Abstract This paper describes the battle of the sexes through writings in Englishliterature. It includes quotes from Chaucer, Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night", Milton's "Paradise Lost", and Gay's "The Beggar's Opera". The time period ranges from the middle ages, the renaissance, to the enlightenment. All quotes are from the Norton Anthology Seventh edition and are sited according to MLA format.
From the Paper "From the beginning of time, the battle of the sexes has been a ferocious conflict; a conflict where women have often been on the losing side. This is truly evident from reading early English literature. Men have had the dominate roles over their women counterparts no matter what the prevailing time period was. Although women's rights diminished and replenished over the centuries, there was never a time when men and women were considered to be equal."
Abstract The author of this paper looks at the subject of parenthood as it appears in Englishliterature. The paper discusses works written by authors such as Milton and Shakespeare in the 16th and 17th centuries through to the 20th century and authors such as William Golding and Margaret Atwood.
From the Paper "The 20th century saw a number of literary developments and experiments. On the one hand, The Lord of the Flies, 1984 and A Brave New World, propose dystopian visions of parenthood. In the first, parental control is totally absent from an aggressive, deathly atmosphere. The second represents twisted political machinery because of which children send their parents to death. The third speculates about the implications of planned parenthood if carried too far. On the other hand, Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale (1985) focuses on birth as a metaphor of writing and artistic creation. Atwood likens the conception of a story to the conception of a child, and the writing process to a painful delivery."
Abstract This paper explains how satire was one of the most common tools used by writers and poets in the 17th and 18th centuries to either attack the political regime of the time or to highlight the ridiculous traditions of the society. It compares and contrasts three literary works which used this form of expression for political and social purposes.
From the paper:
"It was a tradition in the EnglishLiterature during the seventeenth and early 18th centuries that poets and writers would often use the technique of satire either for political purposes or simply to highlight the idiosyncrasies of the society. In this regard many major English literary figures used satire in their work but while some of them used it to create a light humorous situation, others would give it a very harsh tone, which resulted in some serious problems with those who were targeted in the work."
Abstract A book review of Barges' "An Introduction to EnglishLiterature" designed to educate the reader about the rich history of EnglishLiterature. Further, the book itself is written by renown author Jorge Luis Barges. His analysis concerning EnglishLiterature is focused in: The Anglo Saxon Period; The Fourteenth Century; The Seventeenth Century; The Eighteenth Century; Nineteenth Century Prose; Nineteenth Century Poetry and the end of the Nineteenth Century. Such topics are useful when presenting the reader with a thorough understanding of the history of Englishliterature and writers.
From the Paper "The author's preface begins with a general introduction on how essential English Literature is to our society as a whole. Borges also offers the reader a glimpse, of how he strategically compiled essential information concerning the history of English Literature, and writers in sixty-eight pages of text. Evidently, English Literature imparts a wealth of critical information. Further, Borges goes on to explain the significance of English literature: Of all the vernacular literatures which developed during the Middle Ages on the fringe of literature in Lain, that of England is one of the oldest. To put it another way, there are few other texts that can be attributed to the end of the seventh or the beginning of the eight centuries of our era."
Abstract In this article the writer analyzes three earlyEnglish dramas 'Noah's Flood', 'The Second Shepherd's Play' and 'Everyman'. The writer discusses these dramas according to their commonalities in relation to morality, Church, and religion.
From the Paper "The values in art of any era often reflect the most pressing concerns and staunchest values of the culture in which that art is produced. The case is no different in three literary works of early English drama, 'Noah's Flood', 'The Second Shepherd's Play' and 'Everyman'. Each of these works shares commonalities with respect to the values that are exhibited as positive in each of them. All of these plays demonstrate that only a life lived in accordance with Church doctrine and God's commandments will ... "
Abstract The paper outlines the role of the two Godrics' (the good and the bad) in the Old English poem "The Battle of Maldon" and analyses the beatification of Byhrtnoth. It sticks closely to the poem's use of language as a means of deciding that the main crime of Old Englishliterature is anti-heroism. It expands from here, to surmise that this was the prevalent crime because of the payment of Danegeld and the reign of Aethelred.
From the Paper "Against a consideration of Byrhtnoth, then, I would like to consider the true perpetrators of the crime of anti-heroism in Maldon: Odda's sons, who flee after their lord's death, thus revoking the heroic ideal. I would like to consider first the role of the two Godrics? in the poem. Any reception of either, it must be noted, is moderated by the moral worth that Byrhtnoth instils in the poem. To put it simply, "bad" Godric is ignoble, fleeing on his master's horse, and "good" Godric is virtuous, fighting till the death to avenge his lord. The fact that their names are identical forces one to assume that they are meant as comparative entities in the poem; more than this, there exists an alarming parity in the presentation of each Godric."
Abstract This essay examines the wit, satire and quest for advancement that characterized the Restoration period of Englishliterature. Works discussed are Pope's "Rape of the Lock," Dryden's "Mac Flecknoe," Johnson's "Vanity of Human Wishes," Congreve's "Way of the World," Swift's "A Modest Proposal," and Behn's "Oroonoko."
An exploration of the role of women in medieval Englishliterature through the examination of different works such as "Beowulf", "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" and many other religious and secular lyrics.
Abstract This paper attempts to recognize the modern vision of an "empowered woman" in medieval Englishliterature since numerous female characters, both religious and secular, demonstrate a power far beyond the traditional sphere of the subservient woman. Examples of such women are the Virgin Mary who appears in many works and the female characters in "Beowulf".
From the Paper "The medieval romance Sir Gawain and the Green Knight also presents the Virgin Mary as a key figure, able to influence men for the better by personifying Christian values, "representing spiritual love, chastity, obedience and life"(Arkin). At his moment of testing, Gawain draws strength from the image of the Virgin Mary etched on his shield. Mary's symbolic power, here, is as important as her power to act ? merely seeing her face is a reminder of the courtly ideal. The effects of Mary on medieval literature, as intermediary, voluntary mother, and representative of Christianity, should not be underestimated."
Abstract This paper attempts to trace the history of EnglishLiterature starting from the Anglo- Saxon period to the Eighteenth Century. The paper attempts to trace the changes through the various important works of the great writers throughout history.
From the Paper "A look at the poetic tradition of that age shows that most of the old English poetry was more or less intended to be chanted, accompanied with a harp, by the Anglo-Saxon harp scop or bard (Encarta). The poetry was often bold and strong, but at the same time mournful and elegiac in its spirit. The subjects that this poetry expressed were the sorrow and the ultimate futility of life and lamented the helplessness of humans before the power of their fate. The versification pattern of almost all of this poetry was that it was composed without rhyme, in a characteristic line or verse of four stressed syllables alternating with an indeterminate number of unstressed syllables (Encarta). This form of versification strikes strangely, as it is different from the usual modern pattern. Hence this pattern becomes the striking feature of the era of Anglo-Saxon literature. Another striking feature in the formal character of the Old English poetry is structural alliteration that is the use of syllables beginning with similar sounds in two or three of the stresses in each line(Encarta)."
Abstract This paper discusses the institution of marriage and how it has changed over time. It looks at the different roles of men and women in marriage and how marriage is shifting from a contractual decision to a love-based decision. The paper discusses examples from Englishliterature to emphasize the ways that the institution of marriage has changed.
From the Paper "What Dorothea thus learns from her first marriage is that she needs more in her life than to venerate a man. Her second marriage to Will thus is probably the right one, and the one she should have contracted in the first place. Thus, the issues of a second marriage for a young widow is somewhat debated in the small provincial community where Dorothea lives. James for examples, out of his resentfulness finds the idea of a second marriage to be repulsive: "To his secret feeling there was something repulsive in a woman's second marriage, and no match would prevent him from feeling it a sort of desecration for Dorothea."(Eliot, 560) It is at this point however that we see the extent to which Dorothea has evolved an has finally overcome her naivety. Before, she would have never dreamed of ever considering such an impious thing as marrying again, no matter the circumstances. After her experience however, she realizes that marriage is about sharing the life with a loved person and not about being blindly devoted to the idea of the superior man: "Marriage is always bad then, first or second. Priority is a poor recommendation in a husband if he has got no other. I would rather have a good second husband than an indifferent first."(Eliot, 558)"
Abstract This paper examines the evolution in Englishliterature through the 18th century in terms of style. The paper first describes how the century started with neo-classicism and ended with romanticism and explains that the latter can be seen as a revolt against the former. Neo-classicism is shown to be influenced by the rise of science, and the liberation in the arts brought about by the Restoration. The paper then charts how there is a gradual breaking away from the shackles of rationalism through the 18th century. The authors studied are Wycherley, Dryden, Pope, Gray, Burns, Blake, Richardson, Fielding and Bunyan.
From the Paper "Even though tending towards popular sentiment, much of the literature accounted for so far remained beyond mass readership. The first widely popular book was John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress. The Puritans suffered suppression and imprisonment since the Restoration. Bunyan composed the book in prison, an allegorical account of life's journey, with Biblical significance. It too employed the simplicity of style that characterized the age, even though it stood up against the general trend. To sample the sparse simplicity, the pilgrims encounter the allegorical place of vane worldliness thus: "Then I saw in my dream, that when they were got out of the wilderness, they presently saw a town before them, and the name of that town is Vanity; and at the town there is a fair kept, called Vanity Fair: it is kept all the year long" (Bunyan, 1965, p. 105). Journalism was the other route to the heart of the people. "
Abstract This paper discusses the development of England as a national entity which paralleled the development of ideas of "Englishness", of what constituted British society and the British soul, often contrasted with what was not English. This paper states that the idea of what constitutes England and Englishness can be traced through historical shifts as England developed as a unique entity. Furthermore, this idea can be considered in terms of political and social commentary from different ages, the literature of the time that reflected the same ideas, and the way these ideas helped form the Britain of today.
From the Paper "Certainly, the image created in the poem is of a society in disarray, but it is also a society where the truth can be found, where there are institutions dedicated to assuring that the truth is revealed, and that is a society where there is a good element as well as a bad. The sense of the poem is really that in spite of the lapses at the top, the run-of-the-mill people like the ploughman see the truth and uphold the values of society and of the church, or at least attempt to do so. In this aspect of the work, the poet shows a connection to long-standing traditions that indeed suggest that "The more things change, the more they remain the same." England by this time was established as a political entity, a social construct, and a developing philosophy based on Christian principles married to many of the ideas of chivalry offered first by the French and then adapted to the British experience."
Tags: history, society, englishness, literature, politics, development
Abstract This paper is a summary of the early European impact on the fur trade and the imperial nature of the conquest in North America. This paper looks at routes that were taken and methods that were used to communicate and trade with the native peoples.
From the Paper "The English fur trade in North America expanded greatly in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. It was actually a huge mistake on the part of the rival French that allowed the English to establish a successful foothold in the fur trade. In 1668, after rejection from their own government, two French-Canadian fur traders sought the support of the English, insisting that the best quality fur territory was that north of Hudson Bay. The Hudson Bay Company was established as an English trading post in 16703 and it became the first major English economic institution in the new world. Under the authority of Charles II, the Hudson Bay Company was granted titles to all of the lands encompassing the waterways flowing into Hudson Bay. In the ensuing years the Hudson Bay Company expanded to place posts at the mouths of all the major waterways flowing into Hudson Bay4, creating stiff competition with the French for trade with the Natives."
Abstract This paper addresses the following question. The 18th century English writer Henry Fielding called the Odyssey "that eating poem." Focusing on specific passages, discuss food as a site of conflict, community, or cultural transaction in the Odyssey.
Tags:LITERATURE / ENGLISHLITERATURE, writer henry fielding
Abstract This paper argues that A.A. Milne's children's literature should be taught in the core curriculum of EnglishLiterature Classes in high school and college. The paper takes the position that Milne's books are works of serious literature.
From the Paper "Most people when they are young are introduced to stories and nursery rhymes as an initiation to the world of communication and learning. Preschool and primary school teachers use fairy tales, nursery rhymes and children's stories in order to engage their students so that the students will enjoy school and want to learn more. This is the beginning of learning to read and write. Somewhere along the line however due to social pressure, state and federal testing guidelines and other demands ..."
Tags: Persuasive Essay, AA Milne, A.A. Milne, Alan Alexander Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh, Pooh, Christopher Robin.
