Reading 'Cranford' as a "cottagecore text"

Edgar Jephcote

doi:10.55225/hcs.559

Autor

Edgar Jephcote Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55225/hcs.559

Słowa kluczowe:

Cottagecore, Elizabeth Gaskell, Cranford, estetyka internetowa, kobiecość, domowość, performatywność, szlachetność

Abstrakt

Internet aesthetics, such as “cottagecore,” are beginning to be discussed in various academic settings. Given its close connection to reading and its love for books, the cottagecore aesthetic seems to be a worthy choice of topic in the course of literary analysis. Using Elizabeth Gaskell’s novel Cranford (1853) as a case study, this article opens the discussion on what literary and cultural matters ought to be included in determining a “cottagecore text” (beyond the mere inclusion of its most salient visual motifs). Furthermore, the study introduces the notion of a “cottagecore reading,” speculating on what themes such a reading might selectively include. Among the many examples are materiality, particularly ephemeral creations, or more marginalised activities, such as those of the domestic realm or those which are feminine-themed. The article, therefore, proposes a close-reading analysis of Cranford, serving as an example of how such a reading might actually look. Consequently, various unique insights into one of Gaskell’s most popular novels can also be gained. Moreover, some surprising parallels are to be observed between people’s current use of social-media and the motivations behind the practice of certain genteel customs. As a result, this unique reading showcases the applicability of contemporary nostalgia-based aesthetics as versatile frameworks for studying and analysing classic literary works, the study of which may prove useful for future researchers of modern aesthetics in general.

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