3. Structure and form
What are the traditional features of a
fairytale? How does Ch 9 adhere
and/or reject them?
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•
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How does this reflect…. the novel itself? …. The themes of the novel ….Christabel La
Motte as a character?

4. Chapter 9
1. How does the Childe’s actions (p.155) reflect…
a. The Christian idea of self-sacrifice
b. Victorian society’s expectations of women (see
para 2 especially)
c. The traditional structure of a myth or fairytale
d. Why is the chapter called ‘The Threshold’?
Threshold means border or margin. How does
this relate to the themes/ideas of the novel? You
could look at P54 to help you.

5. Chapter 10
1. (Structure) Traditionally, we expect the novel to ‘progress’ forward in time, to tell
us ‘what happened next’. How does the structure and plot of ‘Possession’
contradict this? Why do think the writer is doing this/what effect does it have?
2. (Structure) Both writer’s use hyphens frequently. Look carefully at when they use
them most and comment on why this might be.
3. Analyse the image of resurrection on p.158(‘bringing to life’) and p.
168(‘lazarus’)
4. Ash writes about the biologist Swammerdam (1637-1680) and Galileo. How is
science presented here? How does this correspond to what you know about
attitudes to science in the Victorian period?
5. How did ‘Ragnarok’ affect Christabel and how does this reflect Victorian
society/culture? P. 160
6. Find other evidence of religious belief/ doubt on p. 160, 163, 164 and 170
7. What images of restriction and confinement does Christabel use (p.150)? What
does this suggest about her life and the lives of Victorian women?
8. (Structure) Look at Christabel’s poems on p.161. Why are they included? What
do they tell the reader about… the writer?...the themes of the novel?
Bonus question:
On p159 Christabel uses long complex sentences and each sentence has several subordinate clauses (a
part of a sentence not essential and dependent on the main clause. Eg ‘your delicacy will see
how it is’ ‘as whose friend was he not’ ‘the lady protests too much, you will say’. What impression
does this give of the character?

6. Homework:
For next Tues:
Prepare a short presentation (2 or 3 slides) or a handout on
how the following themes are reflected in Chapter s 10 and
11 (170 onwards)….
Possession and summary of Ch11
Women/gender roles
Religion and Science
Death and resurrection
Fairytale and myth
You must: analyse language, structure and/or form (choose
key quotes and explore them)