Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell

Lady Pole, Stephen Black, Vinculus, and Jonathan Strange are all labeled “mad” at one time or another. Compare and contrast what “madness” means for each of these characters, and discuss Clarke’s symbolic use of “madness” as a social critique throughout the novel.

Clarke’s work reflects the influence of many of the important literary and cultural movements of the 19th century. Citing multiple examples, discuss how her use of pastiche affects the novel’s style and tone, and examine the impact of Romanticism and/or the conventions of the novel of manners on Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell.

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell are not the only characters motivated by a quest for power. Select at least two of the novel’s secondary characters and compare and contrast the ways in which their actions are governed by a need to increase their own versions of power in English society.

Clarke often uses the concept of magic as a code with which to discuss and critique problematic aspects of human culture. In what ways does magic serve as a metaphor for the need to break free from the socially engineered limitations of class, gender, or race? Examine multiple examples to support your argument.

Over the course of the novel, the relation between the magical and the mundane world shifts dramatically. Discuss what those shifts are, what causes the shifts, and how those shifts impact the characters.

Vinculus says that “all magicians lie“ (198). Is this true, and if so, what kinds of lies do they tell and for what purpose?

Consider the characters of Emma Pole and Arabella Strange. Compare and contrast how each woman embodies (or breaks free from) the typical 19th-century portrayals of women as wives. Are they always passive recipients of the power of men, and if not, how do they choose to defy patriarchal limitations?

Research one of the following topics: the slave trade and its abolition in England, the Napoleonic Wars, or the Luddite uprisings. Summarize your findings, and then discuss how Clarke revises and incorporates these events into the alternative history she creates in the novel.