In The Sketch-Book, we are presented with a set of sketches with which Washington Irving is attempting to define American literature, and solidify its place on the world stage. However, we almost immediately run into a contradiction, in that despite being a set of sketches meant to heighten interest and respect for American literature, Irving[…]
In How Late It Was How Late and Trainspotting, written by James Kelman and Irvine Welsh respectively, we are presented with two novels which consistently use the Scottish vernacular throughout. The placement and way in which the vernacular language is used in these novels is very much juxtaposed against that of institutional authority, and therefore[…]
When discussing the idea of the East Asian community as outsiders, an immediate place to begin is looking at the way in which foreignness, and the isolation which comes with that, is represented within The Luminaries and Chappy. Both Catton and Grace present their East Asian characters as facing this isolation and discrimination, with multiple[…]
Given the way in which East Asian migrants were “humiliated by their marginalisation”[1] within New Zealand, and the Māori community had little “protection against settler aspirations”[2], it makes sense that historically these were two communities which found solace in one another. Manying Ip asserts that “We believe that knowledge of the interaction between these two[…]
I will begin my reading from A. A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh. In the Introduction, the narration states “If you happen to have read another book about Christopher Robin, you may remember that he once had a swan”[1]. I read this to be a direct address on the “you”. This perspective could be read to be pre-supposing[…]
I will begin my reading from Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows. In Chapter Eleven, the text states (in the words of Toad), “I’ve only broken out of the strongest prison in England, that’s all! And captured a railway train and escaped on it that’s all!”[1] Both of these things required Toad to interact[…]
The tragedy Antigone, written by Sophocles c. 441 BC, is universally regarded as one of the most important pieces of drama that we have. Hegel describes it as “one of the most sublime, and in every respect most consummate, work[s] of art human effort ever produced”, saying that “[n]ot a detail in this tragedy but[…]
It is generally thought that Oscar Wilde’s body of work has three most important achievements: the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray (first published in 1890), the play The Importance of Being Earnest (first performed in 1895) and the letter De Profundis (written in 1897). Of these three masterpieces, The Importance of Being Earnest is[…]
‘Christabel’ (1816) is a mystifying Gothic poem in its uncanniness, raising more questions than answers. The fragmentary nature is fundamental to the obscurity and uncertainty present with the female characters: Geraldine and Christabel. The passage employs horror and terror effects such as the supernatural concerning Geraldine’s identity and the setting of a forest, both of[…]
Alexander Pope’s The Rape of the Lock (1714) is a mock-heroic poem, imitating the elevated language of classical epics through ‘[describing] in inflated terms a trivial subject’ (Terry, p.364) in a ceremonious manner. The poem is based upon a real incident: Lord Petre had cut a lock of Miss Arabella Fermor’s hair, enraging the Fermors[…]
Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca (1938) and Stephen King’s The Shining (1977) explore the horror of isolation. The characters face the destructive effects of physical and mental isolation. This essay argues that isolation is a major cause of destructive acts, both psychological and physical because the characters are victims of alienation, ultimately causing entrapment. In Rebecca, there is a heavy emphasis[…]
Wilfred Owen’s poem Dulce Et Decorum Est is a brutally shocking and thought-provoking poem that details the horrors of life in the trenches for soldiers during WWI. Owen’s use of graphic imagery and bitter tone makes it a representation of Owen’s anger on the loss of innocence and the futility of war. The poem centres around the[…]
Robinson Crusoe’s Island is arguably a kind of generic prototype for colonised spaces and the encounters between Western and ‘exotic’ peoples, and perhaps one of the first texts with clear examples of myth in the form it was used to justify colonisation. In this essay I will explore how Crusoe uses his conception of the[…]
Women’s place in history is a subject which has been discussed at length by feminist and other academics worldwide. However, not enough attention is always given to the link between actual societal circumstances and how they are expressed in the literature of the time in question, which can inform us about contemporary attitudes and everyday[…]
Descriptions of female characters in Soviet texts can greatly inform our understanding of how women were perceived (or, indeed, perceived themselves) in contexts of considerable turmoil or conflict. In Platonov’s Dzhan[1]- “Soul”, a text that is instilled with anxiety around memory and the loss thereof, I will explore the role played by the female physical[…]
Humans have always tried to improve their lives and society since the beginning of life. People have tried everything possible to eliminate the numerous ever-changing problems that they face every day. They have prayed and made sacrifices to superior beings, invented machines, ventured into other terrestrial bodies, created institutions, and improved their production methods to[…]
Introduction Both the stories of Othello and that of “The Death of Ivan Illynch” communicate to the reader the aspects of pain and suffering. The tragedy of Othello is perhaps one of the most important works of William Shakespeare. The writer of this play is believed to have initiated the play in 1603. Othello as[…]
“Why can’t African Literature be at the centre so that we can view other cultures in relation to it?” (Ngugi). How do the processes of canonisation contribute to the consecration of different categories of literature (e.g. African literature, postcolonial literature, Asian literature)? The emphasis on the word “can’t” speaks volumes in its connotations of barriers[…]
Toni Morrison is a both Pulitzer and Nobel prize winner as an American novelist. She was born on February 18th, 1931 in Ohio, specifically, Lorain. Apart from writing novels, she is a professor and editor and her literary books are known for epic themes, excellent articulated language, and properly formulated African-American characters who play a[…]
The epic, The Ramayana, first-authored by Valmiki, is one of India’s ancient poems describing societal norms and view on relationship, marriage, and kingship. Sita Sings the Blues is a film by Nina Paley, describing the life and adventure of Rama and Sita. The two works recount Ramayana’s epic, with the latter one adding musical and personal interpretation of[…]
Introduction Literature is among the important concepts that form the foundation of life. Most fiction work focuses on numerous topics such as human misfortunes to stories of the ever-prevalent search for affection. In particular, Antigone, one of the well-known Greek tragedy story, elicits an important theme on the empowerment of women. This subject can be[…]
Prioress refers to a nun who heads a convent. A prioress holds a position immediately below the abbes. As a prioress Madam Eglentyne was required to follow many vows, wear given clothing, and engage in various religious tasks. The vows of nuns include poverty as it helps them to imitate Jesus Christ who becomes poor[…]
Anne Locke was one of the first female English poets in history. She was born in 1530 and lived until 1590. However, the details of her last days are not mentioned in history. Apart from being an English poet, Locke was a translator and a religious conservative. She inherited religious background and belief from her[…]
Summary The article, “An integrative approach to curriculum development in higher education in the USA: A theoretical framework,” written by Mohammad Ayub Khan and Laurie Smith Law suggests an effective learner-centered curriculum development that encompasses crucial external aspects in order to enhance learning outcome in the institutions of higher learning, in this case, the U.S.[…]