Browsing Category: English Literature

INTRODUCTION Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations stands out as one of the most studied and celebrated novels in English literature. First published in 1861, it continues to influence readers, critics, and creators on multiple platforms. The story follows Pip, a young orphan in 19th-century England, who faces a series of life-changing events and navigates social class, personal ambition, and challenging relationships. From the opening scene on cold marshes to London’s bustling streets, Dickens...

Introduction Doris Lessing’s The Golden Notebook is widely regarded as one of the most groundbreaking novels of the twentieth century. It was published in 1962, at a time of profound social, political, and cultural upheaval. The Cold War was intensifying global tensions. Meanwhile, the feminist movement was gaining momentum—challenging traditional gender roles and demanding new freedoms for women. At the same time, decolonization reshaped the map and consciousness of the post-colonial world, which grappled...

Introduction TS Eliot’s Impersonality Theory of Poetry marks a profound departure from the prevailing attitudes of the Romantic era. Consequently, it discards the notion that poetry springs from the personal emotions of its author. Instead of being a spontaneous overflow of feelings, Eliot contends that poetry is “an escape from emotion.” In fact, it is a deliberate act where the poet intentionally distances the self from the work. So, what does this...

Introduction Alfred Lord Tennyson’s “Ulysses” isn’t simply a poem; it’s an anthem for every soul that refuses to succumb to stasis—a whirlwind of longing, loss, and fearless striving that echoes through the corridors of human experience. Written after the death of Tennyson’s beloved friend Arthur Hallam, the poem transforms an epic hero’s myth into an intimate confession—a powerful reminder that our search for meaning may never be complete but must always be...

Introduction William Golding’s Lord of the Flies is far more than a simple tale about boys stranded on a remote island. It is a relentless examination of human nature, morality, and the delicate boundaries that hold civilization together. This classic novel, first published in 1954, challenges deeply held beliefs about innate goodness. It exposes the fragile line that separates order from chaos. Readers from the bustling streets of London to the vibrant, multicultural societies...

Introduction Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own is far more than a simple essay. It stands as a groundbreaking exploration of the social, economic, and cultural barriers that have historically limited women’s creative expression. Originally delivered as a series of lectures at Cambridge University in 1928 and published the following year, this work has become a cornerstone of feminist literary criticism. Today, it remains a powerful call for gender equality within literature...

Introduction Jonathan Swift’s The Battle of the Books emerges from a pivotal moment in intellectual history when the rising tide of modern philosophy and science was challenging the value of classical learning. Swift, an astute satirist and supporter of the traditionalist Sir William Temple, offers his take on this contentious debate through an imaginative scene set in the library of St. James’s Palace. Here, books physically duel, embodying rival schools of thought —...

Introduction Eliot’s The Waste Land, published in 1922, is a profound reflection of the disillusionment and fragmentation that followed World War I. It stands as a pillar of modernist literature. The poem challenges readers with its complexity but offers rich rewards. It grapples with themes of spiritual desolation, cultural decay, and the search for meaning in a broken world. In this analysis, we will explore the poem’s historical context, structure, themes, and literary...

Introduction The Hollow Men analysis draws readers into T.S. Eliot’s profound meditation on spiritual emptiness and the crisis haunting modern existence. At the poem’s start, we encounter a chilling vision of humanity reduced to hollow facades—figures who whisper, act with no clear purpose, and drift endlessly between hope and despair. Eliot’s stark language and bleak imagery powerfully capture the disillusionment following World War I, but the poem’s emotional resonance extends far beyond...

Introduction In “Prufrock: Eliot’s Modern Man,” T. S. Eliot crafts a haunting portrait of urban isolation and self-doubt, giving voice to a generation caught in the flux of modernity. This deeply personal and yet universally resonant poem, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” becomes the anthem of anyone who has ever questioned their place in a rapidly changing world. Whether wandering city streets or wrestling with silent anxieties, Prufrock’s predicament captures...