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.

Presenting Author Name/s

Sean Spofford

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

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS
 
Mar 20th, 1:00 PM Mar 20th, 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.