczości Bulanda al-Ḥaydarīego (iracki poeta kurdyjskiego pochodzenia (1926-1996)). Utwory Al-Ḥaydarīego zawierają w sobie charakterystyczne cechy współczesnego wiersza arabskiego. Opisują ponadto najważniejsze historyczne, społeczne i osobiste doświadczenia literackiego pokolenia tego poety, jak również innych członków społeczności arabskiej w okresie po II wojnie światowej. Praca doktorska składa się z dwóch części. Pierwszą część poprzedza krótki opis stanu badań nad liryką Al-Ḥaydarīego. W pierwszym jej rozdziale przedstawiono życiorys i biografię literacką poety oraz wyjaśniono pojęcia takie jak: ‘współczesna poezja arabska’, ‘wolna poezja’, ‘poemat prozą’ czy ‘ruch wolnej poezji’. Wspomniano również o głównych nurtach w poezji arabskiej w latach 50. i 60. XX w., jak również ukazano sposób, w jaki modernistyczni poeci postrzegali poezję. Natomiast w drugim rozdziale przedstawiono pokrótce charakterystyczne cechy (stylistyczne, składniowe i melodyczne) współczesnego wiersza arabskiego i zilustrowano je fragmentami utworów Al-Ḥaydarīego. Druga część dysertacji składa się z pięciu rozdziałów. W każdym z nich przedstawiono jeden lub kilka głównych motywów oraz ich różne warianty: w pierwszym rozdziale – motyw miłość, w drugim – motyw istnienia (życie i śmierć), w trzecim – motywy ojczyzny, obczyzny, zaangażowania społecznego twórcy i jego wyobcowania, w czwartym – motyw przestrzeni (np. dom, droga, raj, piekło) oraz w piątym – motyw czasu (przeszłość, teraźniejszość, przyszłość).
Resumo:
In this paper I look at texts from the Romantic Period which strategically employ elements of the Gothic genre in what I describe as a `marginal` relationship with the Gothic canon. My intention is both to explore the way the boundaries of the genre might be extended, and to cast fresh light on some of the texts discussed, specifically in relation to the ways in which the `monstrous` is perceived and portrayed as villainy. In the first half of the paper, using Burke’s Philosophical Enquiry on the Sublime and the Beautiful as a starting point, I consider Burke’s Reflections on the Revolution in France, Godwin’s Caleb Williams, Radcliffe’s The Italian, and Blake’s The Marriage of Heaven and Hell as all in various ways examples of `marginal Gothic` that present evil doing as monstrous aberrations, also noting the contemporary reception of Beckford’s Vathek, praised in 1786 for its `accuracy and credibility`. In addition, I suggest that Wordsworth’s `Tintern Abbey` and Book VI of The Prelude provide evidence of marginal, but significant, Gothic influence that references Radcliffe’s and Burke’s explorations of a terror of the unknown. In the second half of the paper I focus on Scott’s Guy Mannering, or The Astrologer (1815) as an important example of a `marginal` Gothic novel. Scott’s reference to Vathek at a key point in his plot suggests that he had read Beckford’s novel as entirely `Gothic`. This discussion incorporates a comparison between Mannering’s youthful enthusiasm for astrological divination, and themes to be found in Shelley’s Frankenstein, notably with respect to the nature of Victor Frankenstein’s response to `old` and `new` science and medicine, and to the creation and control of Gothic monstrosity. In these and in other instances, it will be argued that the `marginal Gothic` of Scott’s novel may be read as a precursor to Shelley’s work. [From the Author]
Resumo:
During recent reinvestigations in the Great Cave of Niah in Borneo, the ‘Hell Trench’ sedimentary sequence seen by earlier excavators was re-exposed. Early excavations here yielded the earliest anatomically-modern human remains in island Southeast Asia. Calibrated radiocarbon dates, pollen, algal microfossils, palynofacies, granulometry and geochemistry of the ‘Hell Trench’ sequence provide information about environmental and vegetational changes, elements of geomorphic history and information about human activity. The ‘Hell sediments were laid down episodically in an ephemeral stream or pool. The pollen suggests cyclically changing vegetation with forest habitats alternating with more open environments; indicating that phases with both temperatures and precipitation reduced compared with the present. These events can be correlated with global climate change sequences to produce a provisional dating framework. During some forest phases, high counts of Justicia, a plant which today colonises recently burnt forest areas, point to fire in the landscape. This may be evidence for biomass burning by humans, presumably to maintain forest-edge habitats. There is evidence from palynofacies for fire on the cave floor in the ‘Hell area. Since the area sampled is beyond the limit of plant growth, this is evidence for human activity. The first such evidence is during an episode with significant grassland indicators, suggesting that people may have reached the site during a climatic phase characterised by relatively open habitats ~50 ka. Thereafter, people were able to maintain a relatively consistent presence at Niah. The human use of the ‘Hell area seems to have intensified through time, probably because changes in the local hydrological regime made the area dryer and more suitable for human use.