Genre Essays

Examine the impacts of language, imagery, and structure in your selected poem and analyze its relation to other works by Browning. A dramatic monologue is a highly effective way of ‘telling a story’ through poetry, where a speaker conveys the inner workings of their character to an unspecified listener. Browning frequently employs this device in […]

On the surface, ‘One Flesh’ is the poet’s description of the relationship that exists between her elderly married parents, a relationship which, though full of ‘passion’ in the past, is now sterile and ‘cold.’ The main theme of the poem, however, is the mystery and indissolubility of the married state by which two, however ‘separate’ […]

After Emma’s death Hardy embarked on a journey to some of their old haunts in Cornwall to rediscover their old love. Considering in detail one poem, discuss ways in which Hardy uses the symbol of journeying in his poetry.”At Castle Boterel”, one of the greatest of Hardy’s Poems of 1912-13, is an intensely personal poem, […]

Allama Iqbal didn’t limit himself to certain themes but explored a variety of ideas in his poetry, including God, man, nature, and religion. In his poem “Modern Man,” he describes the new world that man has created for himself. This can be contrasted with “God and Man,” where Iqbal depicts a conversation between God and […]

The passage from ‘the days images recede to first a glow…’ serves as the conclusion to Tony Harrison’s poem V. Tony Harrison’s poem v. is a rhyming quatrain elegy that uses language, imagery and verse form to address concerns raised in the poem. It closely resembles Thomas Gray’s ‘Elegy written in a quiet Country Churchyard’ […]

“Impressionism is an emphasis on the process of perception and knowing, through the use of formal, linguistic and representational devices, to present more closely the texture, process or structure of knowing and perceiving. “Mansfield’s short stories, “Prelude”, “At the Bay”, and “The Garden Party” are all vividly Impressionistic. Throughout these stories Mansfield seems to create […]

The two short stories I have chosen to study for this essay show an incredibly rich use of language and imagery to depict both the atmosphere and emotions of the characters. The first Prose is called Odour of Chrysanthemums by D.H.Lawrence and the second piece is Eveline by James Joyce.In the short story the Odour […]

Towards the end of the novel as Vernon faces the death penalty for a crime he didn’t commit, he has an outer body experience. The ending is indefinite as the reader is left questioning whether Vernon is alive or dead. The uncertainty of Vernon’s fate is worth exploring.From chapter twenty-six onwards, a chain of events […]

The title Limbo suggests to me that the poem is about the traditional dance form the West Indies which originated from the 1800’s. The dance was invented by slaves aboard the slave ships to keep fit and healthy during the long journeys across the sea. The word Limbo can also be treated as a place […]

According to philosopher Frank Moore Riley, personal demonstration is necessary to be considered an adult. In Ernest J. Gaines’ “The Sky is Gray” and Laurie Colwin’s “Mr. Parker,” two young children struggle to prove their maturity to society. The Sky is Gray tells the story of James, a young black boy, who tries to assure […]

Tangled Up in New Bob Dylan and Intertextuality Appropriation has always played a key role in Bob Dylan’s music. Critics and fans alike have found striking similarities between Dylan’s lyrics and the words of other writers. On his album “Love and Theft,” a fan spotted many passages similar to lines from “Confessions of a Yakuza,” […]

“Alienation is defined as emotional isolation or dissociation from others … it is the feeling of not belonging” The theme of Alienation is explored in both TS Eliot’s, The love song and Preludes and it is explored though many poetic techniques including repetition and animal imagry. In both of these poems the persona is alienated […]

“Ballad of Birmingham” – the familiar refrain of parents everywhere, “No, baby, no you may not go.” Despite our protests, mothers always believe they know what is best for us and make decisions they claim are in our best interests. Although it’s not always the case, the “Ballad of Birmingham” by Dudley Randall demonstrates a […]

Alfred Tennyson was born on August the 6th 1809, in Somersby, Lincolnshire. Alfred was the forth out of twelve children of George and Elizabeth Tennyson. Alfred’s father, George Clayton Tennyson suffered from depression and was absentminded. In the late twenties Alfred’s father’s physical and mental condition worsened as he became paranoid, abusive and violent. Tennyson […]

Drama dominates our syllabus but the Renaissance was a Golden Age not just for English drama, but also for English poetry. But what was English poetry? George Puttenham’s The Arte of English Poesie (1589) and Sir Philip Sidney’s The Defense of Poesie (1595): early attempts to think about English poetry as a distinct national tradition. […]

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, an esteemed author in 19th century America, has been widely recognized and deemed as one of the leading writers of this era due to the various compelling aspects of his poetry. Longfellow’s natural grace of writing is showcased through the effortless rhyme and meter in his poetry, which leaves a lasting impression […]

Henry James’s novella, The Turn of the Screw, has held readers captive with its intricate and ambivalent plot for over one hundred years. Through the years, many have attempted to evade getting caught up in the elusive nature of Henry James’s work. A wide range of interpretations has been offered by scholars, critics, and readers […]

Pie Glue: The Sanctimonious Institution of Marriage Gregory Corso’s poem “Marriage” is a lucid example of how John Clellon Holmes described the Beat Generation: a display of “moral degeneration. ” The speaker of the poem is torn between submitting to the non-conformity of the Beats and conforming to society’s strict views about marriage and social […]

The earliest recorded Spanish cantar de gesta, known as El Cantar del Mio Cid, was orally transmitted before being transcribed in 1142 by Per Abbat. The sole remaining copy is a 14th century codex located at the Biblioteca Nacional de Espana in Madrid; however, some pages are missing resulting in an incomplete version. The medieval […]

Emily Dickinson’s (1830 – 1886) poem titled “Success is counted sweetest” conveys that success holds the most worth for those individuals who have experienced failure. This can be in the form of tangible or intangible success. Dickinson cleverly manipulates the meaning of the poem by altering its viewpoint after the second stanza. This alteration suggests […]

In Slaughterhouse Five, Vonnegut uses satire in the topics of war, aliens, fate and the reasons for life itself. In Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut, the author uses many literary devices to bring across his point including black humor, irony, wit and sarcasm. He mainly uses satire throughout the book. Satire is a literary device […]

Ovid’s use of the domina amoris and servitium amoris as the foundation his Amores was not unique, but rather reflected a theme created in the time of Plato. Plato wrote of the idea of a “love lady” in his The Symposium. Ovid was just one of the many writers in the history of the Western […]