AD's English Literature

In an era dominated by modern literature and digital storytelling, it may seem paradoxical to argue for the enduring relevance of epic narratives. Yet, it is precisely in this perceived paradox that we discover a stunning revelation—the timeless power of epic literature to illuminate the human experience. As students of literature, let us embark on a journey to explore why the epic is more relevant than modern texts, armed with original thoughts and a persuasive argument that transcends temporal boundaries. Epic literature, such as Homer's "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey," or the ancient Indian epic "The Mahabharata," has stood the test of millennia. These timeless tales continue to captivate readers across cultures and generations. But what makes the epic more relevant than modern texts, and why should we, as contemporary readers and writers, turn our attention to these ancient narratives?

  Love and loss are two themes that have fascinated writers across cultures and time periods. In this essay, we will explore how these themes are portrayed in classic literature from Sanskrit, Greek, and Latin traditions. Through a critical analysis of selected texts, we aim to compare and contrast the ways in which love and loss are depicted in these traditions. I. Introduction Love and loss have been central themes in literature throughout history. These themes are universal, and they have been explored in different ways in various cultures. In this essay, we will focus on classic literature from Sanskrit, Greek, and Latin traditions and examine how love and loss are portrayed in these works.

1. The Evolution of Theater Acting: T heater encompasses various elements, such as actors, audience, text, costumes, scenery, lights, sound, and props, which collaboratively contribute to the production. This article delves into the roles of masks, costumes, and symbolic elements in classical Greek theatre, shedding light on their profound significance.  A cting in  classical theatre  was highly stylized. Speeches were rendered in a declamatory manner. This was essentially because theatre was an open door affair, and the audience was quite large in number. The nature of the performance environment placed considerable task on the voice. According to Oscar G. Brockett, the Greeks “judged actors above all by the beauty of vocal tone and ability to adapt to manner of speaking to mood and character”.  2.  The Evolution of Theater: From Rituals to Theatrical Spectacles: Euripides (480?-406? bc) In the realm of theater, the significance of voice projection led to a hei...

Importance of Hero in Tragedy The hero is of overwhelming importance in most literary works, but in no other form of literature is he as important as in tragedy. This is because while most literary forms such as the novel, the short story and comedy are concerned with a host of characters, in a tragedy the entire attention of the audience is focused upon a single character, the protagonist. This is also the reason why most tragedies are known by names of their protagonists Examples are Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex , Euripides’ Hippolytus, Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus . Consequently, a discussion of the tragedy is tantamount to a discussion of the hero.  Aristotle, the ancient Greek philosopher, offered profound insights into the nature of tragic heroes in his seminal work "Poetics." Within this treatise, Aristotle identified two critical elements that contribute to the downfall of a tragic hero: hamartia and hubris. His concept as laid down in the Poetics ...

The Agony of Ajax: Exploring Sympathy, Honor's Consequences, and a Tragic End A Fallen Hero's Wrath: Ajax's Quest for Revenge and Tragic Consequences "Ajax" is a Greek tragedy written by the renowned playwright Sophocles. It tells the story of the Greek hero Ajax, who is a key figure in the Trojan War. The play explores themes of honor, pride, and the consequences of one's actions.  It is generally agreed that Ajax and The Antigone are the two earliest extant plays by Sophocles ; which of the two was produced first it is difficult to say. Perhaps an important feature of technique settles this—both tragedies need three actors, but the Ajax in this respect is more tentative than the Antigone . The scene is laid before the tent of Ajax on the plain of Troy. Enraged by the action of the Greeks in awarding to Odysseus instead of to himself the arms of the dead Achilles, Ajax sought to slay Agamemnon, Menelaus, and others in their sleep.  The goddess Athena sent ...

Analyzing Aristotle's Theory: Key Elements of an Aristotelian Plot Tragedy:  Aristotle’s definition of Tragedy Aristotle’s definition of Tragedy- is an imitation of an action, serious complete and of a certain magnitude, in a language beautified in different parts with different kinds of embellishment, through action and not narration  and through scenes of pity and fear bringing about  the ‘catharsis’ of these emotions. Read More Criticism Characteristics of an Aristotelian Plot: 1)  Differentiates Between Plot and Story Tragedy is a representation of action and action consists of incidents and events. Aristotle differentiates between plot and story, and says that it is better for the poet to choose a traditional story taken from history, mythology and legends for such stories are familiar and easy to understand. After selecting the story, the artist must then go on to the process of selection and ordering, when only relevant incidents and situations are to be se...

Aristotle’s view on imitation in  poetry According to Aristotle poetic imitation is not a mere act of servile copying, but it is an act of imaginative creation by which the poet, drawing his material from the phenomenal world, makes something new out of it. Poetry shifts and orders its material, disregards the non essential, the purely accidental, and thus gives us the universal. In this way, it achieves a higher reality, even higher than nature.   Imitation: The Common Basis of All the Arts In Aristotle’s view it is the principle of imitation which unites poetry with the other fine arts. While Plato had equated poetry with painting, Aristotle equates it with music. It no longer remains a mere servile representation of the appearance of things, but in his theory it becomes a representation of the passions, and emotions of men, which are also imitated by music. Thus Aristotle by his theory enlarged the scope of imitation. The poet imitates not the surface of things but the h...

Examining Aristotle and Plato's Perspectives: Imitation in Poetry and Its Philosophical Implications Introduction Aristotle and Plato, two influential ancient Greek philosophers, had contrasting views on the concept of imitation in poetry. While both philosophers addressed this topic, their perspectives differed significantly. Let's compare Aristotle's and Plato's views on imitation in poetry: Plato (428?-347 bc): Argument from "The Republic" By Plato Plato (428?-347 bc)  Plato held a more skeptical view of imitation in poetry. He argued that art, including poetry, was a mere imitation of the physical world, which he deemed illusory and far removed from ultimate reality. Plato believed that poets created works based on appearances, rather than the true forms or ideas that existed in a higher realm. Thus, he considered poetry to be a distorted representation of reality. Plato expressed concerns about the moral and ethical implications of poetry. He believed th...