AD's English Literature

'The World is too Much with Us'   by William Wordsworth William Wordsworth The world is too much with us; late and soon, Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers; Little we see in Nature that is ours; We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon! This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon, The winds that will be howling at all hours, And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers, For this, for everything, we are out of tune; It moves us not. – Great God! I'd rather be A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn; So might I, standing on this pleasant lea, Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn; Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea; Or hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn. What is the central theme of the poem "The World is too Much with Us" ? Ans:---> The central theme is the conflict between nature and materialism, as the speaker criticizes humanity for being disconnected from nature due to its obsession with material we...

The Age of Dryden (1660-1700) John Dryden The Age of John Dryden, also known as the Restoration Period (1660-1700), marks a significant era in English literary history.  The Age of John Dryden roughly spans the period from the Restoration of Charles II in 1660 to the year 1700.  It begins with the restoration of King Charles II to the throne in 1660, ending the Puritan Commonwealth. This era is characterized by a revival of drama, an emphasis on satire, and the development of literary forms such as heroic couplets and formal verse. John Dryden, the dominant literary figure of the time, contributed to all these forms and shaped the period's intellectual and artistic landscape.  Truly speaking he best represents the English mindset of his time. He publishes an astonishing variety of work, including poetry, prose, drama, criticism, translation, and satire. He becomes the leading literary figure of Restoration England. Such an influential English poet, literary cri...

“For in both Keats and Derozio there was a passionate temperament combined with unbounded sympathy with nature and fellowmen. Both died while their powers were not yet fully developed” – Mr. Oaten. Derozio was enabled to become a teacher of English literature in the Hindu College when he was only eighteen. A poet as well as a teacher of poetry, Derozio loved India and loved nature; and he also loved his students which is best exhibited in his present sonnet, To The Pupils of The Hindu College. This  is a heartfelt and optimistic poem dedicated to his students at Hindu College, where he served as a teacher. Written during the Bengal Renaissance, the poem expresses Derozio’s passion for educating the youth and his belief in their potential to bring about societal change. Through the poem, Derozio illustrates the power of education in liberating the mind and fostering intellectual growth. The poem is a testament to his vision of enlightenment and progress, both individually and f...

Preparing for the M.A. English entrance exam requires a thorough understanding of various aspects of English literature, literary theory, and critical thinking. Here’s a model question-answer format that might help guide your preparation: Model Descriptive/ Big Question-Answer for M.A. English Entrance Question 1: Discuss the major features of metaphysical poetry with reference to John Donne’s works. Answer: Metaphysical poetry is characterized by its intellectual and philosophical depth, intricate metaphors (often called conceits ), and a blend of wit with emotion. John Donne, one of the most prominent metaphysical poets, incorporates these elements into his poetry, making his works both intellectually stimulating and emotionally profound. Key Features of Metaphysical Poetry: Use of Conceits : A conceit is an elaborate metaphor that compares two seemingly dissimilar things. Donne often uses these in his poetry, such as in “The Flea” , where he compares a flea biting two lovers to th...

The Impact of the Bible on English Language: From Crude Liturgical Treatises to the Rise of Standard Prose   The Bible's Enduring Impact on English Literature “ T he greatest of all translations is the English Bible. It is even more than that: It is the greatest English book, the first of the English classics, the source of the greatest influences upon English Character and speech………. It is in a singular degree, the voice of a people.” ---- George Sampson. It is needless to say that the influence of the Bible on English literature has been immensely great and most valuable. Ever since the publication of the first translation of the Bible by Wycliffe to the publication of the Authorized Version in 1611, its influence on English literature and language has been constant and steady. These productions exerted great influence in the development of standard prose relinquishing the crude style of the liturgical treatises.  The influence of the Bible on the English language is pro...

History of Old English Literature: Old English literature, also known as Anglo-Saxon literature, spans from the early 5th century to around the Norman Conquest of 1066, though its influence continued into the early 14th century. This period is characterized by the emergence of English as a written language and the development of an oral literary tradition rooted in poetry, history, and religious texts. Below is a timeline of the major phases, works, and authors from the Old English period up to 1300. Birth of English: Stage 1. Tribal Germanic peoples from northwest Germany ( Saxons and Angles ) and Jutland (Jutes) invaded Eastern England around the fifth century AD and the language spoken by them became the origin of English. Stage 2. Their Old English or Anglo - Saxon language survived and evolved until the Normans conquered the island in 1066. The Norman conquest of England in 1066 greatly influenced the evolution of the language. For about 300 years after this, the Nor...

Sonnet, derived from the Italian word ‘Sonneto’ meaning a little sound or strain, is a poem expressing one main idea or emotion consisting of fourteen decasyllabic lines. the origin of it is Italy in the early 15th century. In the first half of the 16 th century the sonnet was introduced in England by Sir Thomas Wyatt and Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey. However, such outburst of lyricism in Elizabethan England is shared by almost all the poets of the Elizabethan period including Sir Philip Sidney, Spenser and Shakespeare. Among the other writers there is Henry constable, Samuel Daniel, Michael Drayton etc. Now we will categorically analyse them.