Hello, my fellow eggs!
Before reviewing this, please make sure you have read the prior lessons. This final lesson focuses on fictional biographies or mysteries.
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Table of Contents
➵ Overview
➵ Historical Accuracy and Validity
➵ Examples
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↠ Overview ↞
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Fictional biographies tell the story of an individual in a way that deviates from the actual story. These biographies may serve as a way to explain any loose ends in history. For example, there is a lot of debate as to whether the Grand Duchess Anastasia is alive. There have been films and plays done to offer an explanation supporting theories, despite the fact that there may not be a lot evidence.
Fictional biographies can be a great tool to explain how a person may have disappeared or died if it is unclear in history texts. They can also be used to explain how certain events came to pass.
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↠ Historical Accuracy and Validity ↞
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A common issue with writing fictional biographies and mysteries is historical accuracy and validity.
These types of stories are under heavy scrutiny because (1) others disagree with the author's interpretation because they believe there is only one way that history could have gone, (2) research was not done properly, which shows in the portrayal of the characters and the setting, and (3) there is no evidence to support that what the author has written could ever be possible.
There is no simple way to resolve this other than to do a lot research about the time period and the person that is the center of the story. However, there comes a time when there isn't enough research to go off of. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, however, it's something to keep in mind.
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↠ Examples ↞
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(1) Countess Erzsebet Bathory
There are many films and books that talk about how the Hungarian Countess Erzsebet Bathory became one of the notorious serial killers of the sixteenth century. She was known for kidnapping, torturing, and killing young women for their blood. A majority of stories talk about how she would drink or bathe in the blood of her victims in order to maintain her youth.
(2) The Agony and the Ecstasy
This novel tells the story of sixteenth century sculptor, Michelangelo, and his journey on painting the Sistine Chapel.
(3) Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
This fictional novel tells the story of a geisha working in Japan around the time of World War II.
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Thank you for reading! I hope you find this helpful!