Sunday, April 29, 2007

Gentleman, Start Your Engines.

I would like to do a bit of a survey for my paper topic. We all know about the gentleman of Strange & Norrell and the novel's use of the term "gentleman." What I need to know from you guys and gals is, what is your definition of a gentleman? It would be helpful if you could give me your real-world definition as well as your interpretation of how the term is used in the novel. Thanks!

6 Comments:

Blogger Unknown said...

a gentleman is a true southern gentleman. the kind that opens doors and doesn't cuss in front the ladies. one who's considerate of others.. seems like in the book, a gentleman is simple considered one who holds himselve above others in action and couth. or something.

8:17 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

That is exactly what I was going to say. When someone says the term gentleman, I automatically associate it with the term "southern gentleman"...you know good manners, stands up when a lady gets up from the table, opens doors, helps you carry stuff, etc.

However, whenever a gentleman is mentioned in literature I always think of a person of high birth. But, I guess that comes from all of my Brit. Lit classes.

3:32 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I guess I equate the word gentleman with honesty, integretiy, and dependability.

2:54 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

In terms of things in the book, I think there's also the part of a true gentleman respecting a woman by listening to her (which is obviously not in the book), treating her as an equal in intellect and potential power, and basically not acting as though if she lifts a finger she'll break. To me, acting patronizing towards women - which doesn't mean opening doors and stuff to be polite, but more thinking women aren't actually capable of doing it themselves - shows the person to be the exact opposite of a true gentleman, who has respect for females.

12:19 AM  
Blogger Andy Duncan said...

I highly recommend looking up the full entry on "gentleman" in the complete Oxford English Dictionary to discover how it has been used, with various meanings, through history.

And for what it's worth, let me cite another big historical novel with footnotes, Neal Stephenson's Quicksilver. The year is 1670, and the young "natural philosopher" Daniel Waterhouse is in London: "As he stood there in front of the coffee-house, a gentleman rode out of St. Martin's Lane, reined in his horse, stood up in the stirrups, and surveyed the ongoing low-intensity riot that was Charing Cross, looking anxious until he caught sight of whatever he was looking for." The word "gentleman" has an asterisk, which refers the reader to a curt footnote: "I.e., he had a sword."

12:03 PM  
Blogger Joel said...

Thanks everyone. The different perspectives definately help when it comes to paper ideas.

6:58 PM  

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