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Showing posts from August, 2011

Ernest Hemingway’s Portrayal of Frederic Henry in "A Farewell to Arms"

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Ernest Hemingway ’s portrayal of Frederic Henry in A Farewell to Arms  is one of the triumphs in the sphere of characterization. Henry is made to live truly and we get the feeling that we have really met the man. He is drawn not only from external traits but also from the inside domain of his personality. In other words, his inner nature, the working of his mind, his thoughts and ruminations, the negative and positive aspects of his personality, his reactions to people and things—these are skillfully analyses. What Hemingway gives us is a realistic and convincing hero.      At the very beginning of the novel we become acquainted with some of the basic facts of Henry’s life and character. We learn that he is rootless, that he has a stepmother somewhere in America, that he has quarreled so much with the family that hardly he had any communication with them. He manner he spends his life shows his complete lack of purpose. He was a disinterested stu...

Christopher Marlowe’s Tragic Art in the Death Scene of “Edward II”

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The dominant theme of Edward II is the theme of many of Marlowe's   (and Shakespeare's) histories: the will to power and, ultimately, the   corruption inherent in power. Edward isn't thwarted and murdered because of   his affection for Gaveston. Rather, it is because in bestowing such   extravagant favors on Gaveston, a commoner, he is subverting the "natural"   order of his position, neglecting both his kingdom and his family. He comes to   realize, too late, that his arrogance and his disrespect of himself - or, more precisely, the institution he represents: the monarchy - has cost him his love   (Gaveston) and his life ("What is a king but a shadow on a summer's day?') But   the theme is carried on through the machinations of Isabella and Mortimer.  Read More Drama True, she may be seen as a "wronged wife", but her revenge in collusion with   Mortimer is also a subversion of the "natural" ...

Human Language and Other Systems of Animal Communication -- Understand the Similarities and Differences Between the Two

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A prominent characteristic of language is that the relation between a linguistic sign and its meaning is arbitrary: There is no reason other than convention among speakers of English that a dog should be called dog, and indeed other languages have different names (for example, Bengali kukur, Spanish perro, Russian sobaka, Japanese inu ). Again Language can be used to discuss a wide range of topics, a characteristic that distinguishes it from animal communication. One of the best ways to understand what human language is to compare it with other systems of animal communication and try to understand the similarities and differences between the two.              Use of sound signals  The use of sound signals is perhaps the most obvious characteristic of human language. But this feature is neither unique to human beings nor all-important. It is not unique to humans as a lot of other animals also use sounds for communica...

The Character of Johnsy in O' Henry's Short Story “The Last Leaf”

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"Leaves. On the ivy vine. When the last one falls I must go, too. I've known that for three days. Didn't the doctor tell you?"_ Jonhsy Generally, in a short story , the scope to depict character in depth and in detail is very short. Only a particular aspect of a character is glanced at.The same is true for this story.  In O' Henry's “The Last Leaf” , Sue and Johnsy are the two young girls round when the story goes on. The more striking of these two friends is Johnsy whose morbid thinking makes the story interesting. She is the main character of the story as her psychological crisis builds up the theme of the story. Read More Short Stories Jonhsy and Sue come together by chance at a hotel. They have common taste in chicory salad, bishop sleeves and in painting. So they set up a joint studio at Old Greenwich village. Pneumonia which rages the place attacks easily the weak Johnsy. She gradually becomes weaker and thinner in body and this also affects ...

Kinds of Poetry: Narrative, Lyric, and Dramatic

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Introduction: Poetry is a form of literary expression that has captivated readers and listeners for centuries. It allows poets to convey their thoughts, emotions, and experiences in a condensed and artistic manner. While there are countless poetic forms and styles, poetry can be broadly categorized into three main kinds: Narrative, Lyric, and Dramatic. Each of these kinds has distinct characteristics, purposes, and examples that showcase the rich diversity within the world of poetry. Kinds of poetry :  There are three great kinds of poetic writing: Narrative, Lyric, and Dramatic. Narrative poetry: Narrative poetry tells a story with a plot, characters, and a setting. It  is one of the oldest and most straightforward forms of poetry. It tells a story, often in a chronological sequence, using poetic devices to create a vivid and engaging narrative. Some key points about narrative poetry include: Storytelling: Narrative poetry focuses on storytelling, using poetic language to c...

Analysis of the Closing Scene of Joseph Conrad's "The Heart of Darkness"

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T he closing scene of Conrad's  The Heart of Darkness , Marlow's interview with the dead man's white Intended (a pale figure of delusion juxtaposed against the black Athena who had usurped her place for Kurtz at the Inner Station), leaves the reader with ambivalent feelings about Conrad's chief narrator. The paradoxical ending of The Heart of Darkness has caused considerable critical consternation, if not outrage. That the novel should end with a lie should be told to a beloved amazing, that the lie should be told in a novel ostensibly directed towards a bewaring of the nefarious nature of the human heart almost astounding; that such a lie should be practiced by modern Buddha absolutely preposterous. The ending has therefore been criticized as being ‘a botched scene’, ‘a fatal blunder’ and even as ‘the final flaw in a flawed novel ’. Yet a contextual reading of the novel would almost lead a discerning reader to a radically different conclusion. The conclusion woul...

UGC NET Solved Paper III ;SECTION – II ; Subject -- English ; December : 2009

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SECTION – II Note : This section contains fifteen (15) questions, each to be answered in about thirty (30) words. Each question carries five (5) marks. (5 × 15 = 75 marks) 6. What is the function of the general prologue of The Canterbury Tales .  A band of pilgrims who assemble at the Tabard Inn outside London for the journey to Canterbury Cathedral is briefly described in the General Prologue . Ranging in status from a Knight to a humble Plowman, they are a microcosm of 14th-century English society. In framing the story line the prologue introduce us of the general scheme of story telling also. 7. Comment on the rejection of Falstaff. In Henry IV, Part I, we see the young prince Hal (Henry V) indulging in wild pranks with Falstaff , being rebuked by his father (Henry IV), promising to reform, and making his promise good by slaying Hotspur, the leader of the rebels, in single combat. Prince Hal appears less in Henry IV, Part II until near the end, when his reconciliation...

Time line of History-- THE ELIZABETHAN ERA (1558–1603)

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Timeline of History: The Elizabethan Era (1558–1603) The Elizabethan Era, often referred to as the "Golden Age" of English history, was marked by the reign of Queen Elizabeth I , daughter of Henry VIII and his second wife Anne Boleyn, ruled England from 1558 to 1603 during what is known as the Elizabethan Age. She was one of the scholar-women of her time, being versed in Latin, Greek, French, and Italian. Her translation of Boethius shows her exceptional art and skill. In the classics Roger Ascham was her tutor.  Her reign was also a time of great prosperity and achievement, and her court was a center for poets, writers, musicians, and scholars.  This period witnessed a flowering of English culture, expansion of the empire, and significant developments in politics, religion, and the arts. Below is a timeline of important events during the Elizabethan era: 1545.  Roger Ascham's "Toxophilus." <Elizabeth’s tutor> 1551.   Nicholas Udall  (1505?–1556), English ...

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