By Elizabeth Bowen The Demon Lover Allusion English Ballad Absent lover Intervening marriage Desertion upon lovers return The Demon Lover Setting and Mood PRESENT Month and year August 1941 ID: 260343
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Slide1
“The Demon Lover”
By Elizabeth BowenSlide2
“The Demon Lover”
Allusion
English Ballad
Absent loverIntervening marriageDesertion upon lover’s returnSlide3
“The Demon Lover”
Setting and Mood
PRESENT
Month and year: August, 1941War: London Blitz WWIIHouse with cracks on a deserted streetWeather: Humid, sunny day interrupted by rainPAST
August 1916, WWISlide4
“The Demon Lover”
Setting and Mood
Shut-up house
Steamy, showery dayHumid, yellow, afternoon sunBatch of clouds…ink-darkBroken chimneyCat wove itself No human eye watcher Mrs. Drover’s returnSlide5
“The Demon Lover”
Setting and Mood
Death and Decay
War destroyed London - blitzBuildings and silenceAbandoned Lives lostSlide6
“The Demon Lover”
Flashback & Foreshadowing
Fiancé left for war and went missing
Letter signed “K” from fiancé Fiancé aliveIndicates she might have to confront himShe broke promiseSlide7
“The Demon Lover”
PoV
3
rd Person OmniscientGod-like perspective not restricted to time and placeSwitches to 1st person – why?Slide8
“The Demon Lover”
Protagonist
Mrs. Kathleen
DroverAge: 44 years oldFamily: husband, 3 boys, sisterPhysical appearanceThin from wartime rations
Stability and dependabilityCompletely unnerved by the letterSlide9
“The Demon Lover”
Symbolism
Structurally unsound HOUSE
Wartime damageMrs. Drover’s PSYCHE is damaged by warMuscular flicker on the side of her mouthLost husband, displaced familyLetter and taxi – exist??Slide10
“The Demon Lover”
Symbolism
The CLOCK
Passage of timeImportance of timeWWI – peace – WWIISlide11
“The Demon Lover”
Symbolism
The LETTER
Signed by “K” – her own initialWWII triggers repressed memories of WWI – loverCannot remember lover’s face (may be Everyman)War is a DEMON that lingers over herSlide12
“The Demon Lover”
Symbolism
The TAXI and the DRIVER
Knows where to take herHeaven (save) or Hell (torture)Can’t escape from taxi…WARDriverOnly sees his face Can’t remember face of fiancéDoes it/he exist??
Who do you think it is??Slide13
“The Demon Lover”
Themes
Appearance vs. Reality
Similar to “The Necklace”Heaven vs. HellSanity vs. InsanitySlide14
“The Demon Lover”
Themes
Death vs. Life – surviving the war
War vs. Peace – after WWIWar disrupts Drover’s familyTakes her fiancéInternal war of lover returningWar or driver cause her to scream in taxi?Slide15
“The Demon Lover”
By Elizabeth Bowen
Does she see the visage of her fiancé?
ORDoes she have an emotional and psychological breakdown?