The Strange, Dark World of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”

“Macbeth” is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare in 1605 or 1606 and published in 1628. The story of the play is no figment of the author’s imagination. Macbeth was a real king – a king of Scotland, nephew of Molom II, and ruler of Moray. He married Grunch, granddaughter...

Alienation Concept in the “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain

The romanticism of wandering, freedom, and estrangement from social norms attracted a number of authors; and this cohort of writers who extolled vagrancy includes Mark Twain with his “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”. A number of critics and experts refer to the specified piece of literature as a picaresque novel, or...

“The Life You Save May Be Your Own” by Flannery O’Connor

Terry Teachout says that in Flannery O’Connor’s world “unbelievers living in a fallen world tainted by modernity suddenly find themselves irradiated by grace, but… they struggle in vain against its revelatory power.” In “The Life You Save May Be Your Own,” Tom T. Shiftlet lives in a fallen world tainted...

Feminism in “Trifles” by Susan Keating Glaspell

Before the 1900s, men dominated society in the United States, Europe, and other parts of the world, while women were considered inferior to them. Women were discriminated against in all walks of life. The Feminist Movement also called the Women’s Movement and the Women’s Liberation Movement included a series of...

Mitch Albom’s “Tuesdays with Morrie” Reflections

Morrie’s lessons are a guideline to veritable values The professor’s lessons personify communication, love, and moral values. Morrie’s story is rather emotionally charged, through which the reader could perceive the eternal topic of life and death. Those lessons captivated me with the problems they revealed and the amazing solutions taken...

“Everything That Rises Must Converge” by Flannery O’Connor

Introduction A short story collection “Everything that Rises Must Converge” is written by Flannery O’Connor, an outstanding and well known writer. The book is considered to be a special one and combines philosophical and social issues; it is necessary to underline the fact that it was written during the author’s...

Concepts of Human and Natural Laws in Boccaccio’s “Decameron”

Introduction Establishing new moral and social norms can be a controversial issue, especially if these norms contradicted the social flow in the fourteenth century. A close vision to such breakthrough can be seen through the book “Decameron” by Giovanni Boccaccio – a hundred novels narrated through ten days in the...

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Covey

Introduction The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People was published in 1989 and is one of the most wonderful books that I have ever come across in my life. It is a self-help book written by Stephen R. Covey. This book has allowed me to look into myself and bring...

Spellbound: A Line to Line Explication

The night is darkening round me. The poet is standing at the edge of a moor. She finds the night turning darker. She gets a sense of being trapped. The wild winds coldly blow; Added to the carpet of darkness thickening around her comes to the blowing wind. She feels...

Socrates’ Belief About the Pursuit of Truths

Socrates was a Greek Philosopher who has been credited with founding Western Philosophy. He exists in history as a mysterious figure that is only known through the accounts of other people. There are no philosophical texts written by Socrates himself. His life, knowledge, and philosophy are found in the writings...

Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce

James Joyce’s novel A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is often regarded as a search for true identity. The protagonist of this story is Stephen Dedalus who comes from an Irish Catholic family and whose parents often experience financial problems. Stephen grows into an alienated unsociable person...

Edward Estlin Cummings and His Poetry Review

Introduction Edward Estlin Cummings is amongst the most controversial figures of the 20th century American poetry. On the one hand, readers value him for sincerity and sensitivity in depicting the mystery of love as well as for idealized depiction of the beloved as well as for his sensual, almost three-dimensional...

Curriculum as the Philosophical Consideration

Introduction Curriculum is one of the main issues, which directs the educational process all over the world. Combining the curriculum, teachers and tutors create the scheme, according to which the education is going to be led, which books are going to be investigated and which material, in general, will be...

The Unique Writing Style of William Faulkner

Introduction William Faulkner is regarded as one of the leading authors of 20th century American literature (Lombardi). Listed among his many works are the book “As I Lay Dying” and the short story “A Rose for Emily,” both of which depict several similar features that are typical of the author’s...

The Role of Antigone’s Pride in Her Death

The idea of excessive pride plays a monumental role in Greek tragedy. Pride in itself can be seen as a positive attribute, but when it is expressed in arrogance and defiance of fate and the gods, it becomes a fatal flaw that leads to downfall. Aristotle stated, “the tragic hero...

The Curse vs. Antigone: Compare & Contrast

Introduction “Antigone” by Sophocles is a story about family relations, pride, and death, reason, and passion. The play acquires significance in the development of European consciousness since it reveals the conflict between the individual and the State. This is also a conflict of nature and spirit, where it is difficult...

“Iliad” by Homer and “A Thousand and One Nights”: Comparison

Supernatural power The Iliad by Homer in his character analysis uses supernatural strength to describe the development of the story. He uses Achilles to link a close relationship between humans and the gods. This superhuman strength describes the character as a warrior in the Achaean army. He uses this character...

The Iliad’s Oral Tradition

There are several suggestions that perhaps Homer’s The Iliad is the product of a much longer oral tradition that Homer wrote down and passed along as an artist. An oral tradition can be generally thought of as a story that is passed down from one generation to another through oral,...

Francois Voltaire’s “Candide, or Optimism”: Analysis of Satire

In the scope of classical literature, the writings of Francois Voltaire occupy a prominent position. Voltaire’s renowned shrewd outlook and sober judgment found reflection in his famous satire Candide, or Optimism – a book which, met with a scandal immediately after publication, has enjoyed great popularity for centuries due to...

A Clean, Well-Lighted Place: Critical Analysis

The short story by Ernest Hemingway titled A Clean, Well-Lighted Place is a bright example of the psychological literature in which all sins of human beings are revealed. In this story, Hemingway manages to illustrate the eternal differences between human beings through the short dialog of two waiters in a...

Pride & Prejudice and Emma: Compare & Contrast

Abstract Jane Austen is a woman of her times. She is well known for her piercing social commentary and portraits of courtship and marriage. She also has a deep understanding of family life and the complex interactions between parents and their daughters. Among her best works are the novels Pride...

Death of a Salesman: Plot Analysis

The events of Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman take place in 1949, four years after the Second World War has come to an end. America is enjoying a postwar economic boom, but the World War has caused a shake-up in American society, changing the way people view business,...

The Sun Also Rises and The Great Gatsby: Comprare & Contrast

The works ‘The Great Gatsby’ by Scott Fitzgerald and ‘The Sun also Rises’ by Ernest Hemingway are considered to be real masterpieces of world literature; both works are based on the reflection of historical setting characterized as ‘roaring twenties’. It is necessary to underline the fact that the books serve...

The Great Gatsby: Analysis

Introduction To begin with, I should pay attention on Francis Scott Fitzgerald as one of the greatest American writers of the last century. Also we should admit his many-faceted talent in depicting the Post-World-War I society of the United States in his outstanding novel “The Great Gatsby”. This one is...

“Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight” by Alexandra Fuller Review

Description The book is set within the background of a country fighting for a life breath. A memoir tells several stories at once. Neighboring to the civil war-stricken Mozambique, Rhodesia was slowly moving towards a Nationalist regime. The country was a trap with road mines and guerillas around the corner....

Feminism in “Anthills of the Savannah” by Chinua Achebe

Introduction Feminism is a contradictory phenomenon, and thus, the views on feminism differ in their analysis as the phenomenon itself differs in meaning. Feminism can be understood in general, except for its most radical appearances. The most common representation of feminism in literature can be seen through the introduction of...

Short Stories by G.G. Marquez and I. Singer

The well-known short story writer Gabriel Jose Garcia Marquez was born on March 6, 1928, in Aracataca, Colombia. He had written a collection of short stories and “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” is a very famous one among them. It is considered a supernatural story with a realistic...

Analysis of Ferlinghetti’s A Vast Confusion

In a way, this poem is a verbal collage, a vast confusion of created mind images used to convey a mood, a message or just an observation. The poet uses images and sound, movement and symbols to tell us about what he believes. The poem reminds one of the short...

Sophocles’ Oedipus the King and Rita Dove’s “The Darker Face of the Earth”

Rita Dove’s “The Darker Face of the Earth” is a poet reading that narrates the Oedipus drama, fabricated in terms of the African-American experience of slavery. Oedipus the King’s reading is enriched with the beauty and richness of ancient images and distress dynamics of Greek myths. The transcendent power drawn...

Gender Roles Within Greek Society

Introduction Gender roles in Greek society were determined by social and cultural traditions, position of women in society and their significance as citizens. The position of women in society was determined by absence of political rights acquired by men. Many Greek plays portray women as canny and jealous. The play...

Old Angel Midnight by Jack Kerouac

Introduction The narrative that has been taken into consideration goes by the name of Old Angel Midnight and was written perhaps in the year 1959 and was written by the well-known author Jack Kerouac. This narrative can be considered as a consequence of Kerouac’s involuntary experiments of writing that he...

Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis Book I and II

Introduction The book Persepolis I and II, reflects on the life of Marjane Satrapi, an Iranian girl who fled to Vienna in Australia after the Islamic revolution in 1979. This occurred after the Iranian warfare augmented the government’s authority over its people. Satrapi’s parents saw the need to send their...

Cullen’s and Milton’s Poems Review

Introduction The Afro American poets Countee Cullen and John Milton are closely connected with the so-called Renaissance of the African literature. The best known poem “yet, do I marvel” by Cullen is often been misinterpreted and consequently, it was regarded as just one more lament of a defeated soul as...

“Two Trains Running” by August Wilson

Introduction It is a common knowledge that African-American experience due to its being sad and this is why dramatic always attracted attention of writers and playwrights as well as other people who could disclose to the world the reasons of oppression due to racial factor, depict, describe or portray the...

Love in “Hamlet” Play by William Shakespeare

Hamlet written by William Shakespeare is a play-tragedy disclosing a lot of aspects of the social and personal lives of its characters. The author managed to raise the most important problems of humanity combining negative and positive emotions in his heroes. One of the most brightest and significant aspects described...

Marjane Satrapi’s “Persepolis” Autobiographical Novel

Introduction Marjane Satrapis autobiographical novel “Persepolis” explores such complicated issues as culture shock and the loss of cultural identity. The book is a unique combination of autobiographical prose and comics. The author successfully shows the world through the eyes of a young girl, the task, which is very difficult to...

Marquez’s The Chronicle of a Death Foretold & Allende’s The House of the Spirits

Introduction The novel “The Chronicle of a death foretold”, written by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, is a novel based on a real murder that occurred in Columbia on January 22, 1951. The main characters in “The Chronicle…” and their actions, fate and intentions resembled that of the people in the actual...

Theme of Judgement in the “To Kill a Mocking Bird” by Harper Lee

Introduction To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee is one of the most vehement novels that break the tradition of ‘ part pour l’art’ and proceeds to provide some strong lessons. Racism and classism are one of its major themes, and in course of exploration of such a theme,...

French Revolution and Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities”

Charles Dickens is believed to be one of the most prominent writers of the so-called Victorian Era. He is renowned for his style, creation of unique and unforgettable characters, but the overwhelming majority of literary critics focus attention on his social sensitivity because undoubtedly, the authors works often concentrate on...

Symbolism in A Doll’s House

A Doll’s House is one of the many plays written by a Norwegian playwright and theatre director Henrik Johan Ibsen. Now Ibsen is often referred to as one of the most influential writers of his time and even as “a father of realism”. In this work, the plot revolves around...

Gender & Feminism in A Doll’s House

Ibsen’s drama ‘A Doll’s House’ appears to be influential literary work, as it revises and reconsiders traditional male and female roles and reveals the threats underlying gender discrimination. The author definitely portrays courageous and goal-oriented women, who struggle with the challenges of the androcentric society and find their niche in...

The Essay on Man and Candide: Character Analysis

Introduction The literature of the Enlightenment is generally of the great interest for the philosophers, researchers and simply for people keen on literature of that period. The Alexander Pope’s “Essay on the man” and Voltaire’s “Candide, or Optimism” are regarded as the satiric literature of the eighteenth century. Both are...

Death of a Salesman: Book Review

On Theme “The man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead. Be liked and you will never want”… – Willy Loman, Act 1 (Miller, 1998) “The American Dream” is the highlight of this story. There is a...

Poetry and Prose 1660-1800- John Dryden’s Absalom and Achitophel

Introduction Absalom and Achitophel was written for the King Charles II in 1681. This poem represents a political satire and critically depicts the Court and royal manners. The uniqueness of this poem is that it presents not merely a series of pictures of personalities, but the whole situation and in...

Abner Snopes and Major de Spain as Figures of Authority in Faulkner’s Barn Burning

In Barn Burning, Faulkner manages to explore different themes related to family, authority, violence, and justice. Told from the perspective of a child conflicted by his moral obligations, “Barn Burning” illustrates the dichotomy between two exertions of power – Abner Snopes and Major de Spain. Even though Abner as the...

‘A Rose for Emily’ by Faulkner: Narration & Psychological Depth

Introduction Widely considered to be one of the most significant American writers of the 20th century, Faulkner concentrates on themes that are universal. His novels, The Sound and the Fury, Absalom! Absalom! are experiments with shifts in time and narrative. A Rose for Emily is the strange story of love,...

The Song of Roland as an Epic Poem

The Song of Roland is considered one of the great epic memorials of medieval French literature. An insignificant historical fact served as basis for this heroic poem, and later on having enriched itself by several later events it had integrated the story of Roland into many literatures throughout the world....

Willy Loman Death of a Salesman: Character Analysis

Introduction The Death of a Salesman vividly portrays a life of a middle-class salesman who tries to achieve the American dream and realize his life hopes. Miller writes that, in Loman, he has attempted to personify certain values which civilized men, in the twentieth century, share. In Death of a...

Protagonist in Death of a Salesman: Character Analysis

Introduction The Death of a Salesman portrays a life story of Willy and his son Biff, their life expectations and hopes. In this play, Arthur Miller depicts contradiction between industrial society and personal values, false dreams and inability to understand and find his place in this society. Willy Loman is...

Benjamin Franklin vs. Jay Gatsby: Character Comparison

The Great Gatsby deal with contradictions present in a romantic figure, certain troubling discrepancies between appearance and reality which that figure reveals under critical scrutiny. The main character can be compared with Ben Franklin as he possesses the same qualities and virtues. Similar to Ben Franklin, Gatsby value knowledge and...

Human Issues in Chaucer’s ‘Canterbury Tales’

The Parson and the Plowman The story of Parson can be described as the sermon on virtuous living. Parson may be regarded as the only member of the clergy in Chaucer’s cycle who is depicted in a positive light. Parson, asked by the host Harry Bailly to tell the fable...

Thwarted Love in Anton Chekhov’s Literature

Born in 1860, Anton Chekhov wrote extensively on the complexities of human nature and the hidden importance of how day-to-day interactions impacts human life (Kirk 43-56). He is famously known for such stories as “The Steppe”, “The Lady with the Dog”, “The Seagull”,” A living Chattel”, and” Uncle Vanya”. Even...

“Buccaneers of the Caribbean: How Piracy Forged an Empire” by Jon Latimer

Introduction Buccaneers of the Caribbean: How Piracy Forged an Empire is an interesting historical book by Jon Latimer. The author chronicles historical events that occurred during the seventeenth century as buccaneers controlled the Caribbean. The buccaneers were confused with pirates, but they were privateers from France, England, and Holland, authorized...

In-Depth Character Analysis of ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ by Charlotte Gilman

The Yellow Paper is a short story written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and published in 1892. The text is written in the first person, and it reports the inexorable plunging of the narrator into dissociation and madness. The Yellow Paper lends itself to several interpretations, and it reflects the cultural...

Analyzing Female Voices in Chinese Literature: Themes and Impact

Introduction Many recent studies have focused on female representation in art and literature. Researchers are turning their interest toward the fleeting female identity to be found in literary works of the past and the present. Women’s writing is often inseparable from the concept of gender. Each era in human history...

Father-Son Relationships in “The Odyssey”

Introduction The epic poem, “The Odyssey” by Homer is a great work of literature that narrates the story of Odysseus as he returns to Ithaca from Troy. Due to the patriarchal nature of the Greek society, the reader observes that the relationship between father and son is a major subject...

In-Depth Analysis of Rudolfo Anaya’s Novel ‘Bless Me, Ultima’

Introduction The novel Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya is one of the most outstanding works revealing the problems and lifestyle of Mexicans in the United States in the 20th century. At the center of the story, such a family is represented, and the main characters are vivid and deep....

“Parable of the Sower” Sci-Fi Novel by Octavia Butler

Introduction “Parable of the Sower” is a book written by Octavia Butler. The genre of this work is science fiction, more specifically a dystopia, or a depiction of a society that encompasses undesirable or frightening characteristics, for example, scarcity of resources, inequality, and discrimination. In the book “Parable of the...

Know Thyself: Sophocles’ “Oedipus the King”

The famous saying “Know Thyself,” which is written on the temple at Delphi, is one of the main messages of the Sophocles’ play “Oedipus the King.” Taking into account the historical context, it is easy to explain the problem that appeared at the end of the fifth century. “Know Thyself”...

Symbolism in “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

In her famous short story “The Yellow Wallpaper,” Charlotte Perkins Gilman explored the challenges women of the nineteenth century had to face. This literary work is still rather up-to-date and can bring insights into the life of women living in many countries. The piece is full of symbols, which makes...

‘The Last Night of the World’ by Ray Bradbury

‘The Last Night of the World’ is a short story by Ray Bradbury written in a genre of speculative fiction. It presents an evening dialogue between spouses who are drinking coffee and watching their daughters play on the rug. It is an entirely ordinary evening except for the dream they...

The Essence of Machiavelli’s Book “The Prince”

Introduction In the early 16th century, when Italy consisted of city-states ruled by princes, Niccolo Machiavelli wrote a handbook for princes and dedicated it to Lorenzo de Medici, Duke of Urbino and the ruler of Florence. This work became infamous because it justified criminal deeds committed for the sake of...

Good v. Evil in the “To Kill a Mocking Bird” by Harper Lee

Starting with the title and ending with the plot, the whole book notes the connection of the narrative with harmless birds. The title “To Kill a Mockingbird” is associated with a specific situation that occurred in the plotline. Atticus buys special air rifles for his children for shooting sports. And...

The Nature of Revenge Prior to and After the Creation of Hamlet

Introduction One of the most famous plays created by William Shakespeare is Hamlet. The play deals with multiple themes. However, the most dominant theme that overshadows everything else in the play is the theme of revenge. The issue of revenge is questioned from the point of view of violence. This...

“Inside the White Cube” the Book by O’Doherty

Summary of the Book The book, Inside the White Cube, by O’Doherty focuses on the concept of the gallery space, how it has evolved over the years, and its significance in passing a specific message to the audience. In this book, the author explains the relevance of neutral patterns in...

Art Creation: Poetry as a Favorite Form of Literature

Poetry has always been my favorite form of literature due to its fascinating ability to reflect extensive ideas within several lines. One of my favorite poets is Robert Frost, whose works are considered some of the best ever written. My love for this poet was born in middle school when...

Anne Moody’s Coming of Age: Segregation and Civil Rights

Introduction The problem of discrimination and biased attitude towards the representatives of particular groups of society has always been an ongoing issue. Even today, despite significant progress in this sphere, some manifestations of this remnant of the past can be observed. The situation was even more complex a half-century ago...

Billy Collin’s “The First Dream”: The Use of Self Expression in Poetry

Billy Collin’s poem The First Dream is clearly an expression of the feeling one has when one tries to explain an abstract experience. In Collin’s case, the abstract experience is a dream. Arguably, people tend to distance themselves from mystery as human beings tend to prefer real-world occurrences that can...

Pirandello’s “Six Characters in Search of an Author”

Introduction The play written by Luigi Pirandello in 1921 under the title Six Characters in Search of an Author is an example of a drama that utilizes the method of theatre-in-theatre. The author is a Nobel Prize-winning Italian writer and dramatist. As the title implies, the play concentrates around six...

Mathilde in “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant

Introduction The Necklace is a short story written by French writer Guy de Maupassant at the end of the 19th century. In the story, the main character Mathilde Loisel lives a humble life of a middle-class housewife believing that she is meant to be rich. She borrows a diamond necklace...

Injustice. “Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Dr. King

Introduction Martin Luther King is regarded as one of the most influential thinkers and fighters for Civil Rights in the USA. His “Letter from Birmingham Jail” is one of the numerous examples of this activist’s effective addresses to people. In this piece, Dr. King responds to white religious leaders who...

The Story of Wildflower

Introduction All that travelers knew, was that the Emerald Forest was about 350 kilometers north of Prague. Pilgrims from all across the world, who were lucky enough to hear of that magical place made sure to invest all their efforts and pay that forest a visit. Many folks would hear...

Exploring Play and Game Structures by Sicart & Fullerton

Introduction This essay is a review of two chapters from books by Miguel Sicart and Tracy Fullerton. The first chapter talks about the definition of play, and the second describes the structure of a game. The goal of the review is to find two interesting points in each chapter and...

Morality Play: Everyman

This paper discus Everyman, a morality play performed during the medieval ages. The morality plays are also known as allegory essays and focuses on the behavior of man in earth and life after death. In this play, the main character is Everyman who has been used symbolically to represent the...

Herd Behavior in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson

Introduction The story innocently titled “The Lottery,” written by Shirley Jackson would be generally expected to have a positive theme. However, the plot narrates the events of the annual lottery, which takes place in the most ordinary setting of a small village (more specifically in its main square). The purpose...

Analyzing the Truth in Olaudah Equiano’s Story

The summary of Olaudah Aquino’s story from free life in his native Africa to slavery in the Americas and acquisition of freedom has revealed that several issues need to be investigated based on the story and history of slavery. Quite clearly, the presence of several texts and historical accounts tend...

“Great Expectations” a Book by Charles Dickens

Pip’s Feelings the Next Day After He Met Mr. Jaggers Pip’s mood has improved the next morning after he came into possession of the unexpected fortune. However, he feels uncertain about his future and even thinks that something may happen to London before he even has a chance to get...

Eliezer and Shlomo: Evolving Father-Son Bond in ‘Night’

How Eliezer’s relationship with his father changes throughout the book? Eliezer and his father Shlomo are the main characters of Elie Wiesel’s novel Night. In spite of the fact many issues associated with the Holocaust and the people living in concentration camps are discussed in the novel, the author pays...

Lessons Learned from “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka

Welcome to our essay sample on the lessons from The Metamorphosis! Here, you’ll find The Metamorphosis summary and analysis. Keep reading to get a better understanding of Kafka’s story. The Metamorphosis: Summary The major change in Gregor’s life was the transformation from the human life to that of an insect...

Style of Columbus’ Letters to Spain’s King and Queen

The tone Christopher Columbus used in his letters to the Queen and King of Spain is very official, professional, optimistic, and positive. Christopher Columbus as a person, who was directly involved in the process of discovering new lands had the best level of education and was very well informed about...

Eliezer’s Faith Struggle in “Night” by Wiesel

Introduction Elie Wiesel exhibits his struggle in religion and faith in a unique manner. As a Jew, Eliezer was brought up to be a staunch believer in God. However, the same is not evidenced throughout the book. Eliezer grows up believing that God is absolute and omnipresent. He is a...

“Daughter of Fortune” Novel by Isabel Allende

Patriarchy in the novel Daughter of Fortune The author uses the text to refer to a society where men dominate and have an exercising authority over women and children (Allende 2). The author demonstrates how Jeremy controls Sommer’s household and describes his character as a rigid man (Allende 4). The...

Literary Devices in “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by O’Connor

Flannery O’Connor’s short story A Good Man is Hard to Find has always attracted the attention of various critics since this literary work can give rise to various interpretations. Moreover, it is possible to identify various themes that the author explores, for example, one can mention religion or social change....

“A Death in the Family” Novel by James Agee

Introduction A death in the family is an autobiographical book by James Agee. The writing of the book started in 1944, but the book was printed in 1957, two years after the death of its writer James Agee. The novel is entirely based on what happened when the author visited...

Citino’s “The Path to Blitzkrieg” Book’s Strengths and Weaknesses

Introduction In history, there are a number of books that have been written depicting the wars of the past centuries. The books have mainly been centered towards numerous interests on military forces and the way that they organized their war plans chiefly regarding their ammunitions and leadership. Military excellence is...

Symbolism and Racism in Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird”

Exploring the issues of the racisms in the book “To Kill a Mockingbird” cannot be separated from the use of symbolism since symbolism has been used as the vessel by which racism is expressed in an indirect manner that allows the reader to explore the meaning behind such symbols, Harper...

The Histories by Herodotus: Meaning and Purposes

Introduction Herodotus’ Histories, a multi-volume literary composition, is not a historical work in the modern sense of the genre. Describing the events that took place over the course of the Greco-Persian Wars serves as the major theme in the book, yet along the way, the author also creates a thorough...

Religion in Enlightenment Literature: Moliere’s Tartuffe

Introduction Molière’s Tartuffe is a perfect example of the critical yet satirical exploration of the theme of religious hypocrisy in the Enlightenment literature (TheatreHistory par. 1). A symbolic capital of praise and admiration that the play has accrued over the centuries speaks tellingly of its theatrical worth as well as...

Women’s Oppression in The Yellow Wallpaper

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is one of the best examples of Gothic literature. Being considered as the scary writing at the times when the story was written, however, some time passed and the story has been interpreted from different perspectives involving various angles of consideration. A close...

Poems Comparison: The Necklace and I Stand Here Ironing

It is a good idea to compare and contrast Maupassant’s The Necklace and Olsen’s I Stand Here Ironing, because of the way the authors examined the subject of poverty. They share the same interest as manifested in their desire to explore the meaning of poverty in the lives of young...

Sex without Love: by Sharon Olds

Literature has always served people to convey their feelings and emotions. It is a very powerful remedy which helps authors show their attitude towards some issue and make people think about it. That is why it is obvious that much attention in the literature is devoted to the issue of...

Capitalism in “Out of This Furnace” by Thomas Bell

Introduction Capitalism is one of the most effective forms of governing at the present moment. However, it has not been that beneficial for the first wave immigrants who moved to the United States of America to find better living standards and conditions in general. The book, written by Thomas Bell...

Elie Wiesel’s “Night”: Father-Son Relationship Amidst Holocaust Horrors

People can experience a lot of difficulties on the paths to building strong relationships with their relatives. Eliezer and his father Shlomo, the characters of Elie Wiesel’s novel Night, had overcome the horrors of the concentration camp before they found their own vision of relations with God and with each...

Celtic Myth and Occult Thought in Yeats’s Works

Introduction The Irish literary revival touched upon many themes of both ancient and contemporary Ireland. The prominent authors of the period, such as Synge, Yeats, and Lady Gregory used a variety of themes and topics to create a new representation of Ireland in theatre, novels, and poetry. One of the...

Figurative Language of “Persuasion” by Jane Austen

The novel Persuasion written by Jane Austen tells the story of two lovers, Anne Elliot and Frederick Wentworth who are not allowed to marry because Anne’s parents are prejudiced against Frederick. Jane Austen uses third-person narrator in order to portray characters and their actions. Overall, this novel presents a sharp...

Dramaturgy in “The Piano Lesson” by August Wilson

The Piano Lesson is a play that was written by August Wilson in 1990 with its main theme being a family legacy. It is set during the dark days of the Great Depression in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Wilson managed to encompass and deliver the main problems of the American society during...

Shakespeare’s Hamlet and His Self-Destructive Temper

Introduction Hamlet is one of Shakespeare’s most outstanding works. Feigned and real madness, incest, revenge, treachery, and moral corruption are some of the societal vices that the play depicts (Shakespeare, 19). Driven by a singular goal to avenge his father’s death, Hamlet lets his emotions cloud his judgments. This led...

The War Prayer Mark Twain

The War Prayer Analysis: Essay Introduction Mark Twain, officially known as Samuel Langhorne Clemens, is a celebrated American author whose work and practice both in academic and political fields contributed immensely to shaping American literary history, socio-political environment, and global academic development. The author, a critic of American discriminative leadership,...

“Antigone” by Sophocles: Antigone and Creon Characters

Character and motivation of Antigone and Creon In the play, Antigone is mainly motivated by love for her family, respect for the gods, and belief in the afterlife. When she is faced with a difficult choice concerning new law, which challenges Theban traditions, she opts to disobey because of her...

“Top Girls” a Play by Caryl Churchill

Women have already made a long way towards the establishment of equality. Caryl Churchill in her play Top Girls highlights the issue regarding the success of the women’s movement of the 1970s and 80s, making us doubt that the female accomplishments in the sphere of career are enough for the...

Gilman’s “Women and Economics”: Progressivism and Women’s Independence

Introduction The era of progressivism has given birth to several innovative ideas and offered support and leverage for many more. Feminism can be categorized as the latter, as it gained substance and refined many of its ideas during this historical period. Women and Economics by Charlotte Perkins Gilman are often...

Behavior Under Pressure: Insights from Hughes and Orwell

People often behave in a certain way not because they want to or think that they should behave in this way because it is the right thing but because they experience the pressure of people around them. The nature of this pressure is curious: it is not that people who...

Children’s Literature by Carl Tomlinson and Nancy Anderson

In this paper, two children’s books will be analyzed and reflected on: Essentials of Young Adult Literature, presented by Carl M. Tomlinson, and Entering the World of Children’s Literature, written by Nancy Anderson. As a kindergarten teacher, I find these two readings very helpful and really captivating. It is not...

“The Bean Eaters” by Gwendolyn Brooks

The subject of the Poem The poem The bean eaters deals with a seemingly simple subject, which is a scene of two old people having dinner and eating beans. However, a closer look at the narrative will show that it addresses an array of social issues, poverty being the main...

Corruption in “Motives and Thoughts” by Lauren Hill

The poem “Motives and Thoughts” by Lauren Hill, discloses a distinctive way of life in many societies at present. It is evident that corruption is a significant meaning of the poem. The poet explains that corruption is a vice with deep roots in every human life, “While vice and corruption...

Segregation in “Disgrace” by J. M. Coetzee

Disgrace is a novel written by J. M. Coetzee at the very end of the 20th century. It was awarded several times and received positive feedback from numerous critics. With his work, the author urged society to pay attention to the morality of their actions. He depicts the life of...

Elie Wiesel’s Exploration of Faith in “Night”: Themes and Reflections

Eliezer’s faith in God was something beyond question. He spent time in devotion to God. He frequently prayed to Him and at times he even cried. This was to show how deep his reverence to his creator was. It was made even more evident when Moshe questioned his faith and...

“Oedipus Rex” a Play by Sophocles

Oedipus Rex is a Greek tragedy play written and directed by Sophocles who lived many centuries ago. The play is a classic master piece of Greek talent in theatre and drama and has generously contributed to modern forms of theatrical arts. The play revolves around the tragic fate of Oedipus...

“Cosmopolis” a Novel by Don DeLillo

The story of Cosmopolis by Don DeLillo is about the final day in the life of Eric Packer, a billionaire financial trader. The story is set in 2000 on “A Day in April” as delineated before the beginning of part 1 of the story (DeLillo 3). The novel opens with...

“Monstress” a Comics by Marjorie Liu

Monstress is a popular series of graphic novels by Liu (the author) and Takeda (the artist), published by Image Comics. Dealing with feminism and racism, the story is based on childhood experiences and family history. Thus a fantastic world, cruel to the main heroine Maika, is created. According to McMillan,...

Inspiration from “Stop-Time“ by Frank Conroy

Time is a concept that does not exist in nature by itself. It is created by humans to ease our understanding of universal development. For us, everything has a beginning and an end. It is quite difficult for a human mind to grasp an image that space existed all the...

“Jonathan Livingston Seagull” by Richard Bach

I perfectly realize the unique mission our newspaper accomplishes, the role it plays in the formation of peoples mentality, and the impact it has on their minds. For this reason, I am sure that only worthy artworks could be published by it. Thus, considering the unique goal and a specific...

“In Our Time” a Short Story by Ernest Hemingway

The nature of humans suggests that we tend to get close with certain people or things, and to keep others at a distance at the same time. Some things are familiar to us; we know them well and feel safe with them. Other things are foreign to us, and we...

“The Martian Chronicles” by Ray Bradbury

Americans, in the twentieth century, saw wonderful scientific discoveries like the atomic bomb, the space age, and political moves that came as a result of a sense of superiority for America. It elevated America to a nation that was ahead in civilization and development. All these phenomena had a great...

Barn Burning: Loyalty vs. Justice in Faulkner’s Short Story

This paper is aimed at discussing the topic of the short story Barn Burning written by William Faulkner. In particular, this literary work describes the conflict between a boy’s devotion to his family and his keen sense of justice. This issue can also be described as the necessity to choose...

“Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne: A Study of Morality and Hypocrisy

Introduction Even though scars are quite a usual phenomenon and almost every person has them, they are able to produce a strong influence on their lives. Scars are perceived as something dark and negative. Basically, they are just the signs that somewhere in the past, an individual has suffered a...

Elie Wiesel’s Book “Night” Literature Analysis

Introduction Elie Wiesel was an American national (born in Romania in 1928). The book ‘Night’ is actually a translation (by Hill & Wang in 1960) of the original novel titled ‘Un di Velt Hot Geshvign’ that Wiesel wrote in 1955 (in the Yiddish language). In this book, Wiesel brings about...

The Novel “Disgrace” by John Maxwell Coetzee

Introduction The novel Disgrace by John Maxwell Coetzee depicts the harsh realities of the so-called “culture of rape” – a culture in which women are often perceived as objects that are to be utilized in order to satisfy the desires of men, the sexual ones in particular. The author tells...

Perseus and Moses Heroes’ Journey Pattern

Introduction Myths and legends are an important part of the legacy of the past, and it is critical to be able to analyze them to gain a better understanding of the cultural heritage of a particular person. This paper provides an analysis of two heroic figures from the mythology/religion of...

“The Karma of Brown Folk” a Book by Vijay Prashad

Introduction The book, The Karma of Brown Folk, is the book that presents the history and the life of the minority groups in the United States. Some of the minority groups that the book examines include Asian and Black Americans. According to Prashad, Asian and Black Americans living in the...

“The Romance of the Forest” a Novel by Ann Radcliffe

Despite being set in a particular time and place, Radcliffe’s story actually transpires in a space of imagination and feeling; it is the moral and emotional state of her characters that form the focus of the author’s attention, with a Cinderella plot underpinning their journey of towards discovery and reward....

Family Relationship in “Night” by Elie Wiesel

Introduction In the book Night by Elie Wiesel, the relationship between Eliezar and his father appears to be complex. It is shaped by harsh conditions, religion, deportation, and the interaction between the two and other people. In this essay, the author analyzes how this relationship changes throughout the novel. According...

Literature Analysis of Hamlet’s Soliloquies

Check out our Hamlet’s soliloquies analysis sample! Get more ideas and insights about the famous “To Be or Not To Be” quote for your Hamlet soliloquy essay. Hamlet Soliloquy Essay Introduction In his many conversations, Hamlet reminds the people around him and especially his mother that she does not know...

The Aeneid, the Iliad and the Odyssey Literature Comparison

The Aeneid is an epic poem written by Virgil. This work narrates the story of Augustus by using the character, Aeneas. The Aeneid is related to Greece and Rome, as the story begins in Troy and ends in Rome. The principal aim of the work is to appreciate the achievements...

Symbolism in “Disgrace” by John Coetzee

Introduction The Novel, Disgrace, revolves around David Lurie, a University lecturer who faces one disgrace after another. Disgrace follows David wherever he goes throughout the novel. The 52-year-old man faces life in a post apartheid South Africa where racial discrimination is still rife. David’s first scandal with Melanie at the...

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick

Introduction The problem of the relationship between humans and technology is often discussed nowadays. In the 20th century, when Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? was published. This problem was no less important than now. Many post-apocalyptic novels depicted the horrible future that could follow the future...

“Disgrace” by John Maxwell Coetzee: Conflict Resolution

Introduction The novel “Disgrace” is set in post-apartheid South Africa and revolves around David Lurie, an older male professor who is at a crossroads in his life and career due to emerging social and political realities. The main narrative in the novel projects several themes, which include social and political...

Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert Literature Analysis

Introduction Madame Bovary is the novel written by the outstanding French author Gustave Flaubert. The novel is considered to be one of the masterpieces of the world literature and one of the most famous works of its author. The novel is interesting for its rich plot telling about the fortune...

“The Wife of Bath’s Tale” by Geoffrey Chaucer

The wife in “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” dismisses authorities’ criticism on women but also goes ahead to state and refute her own words which make her appear to be contradicting herself and going against her own conviction. For instance, she is eager to know from her husband to be,...

“Long Walk Home” a Book by David Laskin

Key Argument Summary The onset of the 20th century was marked by incursion of immigrants into America. The majority of the immigrants, thought by most Americans to be naïve, came from non-English speaking countries (Laskin 6). The migration was caused by persistent conflicts at home and religious persecutions in mother...

Motives for Writing by Robert Keith Miller

It goes without saying that there are no literature works that would not be created under the influence of a particular idea, emotion or event in life. Thus, the three works of literature that we are going to discuss in this essay also were created under the influence of the...

“Tituba, Black Witch of Salem” by Maryse Conde

A migratory narrative is based on a subject that moves from the primary location to a different setting. The approach is one of the ways used by different authors to show and describe how black people dealt with the migratory issues as slaves. The author tries to explain the impacts...

“The Miser” by Jean-Baptist Moliere

“The Miser” is a 1668 five-act comedy of manners by a French playwright Jean-Baptist Moliere. Being first staged at the Palais Royal in 1668, this play is popular among contemporary theatre lovers, who are not less indignant at avarice and inhumanity of Harpagon, the miser and the main protagonist of...

Shirley Jackson’s Short Story “The Lottery” Literature Analysis

Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” is a memorable short story that has been called a piece of gothic horror (Contemporary Literary Criticism – Select). It is also clearly a piece of social commentary. It has even been analyzed as a feminist critique of patriarchy and male oppression (Oehlschlaeger). It gets part...

Shakespeare’s “Much Ado about Nothing” Literature Analysis

Introduction William Shakespeare was an actor, a poet, and a playwright. He is still one of the most popular figures in the literary field many decades after his demise. His expertise in poetry earned him several titles in the field. For example, he was fondly referred to as the ‘Bard...

Does Poetry Still Really Matter in the Modern World?

Critics have shown that poetry in the modern times is a specialized occupation of a small and isolated group of individuals, yet it was a major form of communication and expression of intelligence a few decades ago (Arana 91). The poets command only a small residual prestige but they are...

Robert Frost’s Symbolism: Philosophical Issues in Poetry

Touching upon various ethical and religious issues, contemporary authors define the concepts of physical versus spiritual life and transcendence. It is important to consider all the symbols and the context of the previous works of the writer or poet and his/her life experience for decoding all the messages of the...

Franz Kafka’s Novel “The Trial”

Some time ago I reread one of the most famous novels of the 20th century, Franz Kafka’s The Trial (Kafka, 1925). Unlike my first experience of reading it, this occasion of reading, along with some other information I run across soon after, has driven me to many conclusions about the...

Character Development in Interpreter of Maladies

Most writers rely upon the crucial point, which the stories they create reach, in order to develop fully some characters. Through relating the interaction of characters with others, their dialogues and actions, the readers get a clear picture of their true nature. Without it, there is no other way the...

“The Sound and the Fury” a Book by William Faulkner

The Sound and the Fury is a wonderful written work first presented by William Faulkner in 1929. The book has many compelling episodes to get absorbed with. It is interesting how Faulkner described his characters so vividly, each of them has own principles, virtues, attitude towards life and towards Caddy....

Romantic Childhood in Coleridge’s Frost at Midnight: Nature, Education, and Spirituality

Introduction The Romantic age is distinguished by a significant shift in perspective, stressing the person, nature, and imagination. In Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s poem “Frost at Midnight,” the poet explores these subjects through the eyes of the Romantic child, providing insights into the child’s relationship with nature, education, and spirituality. This...

Mr. Freeman’s Role in Melinda’s Healing in “Speak” by Laurie Halse Anderson

In Laurie Halse Anderson’s novel “Speak,” the protagonist, Melinda Sordino, embarks on a painful journey of recovery after a traumatic event. Throughout this journey, Melinda is influenced by various characters who, directly or indirectly, contribute to her eventual empowerment. Among them, her art teacher, Mr. Freeman, stands out as the...

Heroism and Futility in Tennyson’s “The Charge of the Light Brigade”

Introduction The Battle of Balaclava was a crucial event in the Crimean War, which lasted from 1853 to 1856. This battle proved futile for the British and resulted in significant casualties for the army. For poets, it was common to glorify sacrifice and bravery, particularly when these led to victories....

Liberation in Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper and Alexie’s What You Pawn I Will Redeem

Introduction The captivating stories in What You Pawn I Will Redeem by Sherman Alexie and The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman go beyond their specific historical and cultural settings. They examine the numerous facets of identity and the challenging road to self-liberation. Gilman’s 1892 short story examines the psychological...