Piranesi: Trapped in God's House (S02E06 Lost Protagonists)

11/23/23 • 31 min

Welcome to another enchanting episode of "Literature Done Juicy!" I'm your host, Jade, and we're diving deep into the magical realms of novels with lost protagonists. Can you believe we're already halfway through this season? Time really does fly, and speaking of time, we're also nearing the end of the year—crazy, right?

In today's episode, we unravel the mysteries of Susanna Clarke's captivating novel, "Piranesi." This magical yet eerie tale takes us through a labyrinthine house, and trust me, it's a journey you won't forget.

We'll explore the intricate web of themes, symbolism, and motifs that Clarke weaves into this relatively short but impactful novel.

As we unwrap the layers of Piranesi's world, we'll touch on the novel's plot, the author's personal journey, and the artistic inspiration behind it all.

Giovanni Piranesi, the famous architect and artist, serves as a crucial inspiration for the novel. His "imaginary prisons" find a haunting echo in the House, with its endless rooms, cyclopic architecture, and eerie voids. We'll explore how Clarke expertly infuses horror undertones into this seemingly whimsical tale.

But that's not all. "Piranesi" resonates with echoes of C.S. Lewis's "The Magician's Nephew" and delves into Christian allegory, showcasing Clarke's skill in blending fantastical elements with religious symbolism.

And of course, what's a fairy-tale discussion without fairies? We'll wrap up the episode with a deep dive into Irish fairy lore, connecting the mischievous beings with the themes in "Piranesi."

It's going to be a literary journey like no other, so stay tuned for another episode of "Literature Done Juicy!

Sources:
Abductions by Fairies - https://www.askaboutireland.ie/reading-room/history-heritage/folklore-of-ireland/folklore-in-ireland/legend-and-belief/supernatural-legend/abductions-by-fairies/

Fairies, Folklore and Forteana - https://mythopedia.info/vanderSluijs-FT351-.pdf

Giovanni Piranesi: Imaginary Prisons (Examples of his work) - https://artmuseum.princeton.edu/object-package/giovanni-battista-piranesi-imaginary-prisons/3640

Lewis and Clarke in the Caves: Art and Platonic Worlds in Piranesi - https://dc.swosu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3067&context=mythlore

On The Idea of the Secondary World in Susanna Clarke’s Piranesi - https://bibliotekanauki.pl/articles/2049071.pdf

Piranesi: Susanna Clarke in conversation with Madeline Miller - ********https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQHhFyQbLoE

Piranesi and the Infinite Prisons -

TW and SPOILERS for all episodes, listen at your own discretion.
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We'll explore the intricate web of themes, symbolism, and motifs that Clarke weaves into this relatively short but impactful novel.

As we unwrap the layers of Piranesi's world, we'll touch on the novel's plot, the author's personal journey, and the artistic inspiration behind it all.

And of course, what's a fairy-tale discussion without fairies? We'll wrap up the episode with a deep dive into Irish fairy lore, connecting the mischievous beings with the themes in "Piranesi."

It's going to be a literary journey like no other, so stay tuned for another episode of "Literature Done Juicy!

Sources:
Abductions by Fairies - https://www.askaboutireland.ie/reading-room/history-heritage/folklore-of-ireland/folklore-in-ireland/legend-and-belief/supernatural-legend/abductions-by-fairies/

Fairies, Folklore and Forteana - https://mythopedia.info/vanderSluijs-FT351-.pdf

Giovanni Piranesi: Imaginary Prisons (Examples of his work) - https://artmuseum.princeton.edu/object-package/giovanni-battista-piranesi-imaginary-prisons/3640

Lewis and Clarke in the Caves: Art and Platonic Worlds in Piranesi - https://dc.swosu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3067&context=mythlore

On The Idea of the Secondary World in Susanna Clarke’s Piranesi - https://bibliotekanauki.pl/articles/2049071.pdf

Piranesi: Susanna Clarke in conversation with Madeline Miller - ********https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQHhFyQbLoE

Piranesi and the Infinite Prisons -

Previous Episode

The Push: Psychopathic Children? (S02E05 Lost Protagonists)

In this riveting episode of Literature Done Juicy, we plunge into the depths of Ashley Audrain's psychological drama, "The Push." Join me, Jade, as we dissect the complexities of generational family violence, grapple with the unsettling question of whether children can exhibit psychopathic traits, and confront the harsh realities of labelling women as hysterical. As we explore the psychological nuances of the novel, we delve into the history of hysteria, tracing its roots from ancient times to Freud's psychoanalytic theories. Blythe's battle with being labelled "hysterical" becomes a poignant reflection of societal challenges faced by new mothers.
Sources
Amarjeet Sada - https://www.mamamia.com.au/youngest-serial-killer/

Child of Rage (Beth Thomas) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szcsT3pOuBw

Crazy Woman and Hysterical Mothers: The Gendered Use of Mental Health Labels in Custody Disputes - https://commons.allard.ubc.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1007&context=can-j-fam-l

Early Identification of Fledgling Psychopath: Locating the Psychopathic Child in the Current Nomenclature - https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Donald-Lynam/publication/13457004_Early_Identification_of_the_Fledgling_Psychopath_Locating_the_Psychopathic_Child_in_the_Current_Nomenclature/links/55194b450cf2d241f35618ab/Early-Identification-of-the-Fledgling-Psychopath-Locating-the-Psychopathic-Child-in-the-Current-Nomenclature.pdf

Hare psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version - https://www.pathwaysstudy.pitt.edu/codebook/pcl-sb.html

Melancholic mothering: mothers, daughters and family violence - https://libkey.io/libraries/1691/DOI:10.1080/09540250802447945

Retta McCabe - https://unknownmisandry.blogspot.com/2015/11/retta-mccabe-4-year-old-murderess.html

Signs your child might be a psychopath - https://www.verywellfamily.com/is-my-child-a-psychopath-4175470

There are no child psychopaths because we can’t diagnose them - https://modlab.yale.edu/news/there-are-no-child-psychopaths-because-we-cant-diagnose-them-yet-vice#:~:text=Children%2C specifically%2C can't,violence and aggression%2C and theft.

Women and Hysteria in the History of Mental Health - https://

Next Episode

The Troop: Scout Tapeworm Trail (S02E07 Lost Protagonists)

Join us on this chilling exploration of "The Troop" by Nick Cutter on Literature Done Juicy. We delve into the heart of horror, dissecting the old-school influences, psychological terrors, and nightmarish contagions that make this novel a visceral experience.

From the homage to classic horror of the 70s and 80s, reminiscent of Stephen King's golden era, to the disturbing themes of body horror and contagion,

The novel's portrayal of contagion and body horror draws parallels with the anxieties of our own time, making it a timeless exploration of human fears.

Sources

A Camping Trip Tragedy: The Disappearance of Garrett Bardsley - https://veritycreates.medium.com/a-camping-trip-tragedy-the-disappearance-of-garrett-bardsley-c7964a3a5d3a

Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (United Kingdom) - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1986/14/contents

Biological Threats - https://armscontrolcenter.org/biological-threats-have-evolved-for-the-worse-and-we-are-not-prepared/

Contagious Horror: Infectious Themes in Fiction and Film - http://www.clinmedres.org/content/17/1-2/41.full.pdf

Maria Callas - https://www.loverboymagazine.com/maria-callas/

Tapeworm Infection - https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tapeworm/symptoms-causes/syc-20378174

The Decay of Monsters: Horror Movies Throughout History - https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1794/20323/FINAL Thesis-Loutzenhiser.pdf

The History of Horror Films from 1895 to 2018 - https://wludh.ca/dh100/2018/T3/G4/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/The-History-of-Horror-From-1895-Present-day-.pdf

The Making of Monsters: Has the Medieval Monster Been Reassembled as the Unbound Body of Medical Science - https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/147152/6/b28799653_Bruen_B.pdf

The Puzzling Disappearance of Jared Negrete - https://www.strangeoutdoors.com/mysterious-stories-blog/2017/11/22/jared-negrete

The Tapeworm and Maria Callas’ Diet: A Mystery Revealed - https://www.mdpi.com/2673-6772/2/3/15