Free essays on literature refer to the writing pieces that are available to everyone online without any charges. These essays can cover a wide range of literary topics, such as the analysis of a character or a theme in a novel, a review of a poem or a play, or an interpretation of a literary movement. They can be written by students, scholars, or literary enthusiasts, and can offer diverse perspectives and insights into the world of literature. Free essays on literature can be useful for those interested in learning more about a specific literary work or genre or for those seeking inspiration for their own writing.
Character Analysis of Achilles Using the Philosophy of Plato
Many of the citizens, especially the younger men, always looked up to Achilles as a role model. They admired his courage and bravery on the battlefield and longed to be like him. Socrates seems to side with Achilles's admirers at first, however, things take a turn when he presents himself as the new model for righteousness and virtue. He addresses the nature and problems of justice, while pointing out the problems in Homeric poetry. Based on the claims he has…...
AchillesJusticeSocrates
The Concept of the Death of Achilles
Different pieces of evidence have been put forward, which have been written in several periods to explain the death of Achilles. The following sources provide the information about the death of Achilles. Clear testimony that Achilles died from a wound to a particularly weak location is late. The sources for the explanation of his immersing in the Styx normally mention that Achilles death was caused by the struck by an arrow in his lower limb. At first part, earlier accounts…...
AchillesApolloArt
Characterization of The Hero Achilles in The Illiad by Homer
Hērōs, the Greek word for hero, is the goal for most of the ancient Greeks. Traditionally, being a hero meant great glory and remembrance for years and decades to come, even after their death. A hero is defined by the Webster Dictionary as a man distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength. If this is defined as a hero, then why so much do people associate Achilles as the hero of one of Homer's most famous epic poems, The…...
AchillesHeroIliad
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The Negative Impact of the Trojan and Persian Wars
War, without a doubt, hurts a civilization but their effects of their short period of suffering always outshines their suffering. This is proven to hold true in two major wars in the course of history, the Trojan War and the Persian Wars. Immediately after the war is over, civilizations go through a period of hardship. But after that period, the civilizations go through a strife period of fertility and great creations. Although war can hurt a civilization, the ways the…...
CivilizationGreeceTrojan War
Greek Gods in the Trojan War
In Homers The Iliad the roles of the Greek gods and goddesses in the Trojan War often involve the death and treachery of mortals. The gods usually decide who dies and who lives, and they determine the mental will of a person, but ultimately it is Fate that governs what happens to an individual. Only thinking of themselves, the immortal gods cannot relate to death or human affairs and often give little thought to the value of human life. The…...
IliadMythologyTrojan War
An Overview of the Warrior Menelaus in the Trojan War
Menelaus although a great warrior was also a great observer and thinker. Menelaus was the son of Atreus. Menelauss brother was the leader of the Trojan army, Agamemnon. Although he was not a major warrior in the war, his brother was the commander in chief of the forces against Troy (Parada, p.2). Although little is known about Menaluss life in Alexandria, other records show that he recorded astrological records. Menelaus observed the occultation of the star Beta Scorpii by the…...
LiteratureMythologyTrojan War
The Importance of the Trojan War in the Odyssey and Ancient Greek Culture
The Trojan War played very important roles in both The Odyssey's and ancient Greek culture. This war is one of the most iconic events in Greek mythology due to its importance to their culture and how affected they were in a good and also in a bad way after the war, it was an event that basically changed the culture of the Greek population and how they approached life in a sense. In the book 'The Odyssey' translated by Emily…...
Odyssey
A Detailled Overview of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Chapter 1: Maya writes about the time when she and her older brother, Bailey, were shipped off to live in Arkansas from California with their grandmother. Their parents divorced when Maya was 3 and Bailey 4. The parents sent Maya and Bailey to Arkansas with a porter, but the porter abandons them in Arizona, leaving the two siblings to find their own way to Arkansas. Once Maya and Bailey arrive to their grandmothers house, Annie Henderson, and her disabled son,…...
FictionI Know Why The Caged Bird SingsLiterature
Reflections on I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The title of the poem, I know why the caged bird sings by Maya Angelou, is a curious one. It pre-supposes a question and the title of the poem suggests an answer. This is a different approach since most poems are more of an offering of a thought, experience, feeling or observation. Since Maya Angelou is an activist within the black women's movement in the United States, it is anticipated that this poem will deal with issues relating to the…...
I Know Why The Caged Bird SingsMaya AngelouThought
Cultural Values in Othello and Caged Bird
Throughout literature writers use various ways of showing the reader a new way of life with different values, rituals and customs. These aspects can been seen in the works of William Shakespers Othello, and Maya Angelou s I Know Why The Cage Bird Sings. These books are very good examples of showing the importance of value and different culture to readers. In the Autobiography I Know Why The Cage Bird Sings Maya Angelou tells the story of her life. She…...
CultureI Know Why The Caged Bird SingsOthello
The Life Lessons in Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
I watched a movie the other night called, "The Color of Friendship". It was about a white teenage girl from Africa, visiting America on a Foreign Exchange Program. She was placed in a Black home and was very frightened at first because she was taught, as a child, to dislike Blacks. She befriends the teenage hostess and decides that Blacks are not as bad as she was taught to believe. While she is visiting America she tells her new friend…...
FictionI Know Why The Caged Bird SingsRacism
Prejudice in Maya Angelou’s Autobiography
Have you ever felt like you've never been wanted? Well, Blacks have gone through this experience for decades in their society. We see this experience with Maya Angelou in her autobiography which is set in the south during segregation. In the autobiography, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou, prejudiceness has impacted Maya throughout the book. In I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, maya faces prejudice, and is constantly fighting this outrage, yet not always winning.…...
I Know Why The Caged Bird SingsRacismSocial Issues
Philosophical Comparisons: Bradstreet, Thoreau, Jefferson
Have you ever wondered where we came from? Who or what constructed our complexity? One would say the Creator above designed our physical bodies, as well as our destinies. Others would say we evolved over time after the continents were separated and developed following Pangaea. While we all, in modern day, have our opinions and beliefs, so did the Puritans, Founding Fathers and Transcendentalists. Jefferson, and Henry David Thoreau all boldly proclaim their beliefs shown in their writings from these…...
Anne BradstreetGodTranscendentalism
Puritan Writing Values
In the early years of American History, literature commonly reflected the colonial culture, the native culture, and the imperialistic ideals of the time period. Imperialistic culture often conflicted with native culture, and by reading the stories of both sides it is easy to understand why an unwillingness to either assimilate or accept other cultures causes conflict. But a more fascinating similarity exists in the human themes in all these stories written around the beginning of the 18th century. Sometimes these…...
Anne BradstreetCulturePuritans
Women in Poetry
Throughout history, women have been looked upon with a certain perception of the role that they should have in society and at home, they have struggled to have rights and were often treated like second class citizens. Emily Dickinson and Anne Bradstreet were two women who knew just this; they wrote captivating poetry that expressed how they felt about the role women played in society, and in life, while also being as Ralph Waldo Emerson would say "transparent eyeballs" in…...
Anne BradstreetEmily DickinsonPoetry
The Life and Literary Works of the English Poet, Anne Bradstreet
Imagine a new world, a place where very little is known. Set out on a voyage to this untouched land, see what life has in store. Death and ailments litter the path ahead, but strive for the hope of a new tomorrow. This is exactly what Anne Bradstreet did, in 1630 her husband, mother and father packed their belongings and set out on the adventure of a life time. Through all the love, sickness, loss and grief Anne experienced, she…...
Anne BradstreetCultureReligion
A Person’s Humanness in The Flesh and the Spirit, a Poem by Anne Bradstreet
Anne Bradstreet's poem "The Flesh and the Spirit" serves as a literary piece that explores the binaries that are present in her religious beliefs. The two voices of the poem are two sisters, the spirit and the flesh, and they serve as a distinct and clear example of each element in human nature. The spirit is moral and follows the ways of God. The flesh is immoral, representing the flaws that are present in everyone; Christians and sinners included. By…...
Anne BradstreetBeliefReligion
Racism in Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
There has been an uprising in the African-American community due to the Confederates waving the Confederate flag in African-American neighborhoods. Unlike the past, African-Americans now have gained civil rights; therefore, causing a riot and fighting theseConfederates. The novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, written by Mark Twain, is set before the Civil War and in the Mississippi River. To elaborate on the issue, Black oppression was high, slavery existed, and Blacks had no rights. The novel could be interpreted differently…...
Mark TwainSlaveryThe Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn
Paps Drunkeness in Mark Twains Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
The theme of alcoholism has long gripped the hearts and minds of America's society. In Twains, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck's father is ridiculed for his ignorance and racism. He is therefore depicted as the uncivilized, drunken father. In fact, Pap's drunkenness characterizes the ills of behavior and society. For example, through Pap's actions, we can see that he is considered white trash. He abuses the helping hands of those around him. "When he got out the new judge said…...
Mark TwainRacismThe Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn
Racism’s impact on education in Huckleberry Finn
Racism is a common yet harmful part of human society, described as the biased treatment of a person based on skin tone or ethnicity. It is also an important theme in literature involving African American and white populations in America during its younger years. Mark Twain's novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, is a particular work of American literature that uses fictional characters to portray this human vice. Huck, a white boy living in Missouri who refuses to be “civilized,” and…...
Mark TwainRacismThe Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn
The Use of Humor in Mark Twain’s At The Funeral
This selection makes it obvious that Mark Twain is a witty, intelligent man. His use of humor extends to the written speech, as well as his stage performances. This piece, St The Funeral, is a perfect example. Twain uses shocking statements, ironic situations, and a blatant disregard for social norm to compose this humorous satire. His work is masterfully written, and his sentences are arranged in such a way that comedic timing can be observed, even in text. Mark Twain…...
CultureIronyMark Twain
Freedom in Huck Finn
In Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twain discusses and illustrates the pursuit of individual and social freedom through Huck and Jim's respective struggles. Huck, as an individual, yearns to break free from a "sivilized" life. As a young boy full of curiosity and daring, he feels restricted by the rules that govern his day-to-day life. Thus, when he "couldn't stand it no longer", he elected to run away and live a "free and satisfied" life, only to return for his friend…...
Mark TwainPoliticsThe Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn
Seema Kapoor View on Love Inspired by Dr. Maya Angelou Speech
In "Best Kind of Love Is the Love That Sets You Free," by SeemaKapoor, she writes about her feeling after she watched a video of Dr.Maya Angelou speech. Dr. Angelo described her views on love and the thread it creates between people as they connect to something bigger than themselves. And it changed Author views on love. She writes about her understanding of love in a wrong way, and how true loves can connect people to each other naturally. She…...
Maya AngelouPhilosophyPsychology
The Various Feelings Shown by Maya Angelou in the Poem Still I Rise
"I rise." This phrase is said in the 1978 poem, "Still I Rise," by the African American author, poet, historian, and civil rights activist, Maya Angelou. In her poem, she expresses African Americans' growing indignant feelings about history and slavery, including her own. About 150 years ago, having slaves was allowed by the United States government. For this reason, African Americans had such a hard time. However, some countries still have slaves. According to the Walk Free Foundation, an organization…...
Maya AngelouRevengeSlavery
The Importance of Individuality in Still I Rise by Maya Angelou
What must one do when the very existence of their whole life is under scrutiny and perpetually abused? How do they overcome a situation from which they are powerless to the ruffians of their life? Responding to the unbounded brutality she faces, Maya Angelou paints a clear cut picture in "Still I Rise," one that illustrates persistence in the face of adversity, triumph in the face of loss, and tenacity in the face of injustice. Incorporating a variety of tones…...
HopeMaya AngelouOppression
The Use of Literary Devices in the Poem Still I Rise by Maya Angelou
In Maya Angelou's poem, "Still I Rise”, she expresses her feeling about how people treat other people. Angelou's poem epitomizes hope. When hard times come, smile. Whenever you fall, get back up and when you think all is going wrong, "rise"(32), against it! Angelou uses a grand variety of literary devices. She uses repetition, to show that "Still I'll rise" (12), signifying that whatever she goes through she will still have confidence. Symbolism of "I rise" (30), because rise means,…...
LiteratureMaya AngelouPoetry
Still I Rise: A Black Woman’s Thoughts and Responses
The poem I selected was Still I Rise written by Maya Angelou in the 1970's. Angelou shares her thoughts and responses on how she feels as a Black woman is seen by society. She encompasses the feelings of not being able to be anything but Black. Society constricts her to those two labels, stripping all humanity from her. She asks her audience questions like "Does my haughtiness offend you?” and “Do you want to see me broken?” pointing out the…...
Maya AngelouPsychologySocial Psychology
Racism and Freedom in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a Novel by Mark Twain
In the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain, the author, displays the differences of society's corrupt views and human morality. When Huck and Jim are on the river rather than the land, Huck gets a better understanding of flaws in the way people are treating blacks like Jim. They both neglect the usual treatments of their society and are outcasts on a quest for freedom from the community they live in. The river and land are comparable by…...
Huckleberry FinnHuman RightsThe Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn
Huck and Finn’s Freedom
Corrupted families, a flawed society, and conflicting opinions- this is just half of what Huck Finn faces throughout his journey with Jim in Mark Twain's novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The readers follow the unlikely pair, and an imaginative boy, Tom Sawyer, as they face their battles. Through these characters we can infer the real meaning of freedom: to be independent and free of physical, societal, and emotional captivity. Twain depicts the struggles to escape the imprisonment through the use…...
CultureHuckleberry FinnThe Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn
Equality Fear in Huck Finn
People have always been judgemental. There was the prejudice views of jews in medieval times, as well as the preconceived notion that all Muslims are terrible people. In Huckleberry Finn, the major example of judgemental people is shown when people talk about humans who are different or do not share their views. Throughout the book, there were many examples of white folk thinking poorly about all slaves without knowing really "knowing" any. Without really knowing someone, how can someone base…...
Huckleberry FinnReasonSlavery
Gothic in Huck Finn – Ch 6
Throughout life, there are many scary and horror-filled things that can happen. Every day, you see new and frightening things that have happened in the news. You think that none of that could ever happen to you, that these moments are meant for other people, not yourself. The truth, though, is that almost everyone will have something terrifying happen to them throughout their life, and those who don't, have not truly lived. These moments are the gothic parts of our…...
FictionHuckleberry FinnMark Twain
The Fatal Flaws of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a Novel by Mark Twain
The character that has had the most influence on Huck is undoubtedly Pap, who Huck has been around for almost his entire life. Although many may see it differently, Pap has in fact had a number of positive influences on Huck. In fact, Pap has never really had negative influence on Huck because Huck never looks up to him or sees him as a role model; Huck actually strives not to be like Pap. Huck has been forced all his…...
Huckleberry FinnThe Adventures Of Huckleberry FinnThe Adventures Of Tom Sawyer
Symbolism in Edgar Allen Poe’s The Masque of the Red Death
The Masque of the Red Death, a short story by Edgar Allan Poe, includes several symbols dealing with life and death. Each symbol signifies something in the story and helps teach lessons about life. The ebony clock, for instance, represents the time of death, and "Red Death" represents a deadly, uncontrollable disease spreading in the rural area around. Poe's imagery and symbolism convey the theme that death is inescapable. Poe employed symbolism to set the mood of the story. The…...
FictionLiteratureThe Masque Of The Red Death
A Comparative Essay about The Lottery and The Masque of the Red Death
Wait, a person can be stoned to grow crops or suddenly killed by deadly disease? In Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery," the town participates in an annual stoning as part of a ritual. In Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Masque of the Red Death," a dangerous plague, the Red Death, is killing everyone. Certain characters from both short stories, Prosper and Tessie Hutchinson, show similar characteristics. Tessie tries to prevent the stoning of her husband while Prosper tries…...
FictionThe LotteryThe Masque Of The Red Death
The Concept of Death in Edgar Allan Poes The Masque of the Red Death
Nearly every story written by Edgar Allan Poe explores the concept of death, and “The Masque of the Red Death" is no exception. "The Masque of the Red Death" is a very intricate short story written in 1842 by Poe. Poe uses symbolism throughout the story in the form of the rooms, the clock, and the Prince to illustrate that death is inevitable. The first symbol Poe uses to show that death is an inevitability is the rooms. In the…...
FictionLiteratureThe Masque Of The Red Death
The Red Death’s Inevitable End
"The 'Red Death' had long devastated the country. No pestilence had ever been so fatal, or so hideous. Blood was its Avatar and its seal- the Redness and horror of blood" (Poe 446) "The Masque of the Red Death" is about a prince, named Prospero, who throws a party in the middle of a great plague. He spends a great deal of money on the party in hope of keeping the pestilence out. However, it is through the party that…...
FictionLiteratureThe Masque Of The Red Death
Gothic Elements in Two Stories
The Gothic style usually revolves around the darker elements of human nature. The two short stories, "The Masque of the Red Death", by Edgar Allen Poe and "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment", by Nathaniel Hawthorne are both gothic. They have differences and similarities. "The Masque of the Red Death" is Gothic because it contains Gothic elements. The ebony clock in the story told time which represents the time the people had left before their deaths. Another symbol is the seven rooms in…...
FictionGothic FictionThe Masque Of The Red Death
Wife of Bath’s Argument in Canterbury Tales
The Wife of Bath considers herself to be a strong, independent, and carefree woman, and her philosophies described in The Canterbury Tales corroborate this personality. Some of her radical (or at least, radical for women of this time period) ideas included her encouragement of multiple marriages, her denunciation of virginity, and her outspoken criticism of the bible. Because her beliefs are so unordinary, she has to utilize the use of humor, knowledge, logic and flattery in order to persuade people…...
ArgumentsPhilosophyThe Canterbury Tales
Chaucer’s Tales: Reeve & Wife of Bath Analysis
The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer is a series of poems and short stories told by pilgrims on their way to the Canterbury Cathedral to pay homage to Saint Thomas Beckett. The tales in the collection include a vast array of characters ranging from richest to poorest and holy to sacrilegious. The Reeve was a manager of a large estate gathered from years working in the carpentry field. He told the tale of a bad miller who cheats people out…...
Geoffrey ChaucerPilgrimageThe Canterbury Tales
Religion and Sin in The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
Religion and sin play an important part in The Canterbury Tales, as well as in the time period the story was written in. Nearly all of approximately two dozen characters in the story represent one or more of the Seven Deadly Sins, which are; sloth, greed, envy, lust, wrath, gluttony, and pride. In the Canterbury Tales, the Pardoner shows that perhaps the worst of all the Seven Deadly Sins is greed. Back in the time period of The Canterbury Tales,…...
ChristianityReligionThe Canterbury Tales
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