Over forty essays on English Literature,all the product of deep reading and thinking about some of the landmark texts of the literary canon and some of the more obscure byways of English Literature. An insightful overview of the entire subject with detailed critiques on many key texts and original writing on more obscure ones.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- English – the World's Lingua Franca?
- The Miller's Tale and The Reeve's Tale
- Chaucer and the Church
- The Opening of The General Prologue
- Admiration and Contempt in The General Prologue
- The Problem of Lancelot in Malory's Le Morte Darthur
- The Courtly Love Tradition
- Romeo & Juliet - the Isolation of Desire
- Constancy in Coriolanus
- Sonnet 130
- Hamlet's Tragic Flaw
- Hamlet and Celebrity Culture
- Ethnic Groups in The Merchant of Venice and Othello
- Macbeth - a Study in the Psychology of Evil
- Macbeth and Lady Macbeth
- Theatre Manifesto
- 'To His Coy Mistress' – Andrew Marvell
- 'To His Coy Mistress' and the Canon
- 'The Little Black Boy' and 'Holy Thursday' – William Blake
- 'London' - William Blake
- British and French Perspectives on Empire
- Transatlantic Bildungsromans
- 'Spellbound' – Emily Brontë
- Hard Times and Utilitarianism
- 'My Last Duchess' – Robert Browning
- 'Dover Beach' - Matthew Arnold
- The Imperial Nightmare I – Conrad & Maugham
- The Imperial Nightmare II – The Heart of Darkness
- Jacob's Room – Virginia Woolf
- Banned Books: Lady Chatterley's Lover and Lolita
- The Growth of Orwell's Political Awareness
- Nineteen Eighty-Four – George Orwell
- Lord of the Flies – Golding's Notion of Evil
- Simon & Jack in Lord of the Flies
- Two Australian War Poems
- Gordimer's 'Country Lovers' & Walker's 'The Welcome Table'
- Mansfield's 'The Garden Party' and Munro's ‘Half a Grapefruit
- Canadian Gender Stereotypes
- Harold Pinter - the Man
- Watership Down - Richard Adams
- Siswe Bansi is Dead & Death of the Maiden – Living in a Tyranny
- The Buddha of Suburbia – Hanif Kureishi
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This volume of essays offers a comprehensive overview of English literature, spanning from Chaucer to Hanif Kureishi. Each essay explores a specific text or author, revealing recurring ideas and preoccupations within a national literature shaped by history and geography. The collection aims to provide a broader perspective on the evolution and significance of English literature, highlighting its rich tapestry of themes and influences.
- The influence of history and geography on English literature
- Recurring themes of class, social position, and political power
- The evolution of the English language and its impact on literary expression
- The legacy of the English Empire and its global reach
- The exploration of individual and societal struggles within a changing world
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- English – the World's Lingua Franca?: This section delves into the origins and development of the English language, exploring its rise as a global lingua franca. It examines the influence of historical events, such as the Norman Conquest, on the evolution of English and its impact on literature. Several essays in this section focus on Chaucer, exploring his works within the context of social and political changes of his time.
- 'The Little Black Boy' and 'Holy Thursday' – William Blake: These essays delve into the poetry of William Blake, analyzing his use of symbolism and his critique of societal injustices. They explore how Blake's poetry reflects the social and political landscape of his time, highlighting themes of innocence, experience, and the human condition.
- 'Spellbound' – Emily Brontë: This section explores the works of Emily Brontë, analyzing her unique voice and her exploration of themes of love, passion, and the complexities of human relationships. It highlights the connection between Brontë's work and the social and cultural context of her time.
- The Imperial Nightmare I – Conrad & Maugham: These essays focus on the works of Joseph Conrad and W. Somerset Maugham, exploring their depictions of the imperial experience and its impact on individuals and societies. They analyze the authors' critiques of colonialism and their portrayal of the complexities of power and morality in the colonial context.
- Jacob's Room – Virginia Woolf: This essay examines Virginia Woolf's innovative approach to storytelling and her exploration of themes of identity, memory, and the passage of time. It highlights Woolf's contribution to modernist literature and her ability to capture the complexities of human consciousness.
- Nineteen Eighty-Four – George Orwell: This section delves into George Orwell's dystopian masterpiece, analyzing its themes of totalitarianism, surveillance, and the suppression of individual freedom. It explores the enduring relevance of Orwell's work in today's world, where concerns about technology, privacy, and censorship are increasingly prominent.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Key terms and concepts that permeate this collection of essays include: English language, national literature, history, geography, class, social position, political power, colonialism, imperialism, empire, individual and societal struggles, freedom, censorship, dystopia, and human condition.
Excerpt out of 148 pages
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- David Wheeler (Author), 2011, The Imperial Nightmare, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/176306
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