Abstract
This paper explains that the Romantic period is about the ordinary and the outcast becoming glorified; romantic literature parallels romantic domestic life: Men spend their time talking of great ideals while women go unrecognized for meeting those same ideals as they get down and do the real work. The author points out that, after Wordsworth and Coleridge, Lord Byron is the next big name in the Romantic period of British Literature. The paper relates that the women writer of the Romantic period, such as Mary Robinson, Mary Wollstonecraft and
Anna Leticia Barbauld, also were predominantly members of the aristocracy, but, by the virtue of being women of their era, they were more down-to-earth.

From the Paper
"Wordsworth and Coleridge are essentially credited with starting the Romantic Era of British literature with the publication of the Lyrical Ballads. Wordsworth and Coleridge were heavily influenced by Milton and this shows the "Preface to Lyrical Ballads," in which Wordsworth defends his poetry, but not without making dozens of references to Milton throughout. The Lyrical Ballads themselves are very difficult reading, obviously intended for the elite. Then we have the "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" in which we have a tale set up much like the Odyssey in which the "Ancient Mariner" has an epic adventure in which he is taken to the South Pole by a storm an kills an albatross which causes bad luck and releases spirits, but fortunately for our narrator he is saved by the "grace of the Holy Mother" and is witness to such epic-style special effects as ghosts, miracles, and reincarnation. This certainly does not fall under the heading of "glorification of the ordinary." It is another epic."

Tags:byron, coleridge, robinson, wollstonecraft, wordsworths

Abstract
This paper presents an exploration of women's places through the writing of British fiction. Using three classic examples of women's fiction in British literature, the writer examines the overt and underlying relationship women have in the world and with society throughout the evolvement of literature. The three pieces used are Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre"; Virginia Woolf's "A Room of One's Own"; and Helen Fielding's "Bridget Jones's Diary".

From the Paper
"One of the things that the story of Jane Eyre is most noted for is the way it allows the reader to develop an understanding of societal opinions for that time. Jane Eyre is portrayed as every cliche known in history when it comes to the role of females in British society at that time. From the beginning of the book it is evidenced that the fact Eyre is not considered attractive by societal standards provides an opportunity and an acceptance of her less than stellar treatment. Beauty has always been a quest for those in the female gender but through the study of British literature."

Tags:feminism, fiction, jane, eyre, virginia, woolf, bridget, jones, society, equality

Abstract
This paper examines the characters of the Wife of Bath, from Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales", and Viola, from Shakespeare's "The Twelfth Night". These women are shown as independent characters that demonstrate how a woman can fight against the social convention of marriage, and instead use it as a way of gaining a measure of independence.

Abstract
The paper compares and contrasts British and American literature and contends that they are similar in their response to the French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution, but they diverge in their interpretation of romanticism. The paper relates that the short story and transcendental writing are also different between the two nations, as opposed to mysteries which are alike and equally popular in both.

From the Paper
"Although America and Great Britain are separated by an ocean, they are connected at the pen so to speak. The similarities in their literature are more numerous than their differences. This is partly due to their common heritage, America having originally been a colony of England. Even beyond that, though, the literature of both countries was influenced by the same factors. One such factor was the Industrial Revolution. The influence of that revolution upon both countries was significant."

Tags:British, American, literature, romanticism, transcendental, short story, French Revolution, Industrial Revolution, compare, contrast, mystery

Abstract
This paper presents illustrations of the British concept of colonialism from E. M. Forster's "A Passage to India", Elizabeth Nunez' "Prospero's Daughter", Khushwant Singh's "Train to Pakistan" and William Shakespeare's play "The Tempest". The paper focusses on E.M. Forster's work and points out how his novel shows that the colonial relationships are highly subjective and contextual and that the colonial power does not have real cultural access to the feelings and the meanings of the culture upon which it is impinging. The paper indicates that this same theme is repeated in the other examples.

From the Paper
"The narrow view of Shakespeare's famous play of colonization is explicitly questioned in Elizabeth Nunez's novel "Prospero's Daughter". There, the mad scientist Dr. Gardner takes over the native orphan boy Carlos' land and falsely accuses him, as the boy comes of age and can lay claim to his property, of raping Gardner's daughter Virginia. Gardener uses this as justification for his taking possession of everything Carlos owns. He even uproots the life-giving native fruit trees crops because they take away from the beauty of his transplanted soil and grass."

Tags:romance, social transgression, stereotypes servants tolerance

Abstract
The author of this paper looks at the subject of parenthood as it appears in English literature. 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."

Tags:milton, shakespeare, huxley, defoe, golding, literature, education, children, parents, james, hardy, walpole, poe, childhood

Abstract
This paper describes the battle of the sexes through writings in English literature. 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."

Tags:conflict, enlightenment, renaissance, rights, role, women, novel, literature, gender

Abstract
A book review of Barges' "An Introduction to English Literature" designed to educate the reader about the rich history of English Literature. Further, the book itself is written by renown author Jorge Luis Barges. His analysis concerning English Literature 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 English literature 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."

Tags:anglo, saxon, poetry, prose, drama, writing

Abstract
This essay examines the wit, satire and quest for advancement that characterized the Restoration period of English literature. 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."

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 English Literature 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."

Tags:England, humanity, populace, corruption, government, upper, class, humor, culture, morality