Though born a century apart, American poets Emily Dickinson and Sylvia Plath share several similarities: Both were born in New England, both fought for their rights by writing, and both broke new poetic ground.          In this thesis, I look at their poetry through a movement in space, which begins with the poets’ precarious position as societal outliers and ends with ascension. I examine what crossing the threshold meant to them, physically and metaphorically, and how it is mirrored in their poems, I look at how the physical space in which they wrote color their poetry, I examine windows as a space of transit, and finally I take a closer look at the shape ascension takes in selected poems. I propose this road, this movement in space, is mirrored in both Dickinson’s and Plath’s poetry.      I use as my method deconstruction, to uncover hints and possibilities. I scan letters and journals, biographies and memoirs. As my theoretical framework, I use Walter Benjamin’s ideas about the threshold as a place of transit, as well as his thoughts about the flaneur as the observer of the crowd, both of which are presented in The Arcades Project. To further examine the threshold as a space for pause, reconsideration, retreat, or advance, I rely on Subha Mukheriji and her book Thinking on Thresholds: The Poetics of Transitive Spaces. I further use Gaston Bachelard’s seminal The Poetics of Spaceto investigate the poets’ response to the physical space in which they wrote. I look at ascension through the prism offered by the ideas of Mircea Eliade as presented in Myths, Dreams, and Mysteries: The Encounter Between Contemporary Faiths and Archaic Realities.

This thesis deals in detail with Pentecost in Judaic and Christian traditions and with all that is connected herewith. It presents biblical roots as well current customs and traditions, but above all it analyses the contemporary liturgical practice which constitutes its primary focus. This work can be divided into two larger units. As its theme is intimately intertwined with the domain of religion, the first part of the thesis examines the Judaic Pentecost, time of omer. The second part of this thesis deals comprehensively with Christian Pentecost.

Dans le but de contribuer aux connaissances sur les formes de représentation des "nouvelles élites" à l’époque précédant le règne personnel de Louis XIV, notre thèse porte sur le décor du château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, celui-ci n’ayant dans son ensemble pas encore fait l’objet d’une étude approfondie. Les vastes décors, réalisés sous la responsabilité de Charles Le Brun pour Nicolas Fouquet entre 1657 et 1661, comptent parmi les plus célèbres de l’histoire de l’art français. Cependant, leur réception a été largement influencée par un regard mythique porté au Grand Siècle et de nombreuses légendes autour de la chute de Fouquet, ce qui nécessitait une approche différenciée. La précision des fonctions d’une "maison de plaisance" et de sa perception contemporaine est suivie d’une analyse iconographique et formelle des plafonds peints, du mobilier et des sculptures ornant les façades et le jardin. S’y ajoute une étude des stratégies de transmission littéraire développées parallèlement à la genèse du château. Le concept de représentation fonctionnait sur plusieurs niveaux, poursuivant des effets visuels éblouissants ainsi que la mise en place d’une iconographie complexe. Dans un contexte de distinction et de légitimation des "nouvelles élites", une approche comparative a révélé des stratégies très variées dans ce groupe social. Dans le cas de Fouquet, l’effort pour favoriser son ascension à travers des moyens artistiques présente un leitmotiv du décor. Le manque étonnant de gestes de modestie par rapport au roi mettait à l’épreuve le décorum d’un homme d’état et démontrait l’orientation de Fouquet à l’époque des premiers ministres puissants. / With the objective to contribute to the knowledge of forms of representation pursued by rising elites in seventeenth century France, preceding the personal reign of Louis XIV, the present dissertation focuses on the decoration of the château Vaux-le-Vicomte, which has so far been inadequately examined in its entire meaning. The decoration was realized under the responsibility of Charles Le Brun from 1657 to 1661 for the surintendant des finances Nicolas Fouquet. Its history of reception has been highly marked by a mythically transfigured perception and influenced by numerous legends about the rise and fall of Fouquet, which required an abstracting approach. A closer reflection on the functions of a ›maison de plaisance‹ and its contemporary perception was followed by an iconographic and formal analysis especially of the ceiling paintings, the interior furnishings and the sculptures in the gardens. Furthermore, we explored the literary transmitting strategies developed to promote Vaux-le-Vicomte and the respective objectives of its decoration. The concept of representation appeared to be very complex, also reflecting Le Brun’s artistic ambitions as well as several contemporary theoretical debates in an academical context. Concerning the legitimizing and approval strategies of the rising elites, a comparative perspective showed their very divergent access to art as a medium of distinction. The efforts of Fouquet to promote his further ascension were decisive for the decoration of Vaux-le-Vicomte, thereby entirely lacking signs of modesty regarding the king and therefore straining the decorum appropriate for a minister.

Syftet för denna studie är att analysera Albertus Pictors kalkmålningar i det senmedeltida kyrkorummet för att se om motivens symboliska värde är avgörande för placering, komposition och vem som var menad att betrakta bilderna. Dessutom syftar studien till att undersöka vad som låg bakom utformandet av Albertus konstverk, för att på så sätt få en bättre förståelse för vad som gett upphov till hans muralmålningar samt vad som utmärker hans stil. Studiens övergripande frågeställning är: Vad kännetecknar Albertus Pictors kalkmålningar med motivet av Syndafallet och Kristi Himmelsfärd? Vilka övervägande yttre faktorer har påverkat motivens utformning? Vilken betydelse har motivens placering i kyrkorummet? De teoretiska utgångspunkterna är Erwin Panofskys ikonologiska metod, Hans Haydens begrepp om att kontextualisera konst och Chloë Reddaways begrepp sacred space. Materialet består av alla Albertus målningar av Syndafallet och Kristi Himmelsfärd med huvudsaklig fokus på målningarna i Täby Kyrka i Uppland. I uppsatsen kommer jag bland annat att undersöka bildprogrammens typologiska koppling till litterära verk som Biblia Pauperum Predicatorum och Speculum Humanae Salvationis, samt vilken betydelse kyrkornas vapensköldar har haft för motivens utformande. / The purpose of this study is to analyze Albertus Pictor's frescoes in the late medieval church room to see if the symbolic value of the motifs is decisive for placement, composition and who was meant to look at the pictures. In addition, the study aims to examine what was behind the design of Albertus' artwork, in order to gain a better understanding of what gave rise to his murals and what characterizes his style. The overall question of the study is: What characterizes Albertus Pictor's frescoes with the motif of the The Fall of Man and Ascension of Christ? What predominant external factors have influenced the design of the motifs? What is the significance of the motif's location in the church room? The theoretical starting points are Erwin Panofsky's iconological method, Hans Hayden's concept of contextualizing art and Chloë Reddaway's concept of sacred space. The material consists of all Albertus paintings of The Fall of Man and Ascension of Christ with the main focus on the paintings in Täby Church in Uppland. In the essay, I will, among other things, examine the image programs 'typological connection to literary works such as Biblia Pauperum Predicatorum and Speculum Humanae Salvationis, and the significance of the churches' coats of arms for the design of the motifs.