Women in literature

The Edwardian period is often seen as a period of pleasure, peace and prosperity sandwiched between the enormous achievements in invention, culture and industry of the Victorian Age and followed by the devastating human catastrophe of World War 1. In 1908 Britain’s status was firmly established; it led the world in trade, its Empire covered … Read more

An Intertextual Reading of the Play Othello and the Film O (2001)

Intertextuality is the interrelationship between literary works whereby each text is seen as a product shaped by other literary works. The Bulgarian critic Julia Kristeva is said to have invented the term while its meaning can be traced back to the works of Russian philosopher M. M. Bakhtin (Harder, 2017). Intertextuality explains the fact that … Read more

How to Read Literature Like a Professor

HTRRLAP Chapter HTRRLAP Summary Book Connection — Hamlet 1 – Every Trip is a Quest In this Chapter, Foster explains how quests are always about self-knowledge. He shows how, even small tasks, can result in the growing of that knowledge. He takes the reader through a story and explains how each element applies to a … Read more

How to Read Literature Like a Professor – Thomas C. Foster

Introduction A “Faustian bargain” is when the hero of a story is offered something he desperately needs or wants in exchange for his soul. Foster provides an example of this, showing it may not always mean a literal soul, but something representative of a soul, like dignity or self-respect. This phrase originates from Christopher Marlowe’s … Read more

Virginia Woolf

Choose a character.  What is the significance of that particular character? Septimus Warren Smith is a World War I veteran who suffers from post traumatic stress disorder. His story is written alongside the story of the other main character, Clarissa Dolloway. His character is very significant as he shows the horror that occurs after the … Read more

Macbeth

Macbeth is a tragedy by William Shakespeare; It dramatises the psychologically damaging effects of political ambition and greed on those who seek power for their own personal gain. In the play several writing techniques are exhibited to show the exaggerated rise and fall of Macbeth’s character and his actions that lead to the consequences. In … Read more

Romeo and Juliet

I believe that all four suspect the young lovers, the family, the state and the church all can be blamed for the death of Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare has betrayed Friar Lawrence is a caring, loved by many and wise character that did whatever he could to help Romeo and Juliet. However, if you interrogate … Read more

I know why the caged bird sings

Maya Angelou and her brother were sent to California by their father to live with their grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas. Maya was three years old and her brother was four years old at the time. Their grandmother ran a store down in Stamps; it was the focus of life in the Negro community of the … Read more

Sigmund Freud and Macbeth

Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytical theory examines the manifestations, issues, reactions of a person’s subconscious. Freud believed that humans are guided by fears, desires or thoughts they are unaware of. According to what Freud said, there are three major components of personality: id, ego and super ego. The id works to satisfy basic needs and desires and … Read more

Dr J. Evans Pritchard PHD – rating method for poetry

The movie Dead Poets Society A new English teacher, John Keating, is introduced to an all-boys preparatory school that is known for its ancient, strict, orthodox traditions and extremely high standards. He uses unorthodox methods to reach out to his students, who face enormous pressures from their parents and the school. With Keating’s help, students … Read more

Shakespeare’s play The Merchant of Venice

A very important and recurring theme in Shakespeare’s plays, The Merchant of Venice, is loyalty. Loyalty is a warm quality that includes devotion, faithfulness, and unswerving allegiance. Shakespeare’s work is still relevant today because we can compare ourselves to the characters and talking about the plays can possibly build friendships. Loyalty is important in today’s … Read more

Frankenstein (The Modern Prometheus) and Dorian Gray

Frankenstein 1. Who is Prometheus? Why is Frankenstein subtitled “The Modern Prometheus?” Prometheus, meaning “forethought,” was the son of Titan, Iapetus and Oceanid, Clymene. He was given the task of molding the first man out of clay. Later Zeus instructed Epimetheus and Prometheus to give mankind gifts to make them prosper. To do so, Prometheus … Read more