English Literature Essays Examples For College & High School Students in PDF

27201 total results

The Fairy Tale Characteristics of Jane Eyre, a Novel by Charlotte Bronte (1278 words, 2 pages)

Jane Eyre as a Fairy TaleThe fairy tale master plots of rags to riches and good versus evil are recurring themes throughout stories from many different cultures. Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre, can be likened to a fairy tale, as certain elements of the master plot of the story, as it ... Read More

The Theme of Light and Dark in Romeo and Juliet, a Play by William Shakespeare (769 words, 3 pages)

Light and DarkIn William Shakespeare's classic tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, two star-crossed lovers struggle through defying odds in Verona during the 1300s. The diverse, fast paced, love story focuses on the extreme imagery of the protagonists shared love, specifically pertaining to opposites. Shakespeare draws complexity through the plentiful use of ... Read More

An Analysis of Savagery in Lord of the Flies, a Novel by William Golding (616 words, 2 pages)

Lord of the FliesLord of the Flies, by William Golding is about a group of stranded boys on an uninhabited island. While the first couple of days are filled with fun, peace, and laughter, paranoia strikes when the boys begin to believe a beast of their own imaginations. From there ... Read More

The Flaws of the Pardoner and the Prioress in The Canterbury Tales, a Book by Geoffrey Chaucer (1138 words, 4 pages)

How can you say to your brother, Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye, when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye (Luke 642)The Christian faith has always placed emphasis on righteousness and truth, condemning hypocrisy as an arrogant and ignorant act. The ... Read More

The Greatest Mind in Literary History (1972 words, 5 pages)

Why was William Shakespeare regarded as the best English play writer?In his book Will in the World, Stephen Greenblatt describes Shakespeare as the greatest playwright not of his age alone but of all time. This echoes the fact that the Bard is often considered to be one of Englands greatest ... Read More

The Transformation of St. Ignatius of Loyola and Doctor Manette in A Tale of Two Cities, a Novel by Charles Dickens (1168 words, 4 pages)

Growing up a young and rich aristocrat, St. Ignatius of Loyola always coveted the vainglorious prestige of knighthood and courtship. Perverted by ideals of fame, glory, and superficiality, Ignatius spent most of his youth consumed by the sinful vices associated with his privileged upbringing. However, his perception of himself as ... Read More

An Analysis of the Historical Context of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet (2471 words, 7 pages)

My guess is that should you ask people in the United States today todescribe life in England, words that would not come to mind would be"chaotic, " "restless, " or "unruly." However, the England of Shakespeare'stime was far more turbulent than the England of today. The period in whichShakespeare lived ... Read More

A Social Perspective on the Restrictions of Evolution in 1984, a Novel by George Orwell (587 words, 1 pages)

Adapting to new situations in life is essentialEvolution is often looked upon as a purely physical process. People seem to think that this naturally occurring force is unstoppable, and only produces positive traits and characteristics for its beneficiary. While in most animals, this may be the case, for humans, the ... Read More

An Analysis of Totalitarian Tactics in 1984, a Novel by George Orwell (1266 words, 4 pages)

Totalitarian Party Tactics in 1984Winston Smiths interactions with the past reveal key totalitarian strategies employed by the Party to control its citizens by keeping the past hopelessly indiscernible. The Party, distorting the past to immobilize its rousing effects on Winston, essentially controls time itself. Initially, Winston, mobilized by a hunch ... Read More

A Review of the Witches in Macbeth, a Play by William Shakespeare (1555 words, 5 pages)

In the play Macbeth, Shakespeare conveys the common beliefs that were held about witchcraft in the Jacobean era, and especially as the people of the Jacobean era were fully, devoted Christians. Popular Christian beliefs included that witches were agents of Satan and evil servants. Hence, many people feared witches and ... Read More

A Comparison of A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson and Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (1007 words, 2 pages)

In discoveries lies the potential for transformation and change, as they provoke existential questions, challenging society's prevalent paradigms. Bryson's 2003 non-fiction account A Short History of Nearly Everything and Shelley's 1818 Romantic Frankenstein explores how the catalysts of our paradoxically noble and felonious nature frame discovery's value while further uncovering ... Read More

Enhancing the Appreciation and Understanding of William Shakespeare King Richard III and Al Pacino’s Looking for Richard Through the Connection of Both Texts (1166 words, 4 pages)

A comparison of Shakespeares historical tragedy King Richard III and Al Pacinos docu- drama, Looking For Richard, enhances our appreciation and understanding of the way context shapes meaning in texts as well as the enduring nature of values that defy contextual limitations and thus continue to resonate with responders. Shakespeares ... Read More

A Review of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, a Novel by Mark Haddon (1156 words, 4 pages)

Mark Haddons novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time explores the ideas of trust and acceptance in relationships, being different due to a disability can cause isolation and the importance of order and stability in our lives. Through Haddons use of textual features such as characterisation, language ... Read More

An Analysis of How Al Pacino’s Looking for Richard Has Given Me More Understanding of Shakespeare’s Richard III (909 words, 2 pages)

Contemporary texts are often valuable as they allow new perspectives and insights into classic works. Discuss how Looking for Richard has given you more insight into Richard III.Looking for Richard by Al Pacino offers a new perspective and insight into King Richard III by William Shakespeare through many different connections ... Read More

Looking for Richard: A New Perspective Into Richard III (1045 words, 3 pages)

Contemporary texts are often valuable as they allow new perspectives and insights into classic works. Discuss how Looking for Richard has given you more insight into Richard III. The idea that contemporary texts are often valuable as they allow new perspectives and insights into classic works is apparent with Shakespeares ... Read More

An Analysis of Nudging in Animal Farm, a Novel by George Orwell (790 words, 3 pages)

Nudging in Animal FarmA nudge is a gentle push in a certain direction. Sometimes a person or government nudges people to make a specific decision by making some choices easier, or harder, than others. Animal Farm, a novel by George Orwell, concerns this topic. In Animal Farm, a rebellion of ... Read More

The Changing Fervor of Hamlet in Hamlet, a Play by William Shakespeare (1527 words, 5 pages)

The Inconstancy of Hamlet's Thirst for BloodIn William Shakespeare's classic tragedy Hamlet, political ambition and corruption drive the titular Hamlet to the brink of insanity in search of revenge. When King Hamlet passes away and his brother Claudius assumes his role as king of Denmark and husband to Gertrude, Prince ... Read More

A Comparison of Looking for Richard by Al Pacino and Richard III by William Shakespeare (1172 words, 2 pages)

The exploration of humanitys universal aspects allows art and literature to transcend time, although their contextual displacement inevitably leads to a reformation of underlying societal beliefs and paradigms. While Al Pacinos 1996 Looking for Richard preserves Shakespeares Richard III (1597)s prevalent concepts of the catalysts and consequences of pursuing control, ... Read More

Character Analysis of Inspector Goole in An Inspector Calls, a Play by John Boynton Priestley (573 words, 2 pages)

J. B Priestley presents the character of Inspector Goole as prophetic, omniscient and almost God-like. Inspector Goole created an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness, the use of tripling emphasises the Inspectors power, strength and authority over the Birlings and Gerald Croft. Also, the stage directions direct that the lighting ... Read More

The Impact of Rediscovery in Shooting an Elephant, an essay by George Orwell (899 words, 2 pages)

Rediscovery can be confronting, painful and at times, empowering.How have your prescribed text and at least ONE other related text of your own choosing presented the impact of rediscovery?An emotionally confronting and provocative discovery serves as a catalyst for an individual to rediscover. This catalyst can lead an individual to ... Read More

Understanding the Characters and Plots of Shakespeare’s Richard III Through Looking for Richard, a Film by Al Pacino (1036 words, 2 pages)

Looking For Richard and Richard IIILooking for Richard by Al Pacino offers a new perspective and insight in to Richard III by William Shakespeare. Looking for Richard gives the audience more understanding of Richard III mainly through Richards opening soliloquy and the Lady Anne Scene. The use of themes, characterisation ... Read More

The Two Choices and Their Different Actions in Macbeth by William Shakespeare and Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (2115 words, 7 pages)

Doom and redemption are two choices that result from different actions. Characters in Macbeth by Shakespeare and Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky commit crimes. In Macbeth a morally virtuous man commits a sin because he has an unchecked ambition. In Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov is a righteous protagonist who committed ... Read More

The Search for True Happiness in Brave New World, a Novel by Aldous Huxley (488 words, 2 pages)

Brave new world is able to capture a futuristic utopian society with humor, this seems like a way to mock the idea of a utopia, however Aldous Huxley is conveying a much darker idea. Essentially his message shows the reader how a government ruled by a dictator could rise to ... Read More

A Study of Oppression in a Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen and Animal Farm by George Orwell (1553 words, 5 pages)

In order to be truly aware of ones marginalized status in society there needs to not only be an awareness of the oppression itself, but also an understanding of its causes and repercussions. Nora Helmer, the protagonist in the play A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen, is oppressed by her ... Read More

The Person Responsible for the Tragedy in Frankenstein, a Novel by Mary Shelley (382 words, 2 pages)

Frankenstein EssayOne could always ask a question is God the only one who could create life? You might say no, it is not natural for human beings to create, only to give birth to new life. However that theory could be challenged from the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelly as ... Read More

A Bleak of Hope in King Lear, a Play by William Shakespeare (558 words, 1 pages)

By considering the dramatic effects of King Lear, evaluate the view that despite the appalling suffering, the world of the play is not without hope.In his play King Lear, Shakespeare presents a society in which none may emerge victorious. The end of the play somewhat serves as a lesson that ... Read More

An Analysis of Rivalry in King Lear, a Play by William Shakespeare (1486 words, 3 pages)

"The tension between the legitimate son Edgar and the bastard son Edmund is fundamental to the play". How far do you consider that this comment offers a helpful insight into the concerns ofKing Lear?The brothers in King Lear, rather than existing only for the sake of the plays sub-plot, are ... Read More

A Short Review of Micheal Henchard in The Mayor of Casterbridge, a Novel by Thomas Hardy (2194 words, 7 pages)

Michael Henchards attitudes to women and to social class are typical of Victorian times and, therefore, should not cause us to react negatively towards the character.With reference to appropriately selected parts of the first 12 Chapters of the novel and relevant external contextual information on Victorian attitudes to woman and ... Read More

An Analysis of Justice in King Lear, a Play by William Shakespeare (1352 words, 3 pages)

The values of honour and justice which are characteristic of the old chivalric order are victorious at the end ofKing Lear. Evaluate this view by exploring the dramatic effects of the play.The notion that King Lear concludes with justice is one that might certainly be emphasised by Christian critics, for ... Read More

The Concept of Defiance in King Lear, a Play by William Shakespeare (1122 words, 2 pages)

Tigers not daughters. To what extent would you agree that King Lear reflects a patriarchal world view that seems terrified by women and what they might represent?King Lear presents only three significant women Goneril, Regan and Cordelia. All of these women are daughters of the Eponymous, who is moreover the ... Read More

English Literature Essay Examples