Mid Term Essay The two literary icons I chose to do the comparison and contrast portion of this Essay on are; Dante Alighieri (1265 – 1321) and Geoffrey Chaucer (1342 – 1400) who compositions were similar in theme, but significantly different in style. In analyzing Dante’s The Divine Comedy and Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, the common theme I found in each of these epic poems is the author’s firm grasp of human nature and their ability to humanize the character(s) in each of their works. In each of these classics, Dante and Chaucer masterfully animated not only the central character but their supporting characters as well. Their ability to taking the reader on a journey that is both believable and relatable is the main reason both of these epic poems continue to be held in such high regard. In addition, both Dante and Chaucer wrote their works in the vernacular or the commonly spoken language of the times.
I am going to write about Alfred Tennyson, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and Small Island written by Andrea Levy. Descriptive language is words used to describe elements of literature, and is a an important aspect of each of the texts I studied. It is used to shape meaning, create interpretations and to build up a vivid imagery in the readers head. To begin, Alfred Tennyson uses descriptive archaic language throughout majority of his poems. Specifically the "The Lotus-eaters and Choric song" utilises descriptive language to it's full potential to help reveal location and consequently reflect character.
“It is the texts that passionately and intelligently engage with the changing reality of their period that we value most highly.” Write an essay in which you explore the extent to which this is true of the texts you have studied in your elective. (Two Plath poems, one additional text) The texts that passionately and intelligently engage with the changing reality of their period are the texts that challenge society’s views. They become the texts we value most highly as they make us question old values and progress in our ways of thinking as a society. The most highly valued texts are the ones that change opinions – that make people understand different perspectives and see issues in new ways. Sylvia Plath was a poet and author who deeply and thoughtfully engaged with the period in which she lived, which was rapidly evolving and developing.
The poem points to the paradox of naming: while naming is creative and powerful, it is also limiting. Once named, an object snaps into focus. But the name interferes as well: it comes between us and the object. We can think of the object now only through the name that has been attached to it. The opening line of the poem, “By naming them he made them,” connects “naming” with making (Page line 1).
If we ask for a theme, is it okay for them to write a poem?” (Perez) Chris Semansky says “In his poem “Theme for English B,” Langston Hughes complicates the idea that the lyric “I” is a reflection of a coherent, stable identity by calling into question the notation that one can reveal the truth simply by expressing oneself. Instead, Hughes suggests that the self, rather than being coherent and autonomous, is actually the effect of relationships. These relationships inevitably involve power and, in Hughes’s case, include race, age, national, and professional identity.”
(Thesis)- Main idea of the whole essay. (Introduction) leads in Aspect (A, B, C) For body paragraphs Note: in the test you need to start the essay by referring to the title of the story, the author and the key words Homecoming by Bruce Dawe Essay-Introduction Writing the illustration- 1) Make a Point 2) Back up with evidence e.g. Quote 3) comment on the effect it has on the readers (Aspect A)- first body paragraph Transition- first sentence Topic sentence-also the first sentence Illustration- examples quotes etc opinion Poetry has endeavoured to communicate human emotion and ideas over the centuries. Bruce Dawe’s poem homecoming conveys the trauma war-stricken situations and the loss involved. The poem is based around the returning
Besides insight into collective societal culture, literary history has provided future writers with models of poetic device, style and content influencing literary works and building upon past literary ideas. Literary history is a vehicle to understanding the past and plays a major role in its influence on literature up to and including the present day. Knowledge of historical literature gives us insight into the traditions and societal conventions of the time in which the piece was written. One outstanding example comes from Anglo-Saxon times. Beowulf is a literary work which enables a reader to glimpse not only the societal customs but into the savage and seemingly uncontrollable environment of the first century.
‘Why is Sixty Lights worthy of critical study and inclusion on the HSC Prescriptions List for module B- Critical Study of Text?’ The novel Sixty Lights has been included on the HSC Prescriptions List for Module B because it is worthy for critical study as it is a diverse piece of literature covering significant topics that have been ignored in the modern world. We enter the lyrical and image-laden world of Sixty Lights. It’s a tale, resplendent in colour and imagery, set across two worlds - the constrained and stilted world of Victorian England, and the chaotic danger and abandon of India. Gail Jones creates literature, like Shakespeare, but in this particular piece explores the significance behind photographs and what they represent.
Overview and Context The poem might be viewed as a literary exercise in logic as much as a ‘love’ poem’. Marvell’s speaker uses a tripartite structure to follow his argument to its conclusion, effectively forming a ‘syllogism’. This poem is also a prime example of the ‘sex-death’ juxtaposition (which critics such as Roland Barthes have explored in more detail), also a marked characteristic of Romeo and Juliet. Whilst many students will be able to understand the ideas contained within this poem, a very rough ‘translation’, such as the one which follows, may be useful. Click on the images to enlarge them.
During our lives we will have to take many journeys some happy, some sad, and some tougher than others. I was asked to read Gilgamesh written by Stephen Mitchell and Beowulf transcribed by Seamus Heaney. There are many differences and critical comparisons that can be drawn between the epics of Beowulf and Gilgamesh. Both are historical poems which shape their respected culture and both have major social, cultural, and political impacts on the development of western civilization literature and writing. Before any analysis is made, it is vital that some kind of a foundation be established so that a further, in-depth exploration of the complex nature of both narratives can be accomplished.