My Last Duchess is a mysterious dramatic monologue about a Duke of Ferrara who is showing off a portrait of his late wife to a visitor of his home. While showing this portrait of his last Duchess, the Duke begins to reminisce on their lives together, and, although he chooses his words carefully as he speaks,…
Jessica is blinded by love in the play The Merchant of Venice. She willingly gives up her life of riches to be with Lorenzo. When Jessica says “Farewell – and if my fortune be not crost,/ I have a father, you a daughter, lost,”(Act II, Scene 5, line 55) she states that she is planning…
In the world there are many things that appear to be one thing but in reality is the complete opposite. For example a sign or an advertisement can deceive people into thinking that there is a really good, working, used computer on sale or absolutely free burger combo. The characters of the play The Merchant…
Introduction In the story “Arthur and the Two Swords”, Uther Pendragon, King of the south, conceived a son who was bestowed three gifts from the powers of mystery; he would become the best knight, he would live a long life and he would become the greatest king his land would ever know. The child’s name…
“In order to understand the whole world, one must first understand Mississippi” (). This thought was penned by William Faulkner, author of a Rose for Emily and several other stories set deep in the American South. Faulkner is considered to be one of the foremost Southern writers, and his work takes place almost exclusively in…
In the thirteenth century when Sir Gawain and the Green Knight was written, as well as in the Arthurian era in which it took place, Christian traditions created a male-dominated society in which women had very little perceived power. The paradigm of women in this era was a delicate paradox- they were treated with idolatry…
The pursuit of any success in life is an arduous journey, one that can only be accomplished by the few dedicated individuals willing to push their ambition and capabilities as far as possible. Only a minute handful of people make it to a professional sports level, a great actor or actress, or even a great…
The Da Vinci Code, a novel that was subsequently turned into a film, brings to light a theory held by some conspiracists regarding the hidden truth of Jesus’ sexual involvement with Mary Magdalene. In the movie, Robert Langdon, a Harvard symbologist, while evading arrest, seeks to solve the murder of his acquaintance, coming across an…
How can one measure the deadliest of the seven sins? The seven deadly sins, wrath, sloth, lust, pride, avarice, gluttony, and envy are often explored by authors in attempt to examine the nature of man. When put in certain situations one may be forced to make decisions based upon their favored personal outcome. Wrath closely…
In William Shakespeare’s, King Lear, the concept of justice is a theme that many characters struggle with. There is a prominent emphasis on the question of whether there is moral righteousness in the world which would demand that every crime committed must have an equally appropriate punishment. However, is justice served when some characters crimes…
Orwell’s 1984 and the comparable Kesey’s One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, are dominated with controlling institutions that hold complete power over their societies. Whether it is a government party called Big Brother that enforces totalitarianism or a psychiatric hospital that places emphasis on destroying the patient’s basic human needs such as laughing. Both of…
Christopher Columbus had first discovered that the world is round. Thomas L. Friedman believes otherwise, metaphorically speaking, of course. One must wonder, even as a metaphor, how can the world, in its massive spherical form, be compared to a mere playground? In his book, The World is Flat (Release 3.0), he explains why the world…
In the novel 1984 written by George Orwell betrayal is a recurring theme that is highlighted throughout the novel. Betrayal is the act of using treachery or disloyalty to expose someone’s true feelings. Betrayal is prevalent in the society of Oceania through government manipulation and through the acts of the characters, O’Brien and Julia, who…
Many symbols are left unexplained in both the novel and the film, but hold significant meaning to the overall story and plotline. In the film, Susie’s charm bracelet is the item Mr. Harvey chooses to keep as a souvenir of her murder. However, when investigating Mr. Harvey’s home, the detectives neglect to see it. In…
In both Shakespeare’s The Tempest and John Milton’s Paradise Lost, characters commit acts considered to be explicitly evil. However, we cannot help but feel sympathy to some extent, as there is always deeper meaning as to why the actions are taken. In The Tempest, despite Caliban’s savage demeanour and unattractive appearance, he has a noble…
Historical-Biographical Written 3 years after WWII and reflects mob mentality of the Holocaust As a child, Shirley Jackson was bullied by other children (even pelted with stones) Thought that she may have been reflecting on prejudiced values within her hometown Being pelted with stones is a direct transfer of events that occurred in her life…
Andrew Marvell, a famous poet, was born in 1621 and raised in Yorkshire, England. Most of his poems were published after Marvell’s death in 1678 which is about thirty years after they were written. Although Marvell’s style and theme relates his writing to other famous poets such as Donne and Jonson he is considered to…
William Blake’s ‘The Tyger’ is a comprehensive poem that poses questions to the reader such as, what is ‘The Tyger’? What is its creation? Blake also uses the tiger as a metaphor for the good and evil in the world. Blake emphasizes the tiger’s creation by the repetition of “Tyger! Tyger! Burning bright” (1 &…
Magic realism is a technique which combines the real and the imaginary to create a fantastical, yet believable story. In the novel One Hundred Years of Solitude, author Garcia Marquez uses magic realism as a tool to draw the reader in. In addition he uses it as a representation of the Columbian culture which strongly…
Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel and The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka are two novels that provide an illustration of oppressive parenting. The main characters of both novels, Tita for Like Water for Chocolate and Gregor for The Metamorphosis are oppressed by their parents for a majority of their lives. However, eventually Tita and…
