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

27201 total results

The Signs of Psychological Disorders of Polonius in The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, a Play by William Shakespeare (734 words, 4 pages)

The Psychological Health of PoloniusIn The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, several characters exhibit the signs of possible psychological disorders, such as Prince Hamlet, Ophelia, and Polonius. With Polonius, Shakespeare seems to characterize a sneaky, untrustworthy snake of a man. Upon further inspection, however, it seems likely that Polonius ... Read More

A Character Analysis of Sleary in Hard Times, a Novel by Charles Dickens (856 words, 3 pages)

Putting the S in Thleary The appeal of popular satirical television hosts such as Stewart and Colbert is their ability to evoke laughter with their shows while piquing our curiosity to investigate further. One such character in Dickenss Hard Times with such appeal is Sleary. Sleary appeals to the readers ... Read More

The Religious or Supernatural Help for Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre (779 words, 3 pages)

Janes Unrealistic HelpCharlotte Bronte is justified in using improbable contrivances to advance the plot because the ideal lifestyle she portrays in Jane Eyre was socially unacceptable and unobtainable during Victorian times. Jane Eyre is Janes narration of her life as she looks back on it, and her descriptions of supernatural ... Read More

Jane’s Outburst Against Mrs. Reed in Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (1011 words, 4 pages)

When Dear Aunt Reed Became Mrs. ReedWhen Mr. Brocklehurst leaves after Mrs. Reed speaks to him about Janes alleged insolence, Jane passionately rebukes Mrs. Reeds false words, which finalizes Mrs. Reeds decision to send Jane to school at Lowood. Janes outburst against Mrs. Reed marks the change in the relationship ... Read More

Religion and Paganism in America in the Play Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf by Edward Albee (292 words, 1 pages)

Facing Cold Hard Reality of ThingsReligion is ubiquitous, but the paganistic views America takes of it is not the panacea they need in order to recover from their post-WWII slump. In his play Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Albee states that it is paganism itself that is causing Americas delusion, ... Read More

The Fundamental Flaws in Familial Relations in American Society in Edward Albee’s Who is Afraid of Virginia Woolf, an Article by Yakup Yasar (516 words, 2 pages)

Yakup Yasars Edward Albees Who is Afraid of Virginia Woolf? claims that Albee uses his play to highlight the fundamental flaws in American society and, more specifically, in its familial relations.. Despite wins in both World Wars, America is just as negatively affected as those who lost, floundering and losing ... Read More

An Analysis of the Speech by Brutus in Julius Caesar, a Play by William Shakespeare (1188 words, 4 pages)

Friends, Romans, and Countrymen Brutus Lesser Speech in Julius CaesarUndoubtedly, the plight of Brutus in William Shakespeares Julius Caesar is his devotion to his leader, the titular Julius Caesar, despite the evidence that Caesars reign has asphyxiated the Republic. Brutus agreement to the terms of the conspirators is one of ... Read More

Character Analysis of Anthony in Julius Caesar, a Play by William Shakespeare (1180 words, 4 pages)

If my love is without sacrifice, it is selfish. Such a love is barter, for there is exchange of love and devotion in return for something. It is conditional love. - Sadhu VaswaniAntonys strength and vice throughout his multiple presences in Shakespeares play is undeniably that of the lover. His ... Read More

An Analysis of Good and Evil in Paradise Lost, a Poem by John Milton (2799 words, 9 pages)

In this essay we shall be discussing how Milton deals with the problems of both evil and temptation within Paradise Lost, it focuses on God as a sign for authority and the status quo to Satan as a sign for the Other.. The time of which Milton was writing religion ... Read More

The Role and Influence of Gender in Lord of the Flies, a Novel by William Golding (813 words, 3 pages)

Did the role of gender have any influence on the actions in the well known novel the Lord of the Flies? Would things have turned out differently if it was all girls stranded on the island, instead of all boys? Gender criticism explores the differences between men and women, the ... Read More

The Use of Power in Paradise Lost, a Poem by John Milton (1852 words, 8 pages)

Power in Paradise LostJohn Miltons Paradise Lost deals both directly and indirectly with power. In the epic poem, power is at the center of the story. Relations surrounding the balance of power, or lack thereof, characterize both the characters and the circumstances themselves. Furthermore, Milton also uses Paradise Lost to ... Read More

Character Analysis of Mr. Collins and Lydia Bennet in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice (870 words, 2 pages)

Pride and Prejudice AnalysisIn Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen employs the use of many static characters in order to further the reader's understanding throughout the novel. The two most notable characters that do much in the ways of furthering this understanding are Mr. Collins and Lydia Bennet. Throughout the entirety ... Read More

An Archetype Criticism of Othello, a Play by William Shakespeare (782 words, 3 pages)

Archetypal Criticism of OthelloOthello, one of Shakespeares most popular tragedies, is full of symbols, motifs, and themes that make it relatable to people all over the world. Othello can also be paralleled by millions of other texts that possess the same archetypes that are commonly used in any fictional writing. ... Read More

The Use of Vulgar Language to Describe Lady Macbeth in William Shakespeare’s Play (274 words, 1 pages)

In Shakespeares Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is portrayed as insane through the use of vulgar language within dialogue. After Lady Macbeth and Macbeth commit the killing of Duncan, Lady begins sleepwalking and sleep talking her insane mindset is verbalized as she repeatedly speaks and acts upon cleansing herself after the events ... Read More

A Historical Analysis of 1984 by George Orwell (593 words, 2 pages)

1984 by George Orwell Historical AnalysisNineteen Eighty-Four, commonly abbreviated to 1984, is a dystopian novel by the English writer George Orwell. This book tells the story of Winston Smith and his attempt to rebel against the totalitarian state in which he lives. Nineteen Eighty-Four is among the most famous and ... Read More

An Analysis of Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, and A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens (1721 words, 6 pages)

Author Analysis Charles DickensCharles Dickens, the 19th century British writer is remembered as one of the greatest authors of all time. But what makes a writer liable for such a title? For this paper, I combined my knowledge of three Dickens books Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, and A Tale of ... Read More

The Negative Effects of Society in Emma, a Novel by Jane Austen (1540 words, 6 pages)

Society's Detrimental Effect on the Individual, as Illustrated in EmmaIn the words of the French moralist, Andre Gide, society knows perfectly well how to kill a man and has methods more subtle than death. Jane Austens novel, Emma, is based upon a maturing young woman who tries to find a ... Read More

An Analysis of Allegorical Satire in Animal Farm, a Novel by George Orwell (1386 words, 5 pages)

Animal Farm as an Allegorical SatireGeorge Orwells Animal Farm is an allegorical satire of the Russian Revolution and communist movement that took place around post World War I times. An allegory is a work of literature that contains a hidden meaning or opinion on something, such as a political or ... Read More

The Character of Falstaff in the Plays by William Shakespeare (492 words, 2 pages)

Among the bounds and heaps of terrible characters in Shakespeare plays, the character of Falstaff remains one of the bright spots in Elizabethan theater. Falstaff embodied fun, happiness, and a carefree way of life. He may not be my all time favorite character, but he certainly isnt my least favorite. ... Read More

The Major Themes of the Omnipotent Power of Fate, Omens, Curses, and Prophecies in Richard III, a Play by William Shakespeare (492 words, 2 pages)

One of the majors themes in a Shakespeare work is the omnipotent power of fate, omens, curses, and prophecies. Throughout Richard III, several characters call upon mightier forces to bring the downfall of another character. These curses hold a mighty weight over the majority of the characters, since in Elizabethan ... Read More

The Effects of Fear in the Native Son, a Novel by Richard Wright (864 words, 3 pages)

The Consequences of Fear That Resides Within In Richard Wrights Native Son, racism becomes the norm of an oppressed community through the fears of the unfortunate. In 1930s Chicago, segregation and discrimination are predominant, where blacks are forced to live in destitution and the whites live in luxury, which is ... Read More

The Foil Characters in King Henry IV, a Play by William Shakespeare (454 words, 2 pages)

In almost every shakespeare play, there are certain characters who seem to be polar opposites of each other. Theses characters are known as foils. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a foil is, someone or something that serves as a contrast to another. Foils also help their counterparts strengths and weaknesses ... Read More

The Use of Marxism to Analyze Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare (378 words, 2 pages)

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, marxism is, the political, economic, and social theories of Karl Marx including the belief that the struggle between social classes is a major force in history and that there should eventually be a society in which there are no classes. Using marxism to interpret Twelfth Night, ... Read More

Mistaken Identity and Disguise in William Shakespeare’s Plays Twelfth Night and Much Ado About Nothing (536 words, 2 pages)

Shakespeares plays, although very different and unique, have a common thread among most mistaken identity and disguise. Although Shakespeare was not the first and certainly not the last to incorporate this technique into his work, he is the most well-known. I believe that Shakespeare included mistaken identity in his plays ... Read More

An Expression of Dismay in the Words of Madiha Bahatt (701 words, 3 pages)

Dangerous LyricsMadiha Bahatt, a Muslim spoken word poet, is a woman who has something quite powerful to say regarding the objectification of women. During a 5 minute rhyme about the misogyny that is found in todays music, Madiha Bahatt expresses bravery, assertiveness, and is extremely thought provoking with the words ... Read More

The Theme of Oppression in A Clockwork Orange, a Novel by Anthony Burgess (1846 words, 6 pages)

Alienation under a Totalitarian Government The Nonconformist as a VictimThe dystopian novel, A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, explores the effects of oppression on the youth when it is subject to the confiscation of moral choice. Burgess uses a variety of motifs that make the main characters acts seem more ... Read More

The Historical Inaccuracies in Richard III, a Play by William Shakespeare (484 words, 2 pages)

As modern society strays away from Shakespeares sphere of influence, we must decide whether or not we will fight for Shakespeares histories. Shakespeare as a whole seems to be dying down every year, but does it really matter? Although they provide some entertainment, I believe that Shakespeares histories are no ... Read More

The Twisting of the Historical Truth in Richard III, a Play by William Shakespeare (411 words, 2 pages)

The common saying, history is written by the winners, is especially pertinent in Shakespeares historical plays. Shakespeare allowed his writing to become a political statement. Instead of following the historical events completely accurately, he let some slack out and made the events more dramatic to please the audience, and he ... Read More

Identity and the Foolish Characters in Twelfth Night, a Play by William Shakespeare (542 words, 2 pages)

In any comedy, it can be hard to pick out the fools, but in Twelfth Night, I found it easy to distinguish the characters. Sir Andrew Aguecheek stuck out to me as the most foolish character, but Feste was also a fool by profession. Both of these characters had a ... Read More

A Personal Analysis on Why the Main Wedding Was Brought Back to Act III in Twelfth Night, a Play by William Shakespeare (381 words, 2 pages)

A Shakespeare comedy is built on a similar plot line throughout all of his comedic plays. Act I is a introduction Act II is rising action Act III is the climax Act IV is falling action, and Act V is resolution. In most comedies, Act V is where the main ... Read More

English Literature Essay Examples