Study Like a Boss
In Antigone by Philip Harsh, the play Antigone by Sophocles is critisized. Many argue about the originality of the play. Scholars believe that a large portion of the play was made up by Sophocles instead of being reffered to the orginal epic. Characters such as Tiresies and Ismene are only found in Sophocless version. The … Read more
One of the most intriguing characters in the tragic play “Othello,” by William Shakespeare, is Othello’s “friend” Iago. At first glance, Iago seems to have no motive for the destruction he is causing. However, despite Iago’s unquestionable malignancy, the motivation behind his actions lie more in Iago’s quest for personal gain, as opposed to just … Read more
In 1928, Virginia Woolf was asked to speak on the topic of “women and fiction”. The result, based upon two essays she delivered at Newnham and Girton that year, was A Room of One’s Own, which is an extended essay on women as both writers of fiction and as characters in fiction. While Woolf suggests … Read more
In Brave New World Huxley is targeting consumer, materialistic attitudes that existed in his time (and still do today) and extrapolating, then projecting them into the world that is the World State, to serve as a warning to society of the consequences of these attitudes. The passage in question is from Chapter XIV of Huxley’s … Read more
The story of The Yellow Wallpaper reflects the period where men have dominated over women. The real meaning of this story is written hidden behind it. The author had used a writing style that is taking objects portraying men, women, and society. The story first starts off a couple have moved to a house. A … Read more
Joseph Conrad develops themes of personal power, individual responsibility, and social justice in his book Heart of Darkness. His book has all the trappings of the conventional adventure tale – mystery, exotic setting, escape, suspense, and unexpected attack. Chinua Achebe concluded: “Conradis undoubtedly one of the great stylists of modern fiction and a good story-teller … Read more
Symbolism is a literary technique used in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight to liven up the story and give a deeper significance to the plot. Almost anything in the poem can be interpreted as a symbol in one way or another. The Green Knight, the green sash, and Sir Gawain’s shield are three of … Read more
On reading Beloved by Toni Morrison and Don Quixote by Kathy Acker, there seem to be quite a few similarities in themes and characters contained in these texts, the most prevalent of which seems to be of love and language as a path to freedom. We see in Acker’s Don Quixote the abortion she must … Read more
“Lord, What fools these mortals be… ” That’s what Robin Goodfellow from the book “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” remarked. It is inevitably the truth. The aspect of love can mar the human mind. It’s hard to explain and hard to fit into mere words. Three main kinds of love seen most often in literature are … Read more
Voltaire’s Candide is the story of an innocent man’s experiences in a mad and evil world, his struggle to survive in that world, and his need to ultimately come to terms with it. All people experience the turmoil of life and must overcome obstacles, both natural and man-made, in order to eventually achieve happiness. In … Read more
The epic poem Beowulf tells of an evil, mysterious, and ravishing creature named Grendel. Although no precise concrete descriptions or visual references were given to me throughout the story, I was able to formulate my own personal opinion of what this horrifying beast may have looked like. The amoral, despised, and feared Grendel was a … Read more
Although humans have the tendency to set idealistic goals to better future generations, often the results can prove disastrous, even deadly. The tale of Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, focuses on the outcome of one man’s idealistic motives and desires of dabbling with nature, which result in the creation of horrific creature. Victor Frankenstein was not … Read more
In “My Papa’s Waltz”, Roethke discusses a very heartbreaking and distressful situation. He talks about alcoholism in the family and how it affects the members of the family. Growing up in a family full of alcoholism and abuse, I can relate to the point of view that this poem is written in. Although it is … Read more
Although humans have the tendency to set idealistic goals to better future generations, often the results can prove disastrous, even deadly. The tale of Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, focuses on the outcome of one man’s idealistic motives and desires of dabbling with nature, which result in the creation of horrific creature. Victor Frankenstein was not … Read more
In Pride and Prejudice life is not all fun and games. There are many pressures in life: mothers with high expectations for a good marriage and a girl’s own expectation of what life and hopefully marriage will be like. Charlotte Lucas is the oldest daughter in a large family, she is not the most beautiful … Read more
Technology is defined as using the entire body of science, methods, and materials to achieve an end. Technology, or techne, is so preoccupied with weather it can, it never considers if it should. In “Of Techne and Episteme,” a article on technology and humanities, the author Eddy warns us that a society without epistemological thinking … Read more
The overall tone of the book is much different than that of The Sun Also Rises. The characters in the book are propelled by outside forces, in this case WWI, where the characters in SAR seemed to have no direction. Frederick’s actions are determined by his position until he deserts the army. Floating down the … Read more
Throughout the Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, participants of the pilgrimage tell stories to entertain one another. These stories, while amusing, tend to have an underlying message, one being the Franklin’s Tale. The Franklin’s Tale is the most moral tale that has been read. It is not told to make the other pilgrims laugh, rather … Read more
Throughout history, it has been witnessed many times that artists do not usually make their mark on the world during their own generation. Like any other artist, authors have been known to only achieve their desired success and fame after they have died. However, defying this pattern, William Shakespeare, became very popular during his own … Read more
The Raven written by Edgar Allan Poe is a very famous poertry. “The most obvious symbol is the Raven its self. Poe uses the non-reasoning raven because he wants to make us wondering why he had chosen the raven from all the other birds. , and frustrate us by wondering why the raven is repeating … Read more
Tell-Tale Heart “TRUE! –nervous – very, very dreadfully nervous I ahd been and am; but why will you say that I am mad? ” Edgar Ellen Poe shows us the dark part of human kind. Conflict with in ones self, state of madness, and emotional break down all occur within tis short story. The narrator … Read more
Throughout literature, relationships can often be found between the author of a story and the story that he writes. In Geoffrey Chaucer’s frame story, Canterbury Tales, many of the characters make this idea evident with the tales that they tell. A distinct relationship can be made between the character of the Pardoner and the tale … Read more
The Petrachan lover has many characteristics. The Petrachan lover is attracted to beauty, and list physical characteristics. He idealizes his mate. He is normally infatuated with his lover. The Petrachan lover uses many metaphors and similes. He is smooth, fancy, and very flowery. Finally, he is blazon. All of the previous describe the main character … Read more
“A Raisin in the Sun” was written by Lorraine Hansberry. It has won her an award in 1959, at age 29, the youngest American, the fifth woman, and the black playwright to win the Best Play of the Year Award of the New York Drama Critics. This book of the play has been put in … Read more
When Shakespeare wrote the story, Twelfth Night, what did his title mean? This play is often referred to as a “festival” comedy, which means a comedy that is specially designed to take place on a festival or holiday. In this case of the “twelfth night,” the feast of epiphany, or the last day of the … Read more
There is a major argument among literary critics whether The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, is or is not a racist novel. The question focuses on the depiction of Jim, the black slave, and the way he is treated by Huck and other characters. The use of the word “nigger” is also a … Read more
Best known for his poems and short fiction, Edgar Allan Poe, born in Boston on Jan. 19, 1809, deserves more credit than any other writer for the transformation of the short story from tale to art. He for the most part created the detective story and perfected the psychological thriller. He also produced some of … Read more
Nearly every aspect of the Pardoner’s tale is ironic. Irony exists within the story itself and in the relationship between the Pardoner and the story. The ending of the story presents a good message despite the Pardoner’s devious intentions to swindle money from the other pilgrims. By using irony in the Pardoner’s tale, Chaucer effectively … Read more
The storys tone is one of romantic controversy, a dilemma at a high level of existence. The scientists love for his craft competes very intensively with his newfound love for his wife. It is also very psychological, strictly dealing with the raw mind of its subjects as if the ominous narrator told the story from … Read more
The love described in the novel, The Great Gatsby, contains “violence and egoism not tenderness and affection. ” The author, F. Scott Fitzgerald, writes on wealth, love, and corruption. Two coupes, Tom and Daisy Buchanan and George and Myrtle Wilson, match perfectly with these categories. Both couples are different in the way they choose to … Read more
In the book, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the character Gatsby is presented to you as an example of the American dream. The dream of the time was to become wealthy and to marry the woman of your dreams, and this is exactly what Gatsby dreamed of. Fitzgerald showed you throughout the book … Read more
When one ponders the Greek mythology and literature, powerful images invariably come to mind. One relives the heroes struggles against innumerable odds, their battles against magical monsters, and the gods periodic intervention in mortal affairs. Yet, a common and often essential portion of a heroic epic is the heros consultation with an oracle or divinity. … Read more
William Shakespeare’s play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, is mainly based on the assassination of Julius Caesar. The character who was in charge of the assassination was, ironically, Marcus Brutus, a servant and close friend to Julius Caesar. But what would cause a person to kill a close friend? After examining Brutus’ relationship to Caesar, … Read more
The changing role of women in literature from the late 8th century B. C. to the 4th century A. D. is evident in that women become even more subservient in later works. This is portrayed in the works The Odyssey by Homer and Sakuntala by Kalidasa. Women are treated more like slaves in Sakuntala, while … Read more
“A Doll’s House” is classified under the “second phase” of Henrik Ibsen’s career. It was during this period which he made the transition from mythical and historical dramas to plays dealing with social problems. It was the first in a series investigating the tensions of family life. Written during the Victorian era, the controversial play … Read more
“Things Fall Apart” – short summary of the book, analysis of African Culture before by appearance of white man. Things fall apart, is the story of an Ibo village- Umuofia , which takes place in the late 1800s. Things Fall Apart analyzes the destruction of African culture by the appearance of the white man (Christian … Read more
Madness fascinated William Shakespeare’s contemporaries, perhaps in part because it was still not entirely clear how or when madness as a disease was to be distinguished from demonic possession or spiritual ecstasy. Mad characters were a staple of William Shakespeare’s stage and such figures were particularly associated with revenge plays. Hamlet’s distraction, then, is notable … Read more
The male species has a very creative mind. The creative mind becomes particularly active when the case involves the female species. In Andrew Marvells “To His Coy Mistress,” the author shows how his creative mind is put to use. Marvell, uses time in an attempt to manipulate his coy mistress. Time is depicted in three … Read more
The story Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus made different feelings to me. I read it first time about five years ago, and when I read it now, I understood the concept differently. The story has a from of letters from Mr. R. Walton, the traveler, to his sister Margaret. Walton wanted to reach the North … Read more
The following paper analyzes the William Faulkner story called A Rose for Emily. The paper discusses my thoughts and ideas about the story, and evaluates different elements of the story. The paper analyzes the style that the author uses in characterization, and a few specific methods used to convey the plot and lay out the … Read more
In A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry paints an impressive group portrait of the Youngers, a family composed of powerful characters who are yet in many ways typical in their dreams and frustrations. There is Lena, or Mama, the widowed mother; her daughter Beneatha, a medical student; Beneatha’s brother Walter, a struggling chauffeur; and … Read more
Throughout the novel The Call of the Wild, we follow a dog named Buck through his journey through the Klondike. We experience a transformation in him, as he adapts to the cold, harsh land where he is forced to toil in the snow, just to help men find a shiny metal. Buck seems to almost … Read more
The evolution of written profanity began roughly in the sixteenth century, and continues to change with each generation that it sees. Profanity is recognized in many Shakespearean works, and has continually evolved into the profane language used today. Some cuss words have somehow maintained their original meanings throughout hundreds of years, while many others have … Read more
The forest outside Athens is filled with changelings, magic, and ancient myth: in other words, the stage is set. The night is silent and still as four mortals alternately hate and love, monarchs of the faerie world clash wills, and the mischief of one irrepressible woodland sprite weaves a spell over all. The breath of … Read more
After reading Antigone, one might feel that there is lacking a dialogue between Antigone and Haimon before their deaths. Sophocles does not include any direct communication between the two lovers during this drama. The reader might assume that such a conversation could have taken place but was not included by Sophocles; however, it is my … Read more
The stories Barn Burning written by William Faulkner and Pauls Case written by Willa Cather both have two separate characters with very similar troubles. Each has a uniquely sad narrative. Barn Burning is a sad story because it not only shows the classical struggle between the underprivileged and the privileged classes, but also the struggle … Read more
Beowulf the great Anglo-Saxon epic, which was composed around the year 700, presents readers with a glimpse into the life of Anglo-Saxons. Beowulf, written in poetic form, was translated by Burton Raffel. The tone of the epic is somber and relates the achievements of the hero Beowulf. This epic poem displays many contrast between good … Read more
“Henry James was born at two Washington Place in New York City on April 15,1843. He was the second son to Henry James, Sr. , an independently wealthy intellectual, and Mary Robertson James. From 1843 to 1845, James took his first trip to Europe. He lived in New York City with his family at 58 … Read more
Satire is often used by writers to express their discontent towards a subject in a humorous way. Joseph Heller’s novel, Catch-22, satirizes war and its implications on society and man himself. Heller reveals the dehumanizing aspect of war, not the glory of it. He makes a social comment on the corruptive, self-fulfilling, irrational side of … Read more
The character of Hester Prynne changed significantly throughout the novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hester Prynne, through the eyes of the Puritans, is an extreme sinner; she has gone against the Puritan ways, committing adultery. For this harsh sin, she must wear a symbol of shame for the rest of her life. However, … Read more