Essays on Literature

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.
Araby by James Joyce vs A&P by John Updike
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There are principal contrasts between Araby by James Joyce and A&P by John Updike. The young men in Araby and A&P utilized various methodologies so as to accomplish their objectives. In spite of the fact that they began contrastingly in their methodologies, both the storyteller in Araby and Sammy in A&P share numerous similitudes in their quest for affection. Love made the young men subject to unusual conduct. The two young men's affection for the young ladies are blinded by their…...
ArabyJames JoyceJohn Updike
The Paris Seamstress 
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The fashion industry in Paris dramatically changed during the appalling World War Two, as many rich foreigners would go to Paris to buy clothing, and women began to dress more masculine due to jobs they had to work at while their husbands served in the army. This is the same time period as The Paris Seamstress by Natasha Lesser. In the book, it is 2015. Australian curator Fabienne Bissette travels to the annual Met celebration for the exhibition of her…...
The Paris Seamstress 
There Will Come Soft Rains Character Analysis
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In 2026 when humans are extinct due to what seems to be a nuclear bomb, there is a singular house standing. This post apocalyptic scene of Ray Bradbury’s “There Will Come Soft Rains” is perfectly conveyed through this house who the main character of the story. While not being a very common subject, Bradburry brings life and emotions into a futuristic and automated house through the use of personification. The house is empty of its occupants, referred to as “gods”…...
Ray BradburyThere Will Come Soft Rains
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Those Winter Sundays Analysis
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There is no perfect family. Surely you've heard that phrase before. And certainly, as a member of a family, you have witnessed some conflicts in your own home. Family problems shake us deeply and its consequences can be very harmful, not only at home, because some problems can compromise our performance at work, at school, and finally in our social life. We would all like to avoid contention and have a happy life, but regardless of our will, conflicts happen…...
Those Winter Sundays
Love and Death According to Greek Mythology
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The famous psychoanalyst, Sigmund Freud, used names of Greek gods Eros and Thanatos, respectively, to refer to what he considered as the basic forces that act on the human being: love and death. However, how were these themes represented in ancient times? On one hand, Greek culture is very characterized by its mythology, in which a strong bond and relationship between these two is often observed. Regarding the previous topics, in Greek myths there were several ways of interpreting and…...
Greek Mythology
Don Quixote and The Epic of Gilgamesh
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In the story of “Don Quixote” we are introduced to many people who met Don Quixote himself our main character Quixote has a huge imagination of many stories and adventures he wants to “accomplish in his life. Despite what others say and his age and he wants to go on with his imagination until the day he dies. This story relates a lot to “The Epic of Gilgamesh” and the story of “A Thousand and One Night” they both relate a lot…...
Don QuixoteEpic Of Gilgamesh
Our Town Play Analysis
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Our town is a play centred around a small American town in the early 1910’s. The play has three (3) acts covering different stages of the Emily’s life. The first act centres around the early life of Emily Webb and others in the town. The second act centres around Emily and George preparing for their wedding which is an arranged marriage. The third is about Emily dying during childbirth. Throughout the play the author uses dramatic and literary techniques. Some of…...
Our Town
Analysis of Leo Tolstoy’s theory of art
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In the wake of perusing Tolstoy's theory of art, I began to understand that Tolstoy's tasteful view about the hypothesis of craftsmanship is one of an exemplary position. He portrays workmanship comparable to how it can impact and be a type of an expression for virtues. Tolstoy believe that workmanship is about the showing of thought and how individuals can be centralize to understanding and offering the feelings evoked through craftsmanship. Tolstoy doesn't consider craftsmanship as a workmanship on the off…...
Leo Tolstoy
Satire
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Today, humor, irony, exaggeration, and ridicule can be seen in almost every circumstance imaginable, and often times it is accepted in any context, whether it’s appropriate, or it’s for good or bad intentions. These components combined are known as satire, which is a form of rhetoric. Introduction Satire is a key factor in a democratic society that is ruled by the people. This can be seen in the United States of America. In a democratic society, we have the right…...
Satire
Shakespeare vs. Dumas: Romeo and Juliet and the Count
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The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas is an adventure novel set in France during the first half of the nineteenth century. William Shakespeare’s, Romeo and Juliet is a play of the sixteenth century in Italy. Dumas used the influence of many Shakespearean plays; however, Romeo and Juliet is particularly similar to The Count of Monte Cristo. Both authors originated from different eras, are closely compared due to Dumas’s use of themes regarding vengeance and tragedies, symbols of objects,…...
Alexandre DumasRomeo And JulietThe Count Of Monte CristoWilliam Shakespeare
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury 
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Introduction Fahrenheit 451 is a classical novel by the author Ray Bradbury published in 1953. The story is about the main character Guy Montag who is a fireman. The story takes place in a futuristic American world where the firemen light fires instead of putting them out. The firemen are not really needed since the houses are fireproof. In this futuristic society, the inhabitants do not read books, enjoy nature or thinking independently. Instead, they watch excessive amounts of television,…...
Fahrenheit 451
Game of Thrones Book Review
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A Song of Ice and Fire is a highly popular epic fantasy series written by the American author George R. R. Martin, who is often called as the American Tolkien. General Overview of the Books Five of the seven planned volumes have already been published. The first of them was A Game of Thrones in 1996. It was followed by A Clash of Kings two years later, then with A Storm of Swords in 2000. The fourth and fifth novels,…...
A Song of Ice and Fire
Poisonwood Bible
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Barbara Kingsolver, the author of many well-written pieces of literature, explores the beauty and hardships that exist in the Belgian Congo in 1959 in her novel, The Poisonwood Bible. Kingsolver captures the realities of the Price family and their mission through the Congo to by having the story told by five different girls and how their ideas of Christianity evolved in contrast to their father’s own beliefs. What’s Real? Congo celebrated its independence from Belgium on June 30, 1960, in…...
The Poisonwood Bible
Gulliver’s Travels
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During the late 17th and early 18th centuries in England, colonization and sea voyages were huge parts of English society. One popular fad that went a long with colonization and voyages could be found in literature, as many voyagers wrote books depicting the lands they had been to. A lot of the time, these depictions were exaggerations and falsehoods. Jonathan Swift, an author of this time period, was very critical of this type of literature, and of English colonization/voyaging in…...
Gulliver'S Travels
Madame Bovary: A Romance Novel
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Would you perceive this novel as a romance novel or as a big picture of art portrayed by Flaubert? It is no doubt that people will have their own thought about this question. According to Valerie Paterson, a novel is generally considered a romance fiction if a love story is central to the plot; the main idea of the story is must be that two people who are in love must struggle through obstacles to their having a relationship. In…...
Madame Bovary
 Henry David Thoreau Upstander 
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Introduction Henry David Thoreau is an American writer during the 18th century who is known for his poems and his way of fighting back against his idea of unjust leaders without using violence. Thoreau disliked how US leaders at the time, were running things and decided to not pay taxes but later on was taken to jail. There he wrote more powerful writings about his opinions on leaders swollen with power and their decisions. He was one to follow not…...
Henry David Thoreau
Cross-Cultural Analysis of Cinderella
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Abstract The story of Cinderella tells the tale of a mistreated maiden forced to live with an unpleasant stepfamily. This tale has been retold across the ages and, like with most well-loved tales, has seen a rebirth between cultures. Four of these stories go by the titles of “Rough Face Girl”, “Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters”, “Ye Xian”, and finally “The Little Glass Slipper/Cinderella”. The stories have a similar idea across despite being from different cultures. In every carnation, there is abuse…...
Cinderella
Dear to the Whole World Talented People
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Art is constantly changing. As the world progresses technologically, the mind does too. Many upon many famous artists have explored this thought such as Picasso and Da vinci. Each painter revolutionized their era whether it be by using acrylics or taking a different view on things. Diego Velazquez did this during the Contemporary Baroque period. He used the ideas conjured up at the time like impressionism and realism and formed them into art. He was famous while he was alive…...
Pablo Picasso
Pablo Picasso Great Painter
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Francisco Goya’s The Third of May of 1808 created in 1814 represents Henri Matisse’s assertion that great art is of its time because it represents a time in history when Spaniards resisted Napoleon's army during the Peninsular War as mentioned in lecture. Third of May 1808, was commissioned by the king of Spain at the time, Ferdinand VII. Goya’s representation of the painting allows viewers to gain insight about war and combat, but also introduces a more modern era of…...
Pablo Picasso
Cyrano de Bergerac Is Full of Romance
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What Is Love? Love is hard to characterize, hard to gauge, and hard to understand. Love is the thing that incredible authors expound on, extraordinary vocalists sing about, and extraordinary logicians contemplate. Love is an amazing feeling, for which there is no wrong definition, for it suits every single individual in an unexpected way. Regardless of whether love is between family, companions, or sweethearts, it is a staggering feeling that can be knowledgeable about a wide range of ways. Cyrano…...
Cyrano De Bergerac
A Sense of Kinship Through Characters
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Most stories, books or movies have a protagonist that drives the story forward with supporting characters who help the plot be interesting. There’s exceptions to this where the plot is driven through a supporting character instead of the protagonist. One such example of this is the play Cyrano De Bergerac by Edmond Rostand. Cyrano De Bergerac is a play about a love triangle between a war hero named Cyrano, his love interest named Roxanne and his peer named Christian. Cyrano…...
Cyrano De Bergerac
Reporting On “Perfect Stranger”
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I chose to watch Perfect Stranger as my first screening report. It is directed by Paolo Genovese. This film's main point is about the human nature. It revolves seven people who are good friends with each other. They got together for dinner because of the eclipse. As the hostess came up with a game that everyone put their mobile phones on the table, each call or message will be published. In fact, everyone has their own secrets, even if they…...
EclipseThe Stranger
A Life Jorge Luis Borges
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“Any life is made up of a single moment, the moment in which a man finds out, once and for all, who he is”. This reminds one of the life of Borges. Throughout his life, he encountered many obstacles, all of which played an important role in his life. With each moment or turn of event, his life went in a new direction, but nonetheless, he never stopped writing. So, with each moment he learned more about who he was.…...
Jorge Luis BorgesLife
Forming a Mental Image or Concept
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The comparison between what individuals see as reality and imagination is displayed throughout many fictional texts and even philosophical readings. Imagined, or imagination is compositely defined as “forming a mental image or concept of.”  It is also defined as producing images of previously experienced qualities. The word “reality” is merely defined as “the state or quality of being real”. In other words, it means, what is real and is not imagined. It is crystal clear that imagination and reality are…...
ImageJorge Luis Borges
Shakespeare: It Analytical Paper
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BBC Television Shakespeare’s: As You Like It, was released in 1978. This was a screenplay written by William Shakespeare. In Lecture 9: Sex and Genderbending, we learned that Crossdressing was written into the script to tackle the issue of “Performing” masculinity in the play. Genderbending was an occasional theme in Shakespeare’s plays. This film tells the story of Rosalind, who disguises herself as a man on a mission to find her banished father, Duke Senior, in the forest of Arden…...
As You Like ItWilliam Shakespeare
Illegitimate Child Queen Elizabeth
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Elizabeth was born on September 7th, 1533 to Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn at Greenwich. Elizabeth was considered an illegitimate child after her mother was beheaded on adultery charges, and she faded into obscurity. Elizabeth faded into farther obscurity when Henry’s third wife gave birth to Edward, but Elizabeth was still third in line for the throne. On November 17th 1558, Elizabeth inherited the throne. Despite her gender and status, Elizabeth made herself noticed in political endeavors, such as the…...
Anne BoleynWilliam Shakespeare
The Theme of Love And Gender in Sonnets
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How does Thomas Wyatt address the theme of love and gender in his sonnets? Sir Thomas Wyatt was an English poet in the 16th century credited with introducing the sonnet to English literature. His father Henry had been a Privy councillor of Henry VII and became a trusted advisor when Henry VIII ascended the throne in 1509. He married Elizabeth Brooke in 1520. He followed his father to the court and completed many diplomatic missions. His poems were only famous…...
Anne BoleynGenderGender RolesSonnet
Black Identity in Souls of Black Folk
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The Souls of Black Folk is a book authored by W.E.B. Du Bois, a leading black intellectual and one of the movers and shakers during the Harlem Renaissance. The title, Souls of Black Folk refers to the spirituality of African Americans, their struggles, hopes as well as their identities and social experiences. Touching on Greek mythology, Christianity, and traditional African Voudoun, Du Bois manages to merge these references to spiritualize the Negro existence. This text is historically tied in to…...
The Souls Of Black Folk
African-American Slavery Issues in The Souls of Black Folk
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In the text "The Souls of Black Folk”, Du Bois writes about the inequalities that African Americans faced shortly after slavery had been abolished. He uses his experiences as an African American to further elaborate on the way that he was treated in society. Du Bois writes about a duality of African Americans in that society, as well as there being a veil that separated them from White society. He uses the metaphor of being on the other side of…...
The Souls Of Black Folk
Race’s Role in Black Identity: Du Bois’s Souls
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In society, a lot of things exist that people use to try and enhance their identity, in which they derive their sense of self from these things. Things like race, religion, nationality, political allegiance, etc., all serve the purpose of acting as one's identity and who they are. Race, in particular, is often the first thing people usually attach to themselves. For example, one may say, “I am black,” or “I am white." By saying this, people equate who they…...
The Souls Of Black Folk
Social Imbalances in The Souls of Black Folks by WEB Du Bois Review
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The Souls of Black Folk “He simply wishes to make it possible for a man to be both a Negro and an American, without being cursed and spit upon by his fellows, without having the doors of opportunity closed roughly in his face” (DuBois, 50). By advocating social change W.E.B Dubois has examined his position by explaining the challenges of the 20th century particularly when society rejects an entire race. His story written in his famous book titled. “The Souls…...
The Souls Of Black Folk
Vronsky’s Charming Image in Anna Karenina
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Paper Type:Descriptive essays
Leo Tolstoy uses descriptive language to make Vronsky a charming and handsome man who inspires affection in all, who meet him, which strongly affects Vronsky's interaction with women. Vronsky's ability to win over women's affection is illustrated through the opinions of other characters and Vronsky's actions. The other character's give opinions that use descriptive language that shows Vronsky as an affectionate and caring person. Princess Shcherbatsky appreciates Vronsky's money and social status considerably. She values him so much more than…...
Anna Karenina
The Story of a Parrot In a Novel
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What does the parrot say? What does it mean? How might these comments foreshadow what will occur in the novel? The parrot says, “Allez-vous en! Allez vous-en! Sapristi! That’s all right!” in French, which means “Go away! Go away! For heaven’s sake!” in English. This may foreshadow what will happen to the characters because one character may leave or ask another character to go away. I predict that Mr. Pontellier will ask Mrs. Pontellier to go away, or vice versa,…...
Novels
Plot Influence Comedy, Suspense
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Anytime a reader comes across irony, it is almost as if the author is making a point to have the sentence or paragraph stand out, which could be for a number of reasons: Whether it is for comedy, suspense, or the overall theme, all have different effects on a story. However, the point of the author incorporating irony, is to potentially have the reader focus more on that specific part of the story, because of its significance. For instance, the…...
ComedyParrotSuspense
A Review of Themes in The Importance of Being Earnest, a Play by Oscar Wilde
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Major Themes in Importance of Being Earnest The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People is a play written by Oscar Wilde. The most important themes in the play are: The real nature of marriage and the importance and constraints of moral values. The importance of marriage in Importance of Being Earnest, is of more of psychological and philosophical theory, but firstly to improve the plot of the entire story. The first speculation about marriage is shown…...
Oscar Wilde
Opinion on The Picture of Dorian Gray
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Paper Type:Personal essays
I'm a long lover of the book The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. It tells the story of a young man obsessed with the luxuries of life, and who at first was full of innocence and beauty but slowly deteriorated to being full of hatred, ugliness, and corruption. What was fascinating about the story was that although humans usually are somehow affected by the sinful and immoral things they do, Dorian Gray's physical appearance had never changed. Although…...
Oscar Wilde
The Truth behind Hamlets Act of Madness in William Shakespeares Play
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Hamlet acted mad and used it as a tactic in order to achieve his ultimate goal of revenge. Ophelia, despairing the once brilliant and truthful mind of Hamlet states with disappointment, “O what a noble mind is here o’erthrown!” (III.1.46). Ophelia sincerely believes that Hamlet has gone mad. Hamlet used Ophelia's vulnerability and love for him in order to convince not only Ophelia, but also his peers that he has gone mad. Tricking Ophelia into believing that he is mad…...
Hamlet
The Effects of Revenge on Soliloquies in Hamlet, a Play by William Shakespeare
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Revenge Focus Paper No one quite understands whether revenge is a noble pursuit or not. For if one is wronged, it makes reasonable sense to enact revenge. It provides a sense of fulfillment and closure that would be difficult to gain otherwise. However, the lengths those that seek revenge go to may not appear as ethical. William Shakespeare's Hamlet discusses the question of revenge and its the effects through soliloquies. Shakespeare employs a critical tone and comparisons to portray Hamlet's…...
Hamlet
An Analysis of the Theme of Revenge in the Play Hamlet by William Shakespeare
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Revenge is a Double Edged Sword Throughout his pieces and plays, Shakespeare incorporates themes that define human nature. In his play "Hamlet" he uses the characters to portray desire and flaws with society to teach the audience a lesson that is not always visible on the surface of his works. The lessons not only meant to be a lesson but also a warning, as Shakespeare is famously known for his ability to end the lives of many of his actors…...
Hamlet
An Analysis of Revenge Theme in Hamlet by William Shakespeare
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In Hamlet, there are three characters that want revenge. Fortinbras wants revenge for his uncle's defeat by King Hamlet and to regain their lost land for Norway. Laertes wants revenge near the end of the play because he blames Hamlet for the death of his father-and rightly so because it was Hamlet who dealt the final blow-and for the madness and eventual death of his sister. Hamlet wants to avenge his father, the former king, because Claudius had murdered him…...
Hamlet
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