The Perfect Dark Flaneur in Ian McEwan's "The Comfort of Strangers"
Description/Abstract/Artist Statement
I am studying the figure of the dark flaneur. Specifically, I am investigating how the dark flaneur is different from its standard flaneur predecessor. My research seeks to frame the character Robert from Ian McEwan’s novel The Comfort of Strangers as the epitome of the dark flaneur and by doing so draw conclusions about the evolution of the flaneur from the 19th century into the 20th and 21st centuries. My research identifies and defines the standard flaneur and its attributes based on its 19th and early 20th century conceptualization. Then I explain how the dark flaneur evolved from that model and establish Robert as the perfect example. The concept of the dark flaneur reshapes who we consider to be flaneurs, what roles they play in literature and how they can be used to comment on modernity, globalization, gender and a host of other topics.
Faculty Advisor/Mentor
Delores B. Phillips
College Affiliation
College of Arts & Letters
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Disciplines
Literature in English, British Isles | Literature in English, North America | Other English Language and Literature
Session Title
Interdisciplinary Research #6
Location
Zoom Room BB
Start Date
3-20-2021 1:00 PM
End Date
3-20-2021 1:55 PM
The Perfect Dark Flaneur in Ian McEwan's "The Comfort of Strangers"
Zoom Room BB
I am studying the figure of the dark flaneur. Specifically, I am investigating how the dark flaneur is different from its standard flaneur predecessor. My research seeks to frame the character Robert from Ian McEwan’s novel The Comfort of Strangers as the epitome of the dark flaneur and by doing so draw conclusions about the evolution of the flaneur from the 19th century into the 20th and 21st centuries. My research identifies and defines the standard flaneur and its attributes based on its 19th and early 20th century conceptualization. Then I explain how the dark flaneur evolved from that model and establish Robert as the perfect example. The concept of the dark flaneur reshapes who we consider to be flaneurs, what roles they play in literature and how they can be used to comment on modernity, globalization, gender and a host of other topics.