The Role of Children in Medea and Oedipus Rex: Despair, Revenge, and Dramatic Irony

Introduction Ancient Greece is known for its many traditions and norms that have been preserved for millennia, emphasizing the values of family, dignity, and integrity. However, Ancient Greece is additionally known for its literature and well-known plays that carry powerful messages and illuminate themes that are often debated even in...

Sita Sings the Blues: A Feminist Reinterpretation of the Ramayana’s Gender Roles

Introduction The Ramayana is an ancient Indian epic that describes the interactions of many key characters in mythology. Ramayana is an epic narrative from Hinduism that reveals the traditional ideas of the time about courage and duty (The Ramayana: A South Asian Myth and Text, n. d.). At the same...

Exploring the Lessons in The Tale of Despereaux: A Story of Courage and Uniqueness

Purpose of the Book In this book, DiCamillo tells the story of a mouse called Despereaux, who is different from the other mice in his community. While his fellow mice spend their days scavenging for food and avoiding danger, Despereaux dreams of adventure and romance. He is captivated by stories...

Themes of Power, Love, and Justice in Shakespeare’s King Lear

Introduction William Shakespeare’s King Lear is a tragic play that audiences have loved for centuries. The plot follows Lear, an aging king of Britain, as he attempts to divide his kingdom among his three daughters. Lear quickly learns that his love for his daughters is not reciprocated, and he is...

The Novel “Orlando” by Virginia Woolf

The concept of gender is a significant theme in Virginia Woolf’s 1928 novel Orlando. In her classic work, Woolf examines the idea of gender identity and the fluidity of gender roles. The novel’s protagonist, Orlando, is a young English nobleman born in the Elizabethan era and lives through several centuries...

Analysis of Faulkner’s “Barn Burning”

The central idea of Faulkner’s “Barn Burning”, which is vividly formulated, is a dilemma between loyalty to a blood relative and commitment to justice. Sarti, a little boy, realizes that his father’s actions and behavior are inappropriate, but Sarti’s love for him heavily influences the assessment. However, in this paragraph,...

Analysis of the “Wit” Play by Margaret Edson

Introduction Wit by Margaret Edson is a dramatic work exploring incurable diseases, the power of language, and what makes life worth living. In her play, the author explores the inner life of an English professor suffering from an incurable disease. As the woman nears death, she asks tough questions about...

The Asterios Polyp Book by David Mazzucchelli

Introduction The book Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli is a comic book written regarding the life of the protagonist Asterios, a former professor of architecture. The narrator is Asterios’ late twin brother Ignazio who died in the womb. The novel begins with Asterios having divorced his ex-wife Hana, who loses...

Racism and Discrimination in Smith’s Poems

Racism and racial disparities are among the significant issues in the world today. The social concern goes back to the enslavement period when white supremacy was a lifestyle. Although the issue has lessened with time, racial disparities are still evident in many sectors such as the justice system, film and...

Comparison of Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues” and Ellison’s “Battle Royal”

It seems reasonable to state that black oppression in “Sonny’s Blues” and “Battle Royal” is the primary theme. The latter will be a good option to focus on within the scope of comparing the mentioned stories. In these pieces of writing, despite the liberation of slavery, black people are still...

“Character Is What You Are in the Dark” Quote

Character is what you are in the dark. Dwight Lyman Moody Quotations from literary works can sometimes touch the soul more than a whole book or a story can do. Hence, some of them contain the author’s thoughts about a particular problem or convey a worldview. The quote under study...

Loss of Sense of Reality in Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper”

Introduction Charlotte Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper is a haunting first-person narrative that tells a story of a twenty-six-year-old woman who is suffering with postpartum depression. The storyline is relatively simple: a nameless woman is put in an attic of an isolated country mansion by her physician husband to help her...

Issue of Racism in “Growing Up Colored”

Henry Louis Gates is a famous American writer and educator. In Growing Up Colored, he wrote about his childhood as an African American person in the West Virginia town of Piedmont, where people like him were considered to be second-class citizens. Although it may seem to be at some point...

Round Character in “Young Goodman Brown” by Hawthorne

According to Meyer, round characters often display the inconsistencies and internal conflicts found in most real people. The term is used in fiction to portray lifelike figures who exhibit multifaceted and complex personalities. They often possess dimension and depth and undergo personal development as the story progresses. Round characters have...

Robinson Crusoe by D. Defoe: A Novel Review

When Robinson was stranded on a deserted island, he attempted to organize his life in the area. The hero had high hope and willpower, and he really wanted to return home; therefore, he did not panic and believed in himself. At the same time, Robinson created a calendar in order...

Emily Dickinson’s Poems and Topic of Death

Many poets are excited by the theme of death, seeing it as an existential transition from one state to another. For some poets, as can be seen, death is an emotional blow. Emily Dickinson embraces and admires death and views him as a romantic guide, whereas Dylan Thomas is desperate...

Adversity in “The Wars” by Timothy Findley

The claim that adversity is the most important factor in shaping character is addressed in The Wars at different levels. In particular, on the one hand, it relates to the shaping of the character of the protagonist, Robert Ross. On the other hand, it shapes the characters of readers who...

Gulliver’s Travels by Swift: A Literary Analysis

Swift was a figure of the Enlightenment Era, covering almost the entire first half of the eighteenth century. That time has entered the history of humanity as a time of progress and reform, the time of the dawn of human self-consciousness. Many Enlightenment thinkers defended the ideas of freedom and...

Love in Traditional and Modern Literary Works

Love is a popular theme in literary works because it has attracted writers and poets since ancient times. As a rule, in their works, authors reflect the ideals of love prevalent in their contemporary societies. Therefore, as society changes, so do its views of love and its representation in literature....

Exploring Themes in Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’

Introduction Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein is a novel that has been a classic for two centuries and is still one of the most popular books for movie adaptations, theater plays, and other artistic manifestations correlating with the original plot. Multiple films have captured the original idea of scientific exploration of...

The Story “Recitatif” by Toni Morrison

In the story “Recitatif,” written by Toni Morrison, the audience has to make an assumption on the main characters’ race and class while having limited information for it. However, when one of the girls, Twyla, reflects on their differences, in the beginning, she mentions that it is typical for people...

Women in Ridge’s The Life & Adventures of Joaquín Murieta

His novel The Life and Adventures of Joaquín Murieta: The Celebrated California Bandit Ridge presents the readers with the image of women as the independent backbone of operations and peacekeepers. This essay will focus on the first prompt, discussing the roles of strong Chicana women in Ridge’s novel. It will...

Symbolism in Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar

Introduction Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar is a novel about a young writer herself. It reflects multiple life events: her sufferings, mental breakdown, and the attempt to fix her with glue. The story narrates Esther Greenwood, the book’s protagonist, getting an opportunity to study at a prestigious university. Writers various...

Mood in Edgar Allen Poe’s “Cask of Amontillado”

The “Cask of Amontillado” is a short story by Edgar Allen Poe that follows an act of revenge enacted on a man called Fortunato by Montresor. Montresor does so out of the assumption that Fortunato has insulted him, and his revenge is subtle, intricate, and the main driving force of...

Human vs. Nature in Crane’s “The Open Boat” Story

Dramatic Story “The Open Boat” carries many philosophical ideas. The story is based on the author’s personal experience during his life. During the story, sailors have been wrecked and tried to escape on the high seas, after which not all of them survived. During the story, the characters go through...

“Good Country People” by Flannery O’Connor

Like many other stories addressing the complexity of human nature, Flannery O’Connor’s “Good Country People” introduces a complex moral issue under the guise of a seemingly simple ethical problem. By showing how evil can assume the disguise of morality and, thus, affect unsuspecting people, O’Connor proves that both experiences, when...

The Play “Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller

The play “Death of a Salesman” is a masterpiece by one of the finest American playwrights. Arthur Miller wrote and published this artwork in 1949. The play examines the funny life of Willy Loman. Willy believed that the American Dream was something achievable and realistic. He wanted the best for...

Literature Studies: The Odyssey by Homer

When I began to read The Odyssey, I had some background knowledge of the events and characters described by the author. For example, as a student, I read about the myths created in ancient Greece, and the characters always described by Homer fascinated me. For example, I can speak about...

American Dream in Babylon Revisited Story by Fitzgerald

One of F.S. Fitzgerald’s most influential works, Babylon Revisited, has the pursuit of pleasure and the “American Dream” as its central theme. The primary character, Charlie, has a tragic backstory, which the author detailed together with his historical period. The story is considered autobiographical since the author established parallels between...

“I, Too” by Langston Hughes: Historical Context

The poem I, Too was written in the year 1925, leading to a discussion of the historical background. Primarily, one of the most impactful and devastating events that took place around the time of these works was racial segregation, which started approximately around the 19th century and ended in 1964...

Vonnegut and Kafka: A Plea to Change Perspective on Life

Introduction The literary works by Franz Kafka, “The Metamorphosis,” and Kurt Vonnegut, “Slaughterhouse-Five,” show that the abilities of the person to change their destiny are limited in many cases, and the individual can only submit to the circumstances to preserve psychological sanity. The lines from Kafka and Vonnegut illustrate the...

Argument in “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin

Kate Chopin’s The Story of an Hour is feminist and tragic. At the same time, the story is very unpredictable for both the reader and the characters. The author recounts one hour in the life of Louise Mallard after she learns of the death of her husband, Brently Mallard. Thus,...

August Wilson’s Play “Fences”: The Perspective of Rose

Introduction The lead female figure in August Wilson’s well-known play Fences is named Rose Maxon. The author contrasts the macho physical strength of Troy, who lacks psychic and emotional stability, with the feminine spiritual strength of Rose, who is physically frail. Due to her capacity to resist her husband, willingness...

Does Shakespeare Still Matter?

Shakespeare’s works are still highly relevant to modern society and people. Despite the fact that his plots unfold in a historical setting, the poet talks about timeless matters and themes. Firstly, his characters experience the same conflicts and problems as modern people do. Secondly, they have difficulties understanding themselves and...

“Glass Menagerie” by Tennessee Williams: Analysis

The attachment to illusion and their inability to embrace reality is reiterated in every character in “Glass Menagerie.” Among the three leading ones, the propensity toward wishful thinking and the inability to meet reality is particularly distinctively emphasized in Amanda. Remarkably, her version of an illusion is substantially different form...

The Use of Satire as Education by Pope and Swift

Introduction Satire is a literary technique that considers the use of any genre and combines sharp humor and critique of a subject to improve its meaning, making authors like Jonathan Swift and Alexander Pope use satire due to many societal problems. By deftly critiquing and making light of society’s concerns,...

The Portrayal of Racism in Literary Works

Introduction One of my main concerns about my paper is that I am unsure how to approach racism from an unbiased perspective. I aim to critically analyze how authors portray racism in their works without prejudice or preconceived notions. I may interpret things too personally, which could affect the accuracy...

“Where My Characters Come From” by Haruki Murakami

Introduction Murakami, in his article “Where My Characters Come From,” gives an overview of how he chooses the characters in his novel and what motivates the choices of characters (2). Murakami’s purpose is to explain how he develops his characters over time in his writing career and how the characters’...

Themes in “The Bluest Eye” Novel by Toni Morrison

The novel by Toni Morrison The Bluest Eye shows how racial oppression has a devastating effect on African Americans through the image of madness. The main character was a victim of racism, and in an effort to conform to the ideals of the beauty of white people, she began to...

Achilles’ Dilemma Whether to Pursue Life or Glory

According to the ancient Greeks’ heroic code, since death is inevitable in the long run, every hero will fight, whether the glory goes to them or to other people. When the emissaries are sent to Achilles, he rejects the offer given to him by the king, explaining his plans to...

Grendel’s Story in Poem “Beowulf”

Introduction The literature of the early Middle Ages gives an idea of ​​the people’s values ​​and tastes who lived many centuries ago. Beowulf is a heroic poem, written by an unknown author between 700-1000. The reader witnesses a fantastic story about the struggle of a glorious war against villains, and...

Differences Between Men and Women in Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing”

Introduction Though fiction is often viewed as a realm that is thoroughly divorced from reality, its very nature implies that it reflects the sociocultural realities of its authors’ environments. The specified observation applies to Shakespeare’s famous “Much Ado About Nothing,” which, despite its comedic nature, makes the reader ponder quite...

The Key to “A Jury of Her Peers” by Susan Glaspell

The Primary Message of the Story Susan Glaspell’s story, A Jury of Her Peers, explores a mysterious murder in Dickson County. The short story illustrates gender roles and their significance in the twentieth century, with Martha Hale as the lead character in the novel. The primary message communicated in the...

Satire About Society in “Rape of the Lock” by Alexander Pope

“Rape of the Lock” is Alexander Pope’s mock-heroic narrative poem written in 1717. In it, the author describes the life of aristocrats in London of the 18th century. At the same time, the poem may be regarded as a powerful social satire that aims to represent all weaknesses and negative...

Analysis of Elizabeth Bishop’s “In the Waiting Room”

Pulitzer Prize awarded and one of the most important poets of the twentieth century – Elizabeth Bishop – is the author of “In the Waiting Room”. This poem was published in 1971 and starts with setting the time and place of the story. Little Elizabeth came to a dentist’s appointment...

“The Mask of the Red Death”: Story by Edgar Allan Poe

Introduction Man’s inescapable fear of death guides his daily choices and decisions from inception. The inevitability of life’s end is a constantly looming reality whose clock is unknown and fundamentally uncontrollable. This sentiment has percolated into works of art and, specifically, literary works of fiction in a bid to demystify...

Hemingway’s View in “Hills Like White Elephants”

Ernest Hemingway’s short story Hills like white Elephants was written in 1927. A man and a young woman talk, enjoy a drink and gaze out across the Ebro Valley as they wait in a Spanish train station. However, each figure in Hills Like White Elephants has hidden messages, ideas, and...

“Gardening” by Rhina P. Espaillat: Poem Analysis

Introduction Various literary symbolism and devices allow poets and writers to talk about complex issues through allegories and metaphors. They can raise philosophical topics and topics not usually discussed in society, using symbols of nature or everyday objects. Rhina P. Espaillat, thanks to her flair, uses extensive and very vivid...

“The Soft-Hearted Sioux” and “Tecumseh’s Speech to the Osages”

Zitkala-Sa’s story The Soft-Hearted Sioux and Tecumseh’s Speech to the Osages have certain similarities and differences. For example, both works are based on the experiences of Native Americans and their conflicting relationships with white people. The main character in Zitkala-Sa’s story is the young Sioux who leaves his tribe to...

Appearance and Reality in Good Country People

Her statements are so vague and evident that they are almost meaningless, except for expressing a general philosophy of resignation. The fact that she cannot recognize them as cliches show how little time she spends thinking about her beliefs. Just as Mrs. Hopewell seems to want to change the image...

Roald Dahl: Biography Main Points

Roald Dahl is one of the renowned authors. Dahl was named after a Norwegian scientist. Roald spent his boyhood in Oslo, Norway. His father died when he was four. Roald Dahl: Life Dahl’s initial school was Llandaff Cathedral School. Roald finished his education at Repton. Roald became Shell Petroleum Corporation...

Marxist Criticism in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson

Introduction The Lottery, written by American author Shirley Jackson, was first published in The New Yorker on June 26th, 1948. When it was initially published, it raised controversy. The author’s life may have been reflected in The Lottery. She struggled with depression and an identity crisis, which forced her to...

Techniques That Make Claudia Rankine Poems in “Citizen” Relatable

Introduction Claudia Rankine is politically charged prose poet, and her works, especially Citizen, have a great influence on the modern American society. Citizen is a poem conducted in prose, thus making it one of the staples of the contemporary literature. One of the important things about Rankine’s work is that...

“Désirée’s Baby” by Kate Chopin: Themes and Symbols

Désirée’s Baby, a short story written by Kate Chopin, depicts a woman’s life with unknown origins in Louisiana. The dramatic story includes her Southern husband, who exiles her from home because of her African – American origins. Chopin utilizes various symbols to raise themes of racism, hypocrisy, love, and woman’s...

Identity Development in Yukio Mishima’s “Sound of Waves”

Introduction The Sound of Waves is a fishing love story in the style of the poem about Daphnis and Chloe. Yukio Mishima focused on the story of noble heroes with strong and invincible characters. Consequently, the novel’s key theme is cognition of oneself and the world around these individuals through...

Characteristics Describing All Greek Heroes

In people’s terms, heroes are those who demonstrate bravery and save the world. In classical myths, heroes are the same; people can turn to heroes for help in troubles or other challenging situations. In ancient Greek mythology, heroes are usually descendants of a Deity and mere mortals. Usually, the heroes...

The Twelve Labors of Hercules in Mythology

Mythology is a big part of the culture of many nations and countries. It contains much wisdom and knowledge about the past, even though it is hundred percent fictional. Ancient Greek and Roman mythologies share many similarities but are not entirely the same. However, they both tell the story of...

Millay’s “I, Being Born a Woman and Distressed”

Blazing the trail for a new philosophy is always a challenge; however, the task becomes excruciating when the idea in question is as unpopular as the concept of feminism at the dawn of its development. Edna St. Vincent Millay was one of the few American poets who managed to skewer...

Lightman’s “Great Clock and Temple of Time” Chapter

Human lives are inextricably linked with time measurement – people count their age, daily routine, and separate seasons and days. The chapter from Lightman’s (1993) Einstein’s dreams, dated June 18, 1905, devoted to the Great Clock and Temple of Time, raises the question of how measuring time changes human perception....

“Sundiata” by Niane and “The Odyssey” by Homer Review

The heroic epic that has been saved today represents stories that interested people many years ago. Sundiata and The Odyssey are epic poems from different cultures and eras – 13th century West Africa and 8th century Greece respectively. They have few historical events, but in a significant way, they are...

“The Yellow Wallpaper” by Gilman as a Symbol of Oppression

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a story about a woman feeling trapped and suffering because of her isolation. The story is told from the perspective of a wife who has recently given birth to a child she has not been able to see. The narrator is sick...

Character Analysis in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice

Shylock – the hero of W. Shakespeare’s comedy The Merchant of Venice – is a Jewish pawnbroker. Shylock lends money to the merchant Antonio on the security of a pound of meat from his chest and seeks to execute an agreement concluded between them in court. Plays about Jews were...

Owl Eyes in “The Great Gatsby” by Fitzgerald

Introduction Owl Eyes is a minor character from Scott Fitzgerald’s novel “The Great Gatsby”. While only being present a few times in the story, his character is important to the overall message of the book and to the reader’s understanding of its characters. The audience first meets him in Gatsby’s...

Failure of American Dream: “The Great Gatsby” by Fitzgerald Review

Despite the seeming glamor and wealth, the character of Great Gatsby is deeply and inherently tragic. Striving to bury his deep discontent with his life in an attempt to recreate the past, he refuses to acknowledge that the people around him have changed. Furthermore, his pursuit of the material wealth...

Shelley’s Frankenstein as “The Modern Prometheus”

“Frankenstein,” Mary Shelley’s famous novel, which she wrote when she was just eighteen years old, continues to captivate people all over the world. This narrative still speaks of the present world two centuries after Shelley’s “Frankenstein” first came to life, and its importance cannot be overstated. In Shelley’s work, scientific...

Poe’s View on “The Masque of the Red Death”

Introduction One of the most important themes explored in The Masque of the Red Death is the inherent equality of death. Edgar Allan Poe uses the word “masque” in the title to symbolize a one-of-a-kind celebration where people cover their identities behind masks to foster safety and experience joy. Shortly...

Raymond Carver’s Portrayal of His Biography in His Fictional Works

Introduction Widely reputed for his mastery in infusing understatements in his short stories, Raymond Carver (1938-1988) is considered to have reignited the art of writing by the time of his death in 1988. As a poet and a writer of short stories, his works were characteristically multi-themed and could explore...

“A Room of One’s Own” by Virginia Woolf: Main Themes and Key Ideas

In her critical paper, Virginia Woolf introduces various binaries and complicates them by placing the opposite states into the contexts of time and place to illustrate and deepen these distinctions. For instance, she elaborates on the binary of women and men by explaining the two as complex socio-cultural categories in...

Conformity in “The Vanishing Half” by Bennett, Brit

Stella passing for white in The Vanishing Half is an act of conformity. The term refers to behaving in accordance with some standard or authority. In the narrative, Stella acknowledges the power that the white population had in the novel which reflects the discussed concept (“Conformity”). She decides to escape...

Evil Humanity in “Night” Book by Elie Wiesel

Introduction “Night” is the first book in a trilogy written in 1960 by the prominent author Elie Wiesel, awarded the Nobel Prize in 1986. This work is based on Wiesel’s Holocaust experience, which he and his father, who died from the beating, got during the Second World War in 1944-1945....

A Descriptive Analysis of a Mash-Up Poem

This paper provides a descriptive analysis of a mash-up poem created by mixing lines of two poems by José Olivarez and a song by The Beatles. The poems’ names are River Oaks Mall and You Get Fat When You’re in Love, and the song’s name is All You Need Is...

“Great Ideas Why I Write” by George Orwell

In his article, George Orwell details his childhood and early dreams of becoming a writer. He talks about his first poems and plays and how hardy and quick he was as a writer in his youth (Orwell, Great Ideas Why I Write (Penguin Great Ideas)). For George Orwell from childhood,...

Jeremiah’s Encounter With Maggie in “Kiss of the Fur Queen” by Highway

To begin with, one of the characters of the novel Kiss of the Fur Queen, written by Tomson Highway, who is known as Maggie Sees, is a form of the Trickster or Weesageechak in Cree. In other words, it is the mythological creature that “goes by many names and many...

“My Year of Magical Thinking” by Joan Didion

Summary of the Narrative The book “My Year of Magical Thinking”dives into memories of Joan Didion’s life with her husband John and their daughter. She becomes fixated on a phenomenon she refers to as magical thinking and consistently reviewing the events leading up to John’s death’. She consistently reads and...

“Life on Mississippi” by Mark Twain

Devouring works written by renowned authors; people tend to forget that the actual lives of the writers might have been even more exciting than the fiction that they have created. The personal journey of Samuel Clemens, globally known under the pen name of Mark Twain, is in every way just...

Modern Fantasy in the Book Charlotte Huck’s Children’s Literature: A Brief Guide

Modern Fantasy is a chapter from the book Charlotte Huck’s Children’s Literature: A Brief Guide written by Barbara Kiefer and Cynthia Tyson (McGraw-Hill Education, 2018). This chapter of the book focuses on the theme of the modern fantasy genre of literature, the types of fantasy literature for children, and whether...

Book Recommendation System (Content-Based & Collaborative Filtering)

Abstract The enormous variety of digital content encourages providers to engage users and consumers on their services. They use different recommendation systems in order to meet their customers’ expectations and preferences. Such methods direct clients according to their needs and requirements by analyzing vast information databases, such as prevalence, popularity,...

Fictional Elements in “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin

Introduction The Awakening is one of the most popular novels by the American writer Kate Chopin, who is famous for her brave illustration of sexuality in her works. The story tells about a woman named Edna, who struggles to fight the societal perceptions of motherhood, which define her as the...

Aeneas and Gilgamesh in Mythology

Two old stories that played a significant role in fate are the Aeneid and Gilgamesh epics. In these literary works, the protagonists Aeneas and Gilgamesh are obsessed with uncertainty, so these epic stories accurately reflect the ancient culture and society. From the story of fate, we can see that the...

Literary Analysis of Jackson’s The Lottery Story

Summary Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery is one of the most well-known and culturally significant short stories in the history of American literature. It provides an insightful and horrifying look at the comfort people take in passively accepting horrifying events as long as they are part of the accepted stability. Set...

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: Analysis

William Shakespeare and his works occupy an honorary place in world literature. At the same time, the play The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, briefly referred to as Hamlet, is one of the most famous. The plot reveals complex themes of revenge, mortality, deception, madness, and other issues. The...

Themes and Techniques in Literary Passages

Introduction Literary techniques are essential in advancing the meaning that an author intends to portray. The passage Book of Songs (B) is a poem whose main theme is grief and sorrow. The poet used comparison in several instances to reflect the theme of grief. Another passage titled The Works of...

“If We Must Die” by McKay and “The Hurt Locker” by Turner Poems

Contradictions, disagreements, and conflicts play a significant role in people’s lives as they determine defense mechanisms used to protect what is dear to them. Often people apply the analogy of war and fighting to define the meaning of life or its image and main principles. Moreover, there are many different...

The Image of Zeus: Virtuous and Despicable Human Traits

Mythology has influenced the world up to the present time and remains meaningful for modern society as it is one of the most significant elements of culture. Contemporary arts, literature, and science continue using ancient myths, and people can find references to them in almost all the spheres of life....

Romance in Canterbury Tales and Courtly Love in the Lais of Marie de France

The Canterbury Tales originate from some pilgrims’ contest in story narration as they were navigating to Canterbury Cathedral written by Geoffrey Chaucer. Pilgrims from a wide variety of social classes participated in Canterbury Tales to reflect on the general social tensions and upheavals. The host of the competition promised a...

Impact of Greek Mythology on Contemporary Literature

Greek mythology is an expansive set of fictional folklore that is one of the most prominent cultural influences in Western arts, literature, and other mediums for centuries due to its origin in Ancient Greece often viewed as the cradle of Western civilization. The rich development of the mythological stories and...

“Araby” by James Joyce: Short Story Analysis

James Joyce’s story “Araby” is about an Irish adolescent lad transitioning from adolescent fancies to the harsh realities of everyday life in his birthplace. In a minimalist manner, the author employs a single narrator, a dismal backdrop, and symbolism to remind the reader of the hardships and disappointments we all...

Literary and Psychological Prowess of Shakespeare’s “Othello”

Shakespeare’s literary and psychological prowess went undetected primarily since he was ahead of his time. Because of this, people in Elizabethan society had no idea that people might be afflicted with mental illnesses, let alone have them depicted in a play! Othello, Shakespeare’s play, was plagued by bizarre behavior issues....

Analysis of Shakespeare’s Play “Romeo and Juliet”

Introduction Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” is one of the most classic and exemplary works in the tragic play’s genre. The greatest poet skillfully and masterfully revealed in his creation the theme of love and freedom of choice, the problems of anger, revenge, and unforgiveness, as well as the piece of...

Critical Analysis of Lu Xan’s Madman’s Diary

A Madman’s Diary is a story written by a Chinese author in 1918. The story is divided into two parts – the introduction written by the author serves as a short preface. The second part contains excerpts from the diary the author’s friend led during the exacerbation of his mental...

Analysis of “Pride and Prejudice” Main Character

The main character of the Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennet, is one of the most famous female characters in world literature. Heatedly condemning gender, social and cultural stereotypes, Elizabeth is a main figure of disobedience and pride. However, given the social mode of 19th century England, other models are available...

Geoffrey Chaucer: The Master of Popular Poetry

Geoffrey Chaucer is an extremely famous English poet from the 14th century best known for his “Canterbury Tales.” This work of poetry depicts several pilgrims traveling to the town of Canterbury, which was a very important holy place in Medieval England. Travelers belong to all walks of life and, in...

“Barn Burning” by William Faulkner: A Family Unit Analysis

Introduction Barn Burning is a short story written by William Faulkner, which demonstrates the complex relationship between personal and familial values. The protagonist Sarty – a ten-year-old boy – is forced to testify in court to prove his father’s innocence (Faulkner 5). However, Sarty is aware that his father has...

Imagination vs. Control in The Yellow Wallpaper

“…the color is repellant, almost revolting; a smouldering unclean yellow, strangely faded by the slow-turning sunlight… This wallpaper has a kind of sub pattern in a different shade, a particularly irritating one, for you can only see it in certain lights, and not clearly then. But in the places where...

James Baldwin and His Notes of a Native Son

James Baldwin had a significant contribution to U.S. culture and literature. A collection of ten essays called “Notes of a native” by James Baldwin was first published in 1955. The papers mainly cover racism in America and describe the author’s personal experience of growing up in such a discriminatory environment....

Cultural Context in the Short Story ”Everyday Use” by Alice Walker

“Everyday Use” by Alice Walker is a short story about an African American family of Mama and her two daughters, Dee and Maggie. Dee does not live with her mother and younger sister, as she is receiving an education. Upon returning home, she finds two old quilts, which seem to...

“The Monkey’s Paw” by W. W. Jacobs

Notably, the Monkey’s Paw by W. W. Jacobs tells the story of the family who receives a monkey’s paw from a friend, fulfilling the owner’s three wishes, which always lead to dire consequences. Through the story, the reader may notice Jacobs wanted to warn readers to be careful with their...

“Parable of the Sower” as a Signal for Humanity

Introduction It is anxiously to analyze how close Octavia Butler was in her prophecies, which were described in the novels Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents. In these novels, the gap between rich and poor, inequality, limited resources, and drug influence made life on Earth a survival...

Life Influences and the Works of Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Introduction Literature has existed for centuries, teaching, admonishing, and highlighting social issues. Every piece of literature is unique, from the source to the intended message to the audience. In every case, authors are motivated to compose their works by several circumstances and life experiences. Although some authors may not directly...

“The Most Dangerous Game” Story by Richard Connell

The short story by Richard Connell called “The Most Dangerous Game” quickly grabs a reader’s attention with its action-filled scenes. However, there are more mature topics within the story that highlight a question regarding the exceptional value of life and the error of black-and-white worldviews. This essay will analyze the...

How Poe’s Life Correlates With Writing Themes

Edgar Allen Poe is one of the renowned poets whose works have been used by several generations. Poe was born in Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America, when most Americans were beginning to embrace literature. He mainly focused on poems and short stories, especially tales. He is among the earliest...

Nguyen Du’s The Tale of Kieu: Revolution in Transition

Introduction The Tale of Kieu by Nguyen Du involves a famous Vietnamese story of a young girl attempting to correct her past life mistakes through continuing adversity in her life. The Vietnamese girl, by the name Kieu, is peddled into prostitution and unceasingly gets cheated by men in the context...

“The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven” by Sherman Alexie

Introduction “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven” is a collection of interconnected short stories by Sherman Alexie, who published it in 1993 and added two new levels in 2003. It contains 22 short stories with the same characters, Native Americans living on the Spokane Indian Reservation. The book’s...

Formal Features in “When I Consider How My Light Is Spent” by Milton

“When I Consider How My Light Is Spent” is one of the most famous works written by John Milton in the middle of the 17th century. Compared to contemporary poetry and other Italian sonnets, this poem is characterized by complex syntax and the evaluation of serious themes related to human...

Hubris of Odysseus and Ozymandias

Excessive pride or hubris becomes a significant concern in Odyssey by Homer and Ozymandias by P.B. Shelley. Hubris defines pride as a destructing quality of a character, which might even be dangerous for the hero and his family and friends. Odysseus and Ozymandias are men from faraway islands; they function...

Introductory Paragraph in the Essay “Eternal Love”

The introductory paragraph in the essay “Eternal Love” dedicated to Theodore Roethke’s poem “I Knew a Woman” is a particularly effective section of the work. The purpose of an introduction is to provide readers with necessary background information on the discussed topic and introduce them to the essay’s thesis statement...

‘My Mother Enters the Work Force’: Rita Dove’s Perspective on Motherhood

Rita Dove seems to have an intimate understanding of motherhood and the responsibilities ascribed to motherhood. In the poem, Dove provides strong diction and the female point of view to express the life of being a mother and a wife. In the first stanza, Rita Dove arrays motherhood as a...

The Trauma of the Vietnam War

Introduction The Vietnam War, which took place from 1955 to 1957, has been the subject of many artworks of different forms, ranging from movies to paintings and literary works. While many of them focus on the experiences and heroism of soldiers, a Vietnamese-American writer Le Thi Diem Thuy focused on...

Tom Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams

Tennessee Williams is a pen name of an American playwright, screenwriter, and novelist Thomas Lanier Williams. He was born on the 26th of March, 1911, in Columbus, Mississippi, and died on the 25th of February, 1983, in New York City. Williams is one of the most renowned dramatists of the...

The Truth in Tim O’Brien’s “The Things They Carried”

Interpretation and understanding of truth is a very ambiguous thing. Everyone has their own unique opinion regarding what is true and what is false. The reason is that language is not a perfect instrument for communication. The language is limited because we can only hear the words. When people listen...

Response to “Hills Like White Elephants” by Hemingway

“Hills like white elephants” is a heartbreaking story about two beloveds who are going to make a fatal decision in their lives. This story depicts a couple whose relationship has poorly changed because of the woman’s unexpected pregnancy. The pregnancy implies the end of their frivolous life full of pleasure...

“The American Evangelical Story” by Douglas A. Sweeney Book Review

Introduction While on a global scale there is a clear inverse relationship between the level of economic development of a society and the level of its religiosity, the USA is a pronounced exception to this rule. The country is a developed post-industrial society; however, the overwhelming majority of the population...

“The Handmaid’s Tale” Fanfiction by Margaret Atwood

Introduction This paper is a fanfiction of the Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. It explores a different story that the novel could have written about when Ofglen and her underground resistance movement are introduced into the account. The Meeting When Offred met Ofglen, she would not have expected that she...

Reflections on “Why Don’t You Dance?”

The path from the son of an Arkansas lumberjack to a guru of short prose is related to Carver who wrote only short stories and poetry. Carver was born in the tiny town of Clatskanie, with about seven hundred inhabitants. His mother is a waitress for life, and his father...

“The Plague” by Albert Camus

In Albert Camus’s The Plague, a classical masterpiece, a deadly outbreak begins with rats and spreads to humans, decimating half of Oran’s population but sparing the least likely: Joseph Grand. Readers meet Joseph early in the novel, just about the same time news breaks about rats supposedly having an epidemic,...

Compare and Contrast Fiction Analysis

Introduction In the short story, The Cathedral, the act of looking is connected to the physical outlook, but that of seeing needs a deeper degree of engagement. The narrator depicts that he is fully able to look. He can look at his house, his wife, and even Robert. This story...

Espaillat’s “Bilingual-Bilingüe” & Hayden’s “Those Winter Sundays” Poems

Family relations, in particular between parents and children, are often complex and ambiguous. Moreover, the connection established with the mother and with the father also contrasts. Most modern adults were probably closer to mothers who took care of the home well-being, while fathers worked daily for the benefit of the...

Poems About War by Borden, Owen, and Others

Introduction The paper responds to poems that deal with experiences and emotions experienced by soldiers on the war front. The first poem was written by a woman who provided humanitarian and medical care to soldiers, while the rest were written by men who fought in World War 1. Each of...

Greek and Roman Tragedy. Euripides and Seneca

Euripides Euripides was a Greek writer who wrote about women and mythological themes like Madea and Helen troy. He was considered to have a great contribution to the Greek creation of new comedies. Life and Career Euripides was born in or about 484. He was well educated, attending the lectures...

The New Colossus Poem by Emma Lazarus

Anthology The New Colossus is a famous poem written by Emma Lazarus in 1883 (Lazarus 2000). I chose that poem as it has an interesting history behind it and is related to one of the most well-known sites in the US. The unique aspect of its history is that the...

The Outcasts of Poker Flat Short Story by Bret Harte

Human nature, as complicated and mysterious as it is, has been a subject of artists’ expression since the old days. However, frequently, the peculiarities of existence become rather modified in order to create a “wow” effect on the recipient. Driven by the idea that people’s life may be thrilling with...

“Beat! Beat! Drum!” Discussion

After listening to Walt Whitman’s Beat! Beat! Drum! performed by the speaker I received a dubious impression. The free verse used in the poem reminds a quickness of movement that reflects the poet’s enthusiasm, fervor, and passion. There are three stanzas, all of which repeat the same line “Beat! beat!...

Gender and Communication in “Modern Family” by Lloyd

Television shows present gender and communication in a multitude of different ways, which either positively or negatively affect their viewers’ perspectives on many critical issues. They may promote various stereotypes and encourage people to conform or destroy biases and inspire individuals to be independent. It is essential to understand how...

The Future Shock and Its Idea on Accelerating the Speed of Progress

Alvin Toffler is an American philosopher and futurologist, one of the authors of the popular concept of post-industrial civilization, author of many books and articles. He holds honorary doctorates in literature and natural sciences. In the late 1960s, Toffler was commissioned by IBM to research the social consequences of the...

Comparing and Contrasting Sonnet 103 with Echo and Narcissus

Shakespeare permeates his lyrics with amazing metaphors and comparisons to express love and feelings. The metaphors used in Sonnet 103 and Echo and Narcissus by Shakespeare also present the reader with an indirect description of the sublime romance. On the other hand, the romance in these two works is, in...

The Theme of Loneliness in “Hamlet” and “Odysseus”

The theme of loneliness has been explored countless times in numerous works of literature, yet the ones that address the specified issue most authentically are “Hamlet” and “Odysseus.” Although each of the specified pieces of literature approaches the concept of loneliness from a different perspective, the overall sense of loneliness...

The Theme of Hysteria in The Crucible by A.Miller

Introduction It is common for authors to use historical events as a foundation for exploring pressing issues. The Crucible, a play written by Arthur Miller in 1953, is one of the examples of such a choice. In the play, the city of Salem is overcome by the fear of witchcraft,...

Pentangle in “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”

About fifty lines in the chivalric romance Sir Gawain and the Green Knight take over the significant symbol, the Pentangle, displayed on the Gawain’s shield. Each knight had a different design or symbol placed on his shield, which made it possible to identify people in battle when helmets obscured their...

“The Misfits” Characters Analysis

The Misfits depicts a group of friends rejected by others, known as the Gang of Five, despite having only four members. They are Bobby, Joe, Skeezie, and Addie, the only girl in the circle. Each has a distinct personality and certain reasons for being ostracized, and later the quarter joins...

Harlem Renaissance. Langston Hughes’ and Claude McKay’s Poems

Langston Hughes and Claude McKay are prominent representatives of the dawn of African American culture in the first half of the twentieth century. Harlem Renaissance was a powerful movement that shaped African American literature and aimed at reinforcing the racial bias. Despite leaving a mark in American poetry and being...

Building British Identity Across History in “Saint Erkenwald”

Literature addresses historical themes for a variety of purposes, especially since it often provides for fascinating plots and thought-provoking parallels. Medieval English literature was no exception to this rule, and authors of the Middle Ages utilized the topics related to the past to achieve their artistic purpose. “Saint Erkenwald,” A...

Poetry as Art: The Faber Book of Beasts

This essay builds on the belief that poetry as art is one of the most intense forms, combining the traditions of the past with innovation. In fact, it is common for authors to imitate idols, but for a poem to be socially and culturally relevant, it must bring something new...

“The Last Leaf” by O. Henry and “The Good Samaritan” by Luke

Introduction Christian stories and parables carry deep meaning and contain valuable discourses about virtues, goodness, and the righteous path that people should follow to live in a healthy and peaceful society. At the same time, in addition to theological texts, works from popular literature also may contain profound truths that...

Body, Pain, Self, and Sexual Desires as Themes in Poetry

The human body has always been an important topic for people. Its representation and attitude to it changed throughout the history of humanity, and the literature belonging to different epochs proves it. Writers tried to respond to topical ideas and speak about the topic from different perspectives. One of the...

Guest-Host Relationships in Homer’s ‘Odyssey’

Hospitality, the relationship between a host and a guest, is one of the most important themes that Homer portrays in his epic “The Odyssey”. In particular, Homer’s work provides excellent examples of how the ancient Greek societies had institutionalized hospitality. Indeed, hospitality was one of the most effective ways of...

Gender and Power in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”

The gender concept is clearly out of its traditional context in Macbeth’s storyline. For example, in Macbeth’s marriage, Lady Macbeth’s usurpation of the dominant role is often reflected in disruption because she controlled and dictated her husband’s actions on various occasions. Furthermore, through the couple of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth,...

“Royal Commentaries” by Garcilaso el Inca

By the will of fate, Inca Garcilaso de la Vega may be considered as the most famous chronicler of the New World. As the son of an Inca princess and conquistador, he had a truly unique opportunity to learn the details of the history of pre-Hispanic Peru first-hand from numerous...

Interpreter of Maladies: The Plot of the Story

Interpreter of Maladies is included in the collection of short stories of the same name. The plot of the story is built around the trip of the couple Das and their children – Indian immigrants of the second and third generation, who grew up in America – to the Sun...

The Play “Othello” by William Shakespeare

Introduction It is worth noting that the play “Othello,” written by William Shakespeare, is a rather complicated story that can be explored at different levels. In particular, it talks about the loss of trust, love, and the meaning of life. At the same time, the play shows a conflict between...

“Theatre 6” by Sarah Hall

Introduction It might be difficult for people to openly discuss the moral dilemmas that can cause one to choose between abiding by the law and helping others. The story that is described in this essay discusses this issue by placing the reader out of his or her comfort zone and...

Alice Walker’s 1955 and “Everyday Use”: Artificial vs. Genuine

Introduction Alice Walker is a writer who focuses her stories on the place of women of color in American society. In her works, the author raises themes of life of the African American community in the country, race, racism, as well as those of culture, heritage, and belonging. This essay...

Troy vs. Family Conflict in “Fences” Short Story by August Wilson

Introduction In any normal setting, family and society conflicts are inevitable, whereby people misunderstand one another. People have different perspectives on how they view different life instances. Notably, what seems to be correct to one might be wrong to another, leading to a conflict. In playwriting, developing a conflict is...

“The Little Black Boy” by William Blake

The rhythmic picture of the poem aims to convey the words of a little black boy as if it were a direct speech. For this purpose, William Blake constructed the stanzas of the poem as quatrains with the rhyme pattern “ABAB,” and most importantly, used the iambic pentameter. According to...

Treatment of Women in Society in Shakespeare’s Plays

The audience of all art forms perceives and forms different ideas from the works of art. In this context, some readers may find the treatment of women in William Shakespeare’s play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, unreasonable and, therefore, troubling. The readers may have several reasons for forming the opinion. Some...