Reclaiming Shakespeare was key to the Chartist pursuit for a radical literary canon

The 1866 Parliamentary Select Committee on Theatrical Licenses and Regulations imagined Shakespeare as a cultural figure who represented, above all, unity. He inhabited ‘a realm that transcended class, faction or self-interest’ whilst his works acted as ‘the foundation of English culture and the source of its authority’ (Schoch, 2007: 236). However, the role of Shakespeare … Read more

Troilus and Cressida – William Shakespeare

Paris is the one whose moral judgment and honour is most obviously impaired by passion. His main belief in the Trojan debate on the retention of Helen is clearly based on honour, as is plainly indicated by the terms of reference in his major speech (2.2.148-160): with ‘honourable’, ‘treason’, ‘disgrace’, ‘shame’, ‘base compulsion’, ‘degenerate’, ‘generous’, … Read more

Frankenstein and Never Let Me Go

Shelley and Ishiguro present monstrosity as an accentuated premise in Frankenstein and Never Let Me Go with the characters acting as mouthpieces for society’s ills. The authors were writing with an overwhelming backdrop of scientific discovery; Frankenstein coinciding with the Industrial Revolution, which was a threat to the contemporary fundamentalism of the Church, and Never … Read more

Hamlet’s attempt to reconcile conflicting moral frameworks

According to this work’s view of life, what is mankind’s relationship to god? To the universe? Text References: Act 1, Scene 2 “It shows a will most incoherent to heaven,/ A heart unfortified, a mind impatient,/ An understanding simple and unschooled.” In this passage Claudius tries to use religion to control those around him. Hamlet … Read more

Does the use of music differ in the different genres of Shakespeare’s plays?

Music is a form of art that can be found in all cultures, across all time periods. It plays a role of paramount importance in people’s daily lives. A world-renowned playwright, William Shakespeare, also values music. Born in 1564, Shakespeare has earned the world’s respect through his identity as an actor and a poet, but … Read more

References to darkness, night or dusk in poetry

Understanding the different themes portrayed by the poets in their literary works is often critical for comprehension of the intended message presented by the poets. The various themes focused on by the poets often touches on the experiences of individuals regardless of their language or race. The themes usually present the meaning of the story … Read more

Allen Ginsberg’s, “A Supermarket in California”

In 1955, while in Berkley, California, Allen Ginsberg wrote his famous poem “A Supermarket in California”. Ginsberg was a student/admirer of Whitman’s work and he was fascinated with both Whitman’s stylistic form and theme. This explains why Ginsberg has the speaker of the poem directly addressing/looking to one of his poetic heroes: Walt Whitman. The … Read more

The Iliad and “After Action Report”

War is brutal, that’s plain and simple. Some people might beg to differ, but the authors of both the Iliad and “After Action Report” use their work to support this idea. The Iliad is an epic poem following the events of the Trojan War from the Greek perspective, filled with battle, blood, and lots of … Read more

Carl von Clausewitz ‘On War’

Introduction Carl von Clausewitz was a military strategist. No one in the world has ever been so quoted and misquoted as Clausewitz had been, according to Parkinson (2002). Clausewitz was also the renowned author of On War, which was celebrated as the most influential work of military strategy. However, Clausewitz was misunderstood. His work, in … Read more

Native Son by Richard Wright.

I. The Author, Richard Wright Born on Rucker’s Plantation outside the affluent city of Natchez, Mississippi, Richard Wright began his life in poverty. His father, Nathaniel Wright, was an illiterate sharecropper and his mother, Ella Wilson, was a school teacher. Richard’s grandfathers, Nathan Wright, and Richard Wilson fought for the Union forces in the United … Read more

Main themes in the Fall of the House of Usher by Poe

Like many of his other works, Poe’s (1839) the Fall of the House of Usher has taken on considerable significance, particularly within the field of literature. This is in large part to the historical context in which this story was written, speaking to themes of mental illness and oppression and how together, they can impact … Read more

Reflection on a short story inspired by The Watch and The Fall of the House of Usher

Introduction My short story, a progression of polyphonic voices, intends to uncover the private experiences of young Korean women under Japanese colonialism and to explore the enduring impacts of colonisation through time. It is not only a reflection on history but implores the reader to play an active role in creating a shared narrative for … Read more