PossessionA Romance…

Claudia Tomasello & Nicolò Zentilin

Chapter One

Function: The function of the first chapter is to introduce the reader to the situation; Roland Michell, a post-doctoral researcher, investigates about Sir. Randolph Henry Ash, who is a Victorian poet. During his research he found Ash’s letters addressed to an unidentified woman.

Characters: Roland Michell, Randolph Henry Ash.

Setting

Time: one day of September 1986. It was 10 o’clock when Roland is in the London Library, and at 11.15 he found the letters.

Place: reading room of the London Library.

Chapter Two Function: The function of the second chapter is to

present to the reader Roland Michell, his life and in particular his relationship with Val.

Characters: Roland Michell, Val; Mortier Cropper and Blackadder are mentioned.

Setting One… …Setting Two

Time: Rolan’s life from secondary school, up to now.

Place: in the neighbourhood of London.

Time: Roland has just come back home from the London Library.

Place: Roland and Val’s house.

Chapter Three

Function: In this chapter Roland is aware of Crabb Robinson’s diary: he supposed Christabel La Motte, another Victorian poet, to be the unidentified woman. In addition he is informed about Maud, who is a researcher of La Motte.

Characters: Roland Michell, Professor Blackadder, Fergus Wolff and Crabb Robinson.

Setting:

Time: Roland has just gone out from his house.

1. Roland’s old College; a machine copied the letters.

2. Dr.Williams Library; Roland read Crabb’s diary

3. British Museum; Roland met Blackadder and Fergus

Places:

Chapter Four

Function: Roland visits Maud Bailey in Lincoln. Roland tells her about the two letters. After that Roland reads Blanche Glover’s journal about her relationship with Christabel. Maud offers Roland to visit Seal Court, where Christabel lived her last years. So the research continues…

Characters: Roland Michell, Maud Bailey; Christabel La Motte, Blanche Glover, Randolph Henry Ash.

Setting In The Present… Setting In The Past

Time: After the conversation with Fergus

Places: 1)Lincoln, 2)Lincoln University, 3)Lincoln Library, 4)Maud’s home.

Time: May, 1858

Place: Blanche and Christabel’s home.

Chapter Five

Function: Maud and Roland visit the area of Seal Court. They go to Sir George and Joan Bailey’s home to explore Christabel’s room. In her room, they try a packet of letters of Christabel La Motte and Randolph Henry Ash.

Characters: Rolan Michell, Maud Bailey; Sir George and Joan Bailey. Randolph Henry Ash and Christabel La Motte are mentioned.

Setting:

Time: When Roland and Maud go to Seal Court to visit where Christabel lived.

Places: Seal Court, in St Etheldreda’s churchyard; Sir George and Joan’s home, Christabel’s room.

Chapter Six

Function: This chapter draws attention to the figure of Mortier Cropper and to his interest in Randolph Henry Ash… Infact he represents Cropper’s profit.

Characters: Professor Mortier Cropper, Mrs Wapshatt, Beatrice Nest. Randolph Henry Ash, Blackadder and Ellen Ash are mentioned.

Setting: Time: one day in 1986. In the morning.

Place: Mortier Cropper is in Bonnet’s Hotel.

Chapter Seven

Function: The narrator introduces us the character of Beatrice Nest who is a researcher of Ellen Ash, Mr. Ash’s wife. So Roland visits her to know about Ellen. In a second moment, Beatrice Nest meets Professor Cropper.

Characters: Beatrice Nest, Roland Michell, Professor Cropper, Val and Evan MacIntyre.

Setting:

Time: the day after.

Place: Roland goes to Ash Factory (to meet Beatrice), after that, he comes back home.

Chapter Eight

Function: Roland and Maud go over the letters in Sir George’s library. They remain at Seal Court and Roland seems to be attracted to Maud.

Characters: Roland Michell, Maud Bailey; Sir George and Joan Bailey.

Setting: They are in Sir George’s LIBRARY, and in a second time Maud goes in her FLAT.

Chapter Nine

…Christabel La Motte’s

The TresholdThe Tresholdis quoted…

Chapter Ten

Roland and Maudgo on reading

THE CORRISPONDENCEbeetwen

Randolph Henry Ash & Christabel La Motte

Chapter Eleven

… Randolph Henry Ash’s

Swammerdamis quoted..

Chapter Twelve

Function: Maud suspects that Christabel accompanied Randolph to Yorkshire in 1859. In this chapter the letters that Randolph wrote for his wife during this trip are quoted. Maud and Roland discover that Blanche died in 1860: after her death there is no information about Christabel.

Characters: Roland Michell, Maud Bailey and Beatrice Nest; Christabel La Motte, Sir Ash, Blanche Glover and Ellen Ash.

Setting in the PRESENT… & in the PAST:

Time: April 1986

Place: Caffè, Roland’s home, and “Oodles”

In 1850, Christabel and Randolph went to Yorkshire.

In 1859, Ellen wrote her diary.

in 1860, Blanche drowned herself. She jumped from the Bridge at Putney.

Chapter Thirteen

Function: Maud and Roland go to Yorkshire seaside.

Characters: Maud Bailey and Roland Michell.

Setting:

Time: Maud and Roland go to Yorkshire for five days.

Places: The Hofflunn Spout Hotel, Whitby harbour and Flauboroungh.

Chapter Fourteen

Function: Maud and Roland visit the creeks and pools of the area. They go to Boggle Hole.

Characters: Maud Bailey, Rolan Michell

Setting: Roland and Maud visit the area of Yorkshire, in particular they go to GOATHLAND, MALLAYAN SPOUT, THOMASON FOSS, BECK HOLE,

Chapter Fifteen

Function: It tells about Ash and LaMotte’s journey to Yorkshire.

Characters: Randolph Henry Ash, Christabel LaMotte

Setting: Yorkshire.

Chapter Sixteen

Christabel La Motte’s Fairy Melusine

is quotated

Chapter Seventeen

Function: the chapter introduces Fergus and Cropper’s intentions. There are lots of characters and curiosity about the possible discovery made by Roland.

Characters: James Blackadder, Fergus Wolff, Val, Mortimer Cropper

Setting: Ash’s factory,Val’s home, Soho.

Chapter Eighteen

Function: it provides the development of researches and of story lines.

Characters: – James Blackadder – Maud Bailey – Leonora Stern– Mortimer Cropper– Roland Michell – Sir George Bailey

Setting: Women’s Studies Resource Centre and Maud’s house (Lincoln), Seal Court.

Chapter Nineteen

Function: It tells about LaMotte’s journey to Brittany and there is the read of Sabine’s journal from October 1959.

Characters: Christabel LaMotte Sabine De Kercoz

Maud Bailey Ariane Le Minier

Setting: Brittany.

Chapter Twenty

Function: Letters' discovery is public and there is the spiritual moment that is at the centre of attention.

Characters: Mortimer Cropper, James Blackadder, Leonora Stern.

Setting: Television Studio

Chapter Twenty-one

Randolph Henry Ash’s Mummy Possest

is quotated.

Chapter Twenty-two

Function: It makes clear that everyone wants the documents.

Val and Euan are joined by Toby Byng.

Characters: Val, Euan MacIntyre, Toby Byng.

Setting: Newmarket

Chapter Twenty-three

Function: It explains about Ash and La Motte's love relationship and they speak about the destiny of Christabel’s child.

Characters: Maud Bailey

Roland Michell Leonora Stern

James Blackadder Mortimer Cropper

Setting: Baie des Tréspassés (Brittany)

Chapter Twenty-four

Function: There is the discussion of how La Motte wanted all her books. The copyright should go to Maia Thomasine Bailey: the letters belong to Maud as the ownership of the letters.

Characters: – Maud Bailey– Roland Michel– Val – Euan MacIntyre – Toby Byng (Sir George’s lawyer)– Beatrice Nest

Setting: Lincoln.

Chapter Twenty-five

Function: The Chapter shows the point of view of Ellen about her relationship with Ash.

Characters: – Ellen Ash

– Christabel LaMotte– Randolph Henry Ash

– Blanche Glover

Setting: Ash’s house.

Chapter Twenty-six

Function: There is Roland’s success: he gets a job offered from Hong Kong, Amsterdam and Barcelona. Blackadder sends him an important letter.

Characters: Roland Michell

Setting: Roland’s house.

Chapter Twenty-seven

Function: Roland’s ideas: he feels possessed.

Characters: – Roland Michell

– Maud Bailey– Val

– Euan MacIntyre – Beatrice Nest

– James Blackadder – Leonora Stern

Setting: Beatrice Nest’s house.

Chapter Twenty-eight

• Function: There is the conclusion of the story: the grave was opened by Cropper. He is caught by Roland, Maud, leonora, Blackadder and Nest. Everybody wants to learn the end of the story.

• Characters: – Roland Michell – Maud Bailey – Beatrice Nest

– James Blackadder – Leonora Stern

– Mortimer Cropper – Hildebrand Ash

• Setting: Hodershall