According to Philippe Lejeune’s “autobiographical pact,” a text can only be considered an autobiography when the author, narrator, and character all share the same proper name. Any exceptions are thusly designated as works of fiction, regardless of whatever biographical resemblance may be detected between the author and character. This thesis aims not to challenge this useful generic distinction, but to develop an authoritative system for approaching the oft-neglected side of the equation: works of autobiographical fiction, and autobiographical dramas in particular. I propose to develop a reception-based methodology (the Biographical Grid) for assessing author-character resemblance with as much empiricism as possible. This is done by extracting the author’s biographical material in relation to the chosen fictional character (often the play’s protagonist) via their characterization within the text, and organizing this material within a specially-designed table. Each of these units is then assigned a numerical score based upon its correspondence with the author’s publicly-known biographical data. The result is not only a qualitative value assigned to the degree of resemblance between the character and its author, but moreover indicates precisely which character traits enforce the autobiographical kinship, and which represent conscious deviations from the biographical record as part of the process of fictionalization. This information can then be applied to well-informed analyses of the text’s use of its autobiographically-inspired content. Using Tolstoy’s play, The Light Shines in Darkness, as a case study, I demonstrate the process of building, testing, and applying the grid to assess a work of autobiographical drama. My systematic approach to autobiographical dramas of this kind supports the development of further research into methods of biographical criticism while strengthening analytical readings of individual plays.

The thesis for this dissertation is that the Fourth Gospel does have a developed theology of cosmic conflict. Furthermore, warfare is evidenced in the Fourth Gospel by the author's portrayal of three primary aspects of the conflict: (1) the agents involved in the battle, both protagonists and antagonists; (2) metaphors the author employs that depict the conflict; and (3) the weapons, or the means by which the battle is fought.

Light in the poetry by Saint-Denys Garneau appears in touches. At first imperceptible, it is soon revealed through the movement of wind or water. If the light in movement gives form to the landscape by outlining the contour of things, the fixed light, on the other hand, hollows out large holes of darkness which engulf the landscape. The space thus displayed reduces the poet to anonymity and silence. The conflict pulling the poet between these two forms of light, which refers to the problematics of Orpheus' song and sight, as defined by Blanchot, constitutes the drama of Saint-Denys Garneau. The poet thus seems to rest only in the midst of the transparence, this excess of clarity which transfigures things without however destroying their unchanging appearance. / Light thus determines the poet's attitude facing the world. Each day is lived out according to the ascent or decline of light. One can thus observe how the morning, afternoon and night inspire in Saint-Denys Garneau particular states of mind and songs. Light is indissociable from Saint-Denys Garneau's poetic process. This study should allow me to show that the poet's failure is not exclusively the result of exterior hostile forces acting upon his poetic undertaking, but that it places itself, on the contrary, within this poetic undertaking insofar as the silence (the darkness of the fixed light) is the necessary risk to the word (the light in movement).

Thesis (doctoral)--Université de Paris IV: Paris-Sorbonne, 1996. / Summary also in English. At head of title: Université de Paris-Sorbonne (Paris IV). U.F.R. de Littŕature franca̧ise. Includes bibliographical references (p. [384]-411).

Thesis (doctoral)--Université de Paris IV: Paris-Sorbonne, 1996. / Summary also in English. At head of title: Université de Paris-Sorbonne (Paris IV). U.F.R. de Littŕature franca̧ise. Includes bibliographical references (p. [384]-411).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2004. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 104-110).

Thesis--Munich. / Vita. Bibliography: p. 281-295.

Light is seldom addressed in archaeological research, despite the fact that, at least in ancient Egypt, it would have impacted upon all aspects of life. When discussing light in Egyptology, the vast majority of scholarly attention is placed on the sun, the primary source of illumination. In comparison, artificial light receives very little attention, primarily due to a lack of archaeological evidence for lighting equipment prior to the 7th century BC. However, 19th and 20th century lychnological studies have exaggerated this point by placing an overwhelming emphasis on decorated lamps from the Greco-Roman Period. In an attempt to move beyond these antiquarian roots, recent scholarship has turned towards examining the role that light, both natural and artificial, played in aspects of ancient societies’ architecture, ideology and religion. The extensive body of archaeological, textual and iconographic evidence that remains from ancient Egypt is well suited to this type of study and forms three core data sets in this thesis. Combining a materials-based examination of artificial light with a contextualized, theoretical analysis contributes to a richer understanding of ancient Egyptian culture from the 3rd to 1st millennium BC. The first three chapters of this study establish a typology of known artificial lighting equipment, as well as a lexicon of lighting terminology. A comparison of the archaeological and textual evidence allows for a discussion on the consumption of lighting in ancient Egypt and its impact on social and economic spheres. From this material it becomes apparent that artificial light was a luxury and this corresponds to its inclusion in religious texts and iconography, as well as the presence of lighting implements in tombs of the wealthy elite. The second half of the thesis examines the ritual application of artificial light, incorporating iconographic and textual evidence, consideration of ritual space and timing, and experimental archaeology. This interdisciplinary approach allows for a discussion of the sensory experience of artificial lighting and its perceived potency in ancient Egypt. It also demonstrates the contribution that Egyptology can make to lychnological and sensory studies of the ancient Near East and Mediterranean by examining the impact of light on phenomenology and aesthetics.

Heart of Darkness does raise several issues when used in a teaching context. For instance, the novella depicts the Congolese as primitive, animalistic, ignorant, and superstitious. Thus, it perpetuates racist tropes about Africans that unfortunately still exist today. In an era marked by heightened awareness of racial and social inequality, the language in Heart of Darkness becomes extremely offensive because it subjects the racialized reader to language that is hard to digest. However, this essay attempts to illustrate how a critical reading of Heart of Darkness shows that the novella is far too complex to be reduced to the epitome of racist discourse, namely because it illustrates the inherent ambivalence that characterizes the Victorian, imperialist, colonizing West. Taught the right way, Heart of Darkness has the potential to provide students with the knowledge necessary to comprehend that race is a social construct that is developed, generated, and replicated discursively through various ideologies with the express intention of defending the unequal treatment of people and groups

Many people may feel insecure if a place or an area have poor lightning. When darkness falls, it is a natural reaction to become cautious as control over seeing one's surroundings deteriorates. People are very dependent on lighting in urban environments. If the environments do not have enough lighting, limitations for the individual may arise from the fear of being exposed to a threatening situation. The purpose of this study is to analyze how young adults experience the lighting in Umeå's central city, from a safety perspective. The study also focuses on what improvements regarding lighting there are in Umeå according to the interviewees that they believe can increase their safety in an area. The study is based on 6 interviews with 3 men and 3 women between the ages of 20 - 30 who live in the Umeå regional center. In order to investigate the purpose further, coding of the collected interview material has also been done. After analyzing the material, it emerged that women's insecurity is based on the fear of being exposed to abuse or a threatening situation. While the men were more afraid of the dark due to poor visibility or the fear of being jumped on by an animal. There were also many suggestions for improvement opportunities regarding lighting in Umeå.