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Love at First Sight in Medieval Romance
Examines the role of the "look" or the "gaze in medieval romance. Discusses concepts within these texts including love at first sight, madness of love, love as divine providence, and love as an elite concept.
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Common Features of the Pre-Battle Speech: From Twelfth Century King Arthur to Mel Gibson in Braveheart
Examines common elements of the pre-battle speech, as well as discussing one of the earliest battle speeches in literature, from Geoffrey of Monmouth in the 12th century. This speech was supposedly spoken by King Arthur, and has many similarities to more modern speeches seen in movies like...
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The Women of Parzival by Wolfram von Eschenbach
Overview and plot summary of Wolfram von Eschenbach's medieval text Parzival. Also examines the roles and significance of two of the strongest female characters in the work, Belacane and Herzeloyde.
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Metafiction or the Self-Conscious Narrative
Metafiction is a narrative technique in which the author self-consciously calls attention to the work as a fiction through various devices. Article includes explanation of metafiction techniques, well-known works, and annotated bibliography for further reading.
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Canterbury Tales as an Estates Satire
Discusses the element of estates satire in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Provides information and examples for each of the three estates.
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Symbolism of the Pentangle in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Explores the symbolism of the pentangle in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, including discussion of the chivalric code and religious aspects of the Arthurian legend.
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The Dream of the Rood: Incorporating Heroic Elements in Old English Christian Poetry
Analysis of the Old English poem "The Dream of the Rood," which examines the pre-Christian German Heroic elements present in the poem, as well as providing a speculative hypothesis as to the intended purpose or message of the poem.
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Wall Street Journal College Rankings: The Full List and Rating Criteria
Complete list of the Wall Street Journal's Top 50 Feeder Colleges, including ranking criteria and analysis.
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The Omniscient Narrator in Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
Explores the relationship between the contrasting theme of alienation and human connection in contemporary fiction through a discussion of Ann Patchett's novel Bel Canto.
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The Omnicient Narrator in Beloved by Toni Morrison
Discusses how Toni Morrison uses point of view to address the complexities of alienation and madness in the novel Beloved.
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The Role of Women in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Explores the role of women in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, a classic Arthurian epic poem from the Middle Ages. Compares the depiction of women to earlier Old English epic poetry, using the classic text Beowulf as an example.
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Christian and Heroic Elements of the Old English Poem "The Wanderer"
Scholars often debate whether The Old English poem “The Wanderer” is a Christian text or an example of pre-Christian Germanic Heroism. Some critics believe that the poem was based on an earlier, secular text, which was later converted into a homiletic Christian form. This article examines the...
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Worst Love Poem You Ever Read
The worst love poem I could manage to come up with. Feel free to share your own most terrible love poem!
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Alfred the Great's Preface to Pastoral Care
Alfred the Great translated Pastoral Care three centuries after it was written by Pope Gregory I. He added a preface to the translation, which ha come to be regarded as more important to scholarship than the actual treatise. The Preface addresses issues such as the legitimacy and effectiveness of...
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Common Features of Old English Literature
Overview and explanation of some specific features of Old English literature that are not generally found in later works.
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Analysis of "Early Noon" by Ingeborg Bachmann
Analysis of Ingeborg Bachman's post-war poem "Early Noon." Bachmann was an Austrian poet who used her work to criticize the events of the war and the Nazi regime. Themes in this work include the possibility of healing and reconciliation, the legacy of war, and the poet's social responsibility.
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The Generation of '27: A Revolution of Poets
Article about the Generation of '27, a group of poets who gathered in Spain in the era before the Spanish Civil War. The poets were interested in avante garde poetry and contributed heavily to a growing cultural revolution.
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Understanding the Poem Cycle "Requiem" by Anna Akhmatova
Explanation and analysis of Anna Akhmatova's poem cycle "Requiem," including overviews of the major groupings, trends, and overall themes.
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Symbiotic Love in "The Hitchhiking Game" by Milan Kundera
Article applies Erich Fromm's theory of immature love to the characters and events in Milan Kundera's short story The Hitchhiking Game, in which a young couple play a psychologically dangerous game in which each become strangers.
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Social Issues in Modern Reservation Life: Analysis of Sherman Alexie's "The Lone Ranger and Tonto..." - Part One
Two part series analyzing Sherman Alexie's short story collection "Tonto and the Lone Ranger Fistfight in Heaven." This installment focuses on Alexie's depiction of issues within contemporary reservation life.
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The Importance of Story: Alexie's The Lone Ranger and Tonto... - Part Two
Two part series analyzing Sherman Alexie's short story collection "Tonto and the Lone Ranger Fistfight in Heaven." This installment focuses on Alexie's exploration of the role of the storyteller and the debate over positive versus negative depictions of modern reservation life.
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The Anti-hero in 3:10 to Yuma and Unforgiven: Even Bad Men Can Love
If there's one thing that movie-goers seem to love more than a good hero, it's a great anti-hero. What is it about these tortured, conflicted, and often morally bankrupt good/bad guys that we love so much? Tackles the question from the perspective of the Western, looking at 3:10 to Yuma and...
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Plato on Knowledge: Understanding Justified True Belief
Explains Plato's Theory of Knowledge, where knowledge equals justified true belief. Uses a unique and examples to illustrate the concept in an easy to understand manner.
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Why Real Men Wear Aprons: Defining Gender Roles in the 21st Century
One writer's reflections on how gender roles have changed in the 21st century-- or have they, really?
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Love or Compatibility - What's More Important to a Marriage?
Musings on the age old question, what's more important for a good relationship, love or compatibility.
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Variations on "Beauty and the Beast" From Around the World
Explores variations on the popular fairy tale Beauty and the Beast. Explores the origins of the classic story most people are familiar with, as well as version found in Greek mythology, cultures such as Scandinavia, and the use of the tale as a literary theme.
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Literary Analysis: Great Falls by Richard Ford (Short Story)
Analysis of the short story Great Falls by Richard Ford. Discusses major metaphors of light and dark, as well as Ford's exploration themes such as rites of passage, the loss of innocence, and the discovery of self.
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Knowledge as Vice and Virtue in Everyman and Doctor Faustus
Comparison of the ways the concept of knowledge is presented in Marlowe's Dr. Faustus compared with the morality play Everyman. Explores the treatment of good and evil, greed, sin, and the possibility for redemption in these late medieval British plays.
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Quotes About Being In Exile
List of great quotes on exile, by exiles, and about why exile is an inherent part of the human condition.
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Top 10 Sexiest Women of CBS's Survivor (With Pictures)
Top ten sexiest women of CBS reality show Survivor, includes photos, show history, and brief bios.
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Understanding "Notebook of a Return to the Native Land" by Aime Cesaire
Overview and discussion of themes in Aime Cesaire's best-known poem Notebook of a Return to the Native Land. Also includes background information on the author himself, as well as the concept of "negritude" which he developed and that later became a cornerstone of the Black Power movement in the...
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The True Story Behind the Movie District 9
Many viewers will be surprised to know that Peter Jackman and Neill Blomkamp's sci-fi hit District 9 is actually based on real events. The movie is a mock documentary following the relocation process of a group of aliens, or prawns, who have been stranded in Johannasburg, South Africa, and are...
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Home Remedies for Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
Easy ways to treat or relieve UTI symptoms at home. Article includes signs and symptoms of a bladder infection, as well as advice on when to see the doctor.
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Erich Fromm's Theory of Mature Love
An overview of Erich Fromm's philosophies on love and relationships. Fromm distinguishes between mature love, and immature, or symbiotic relationships, in which the individual person becomes lost to the needs of the relationship.
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Ubi-Sunt Poetic Verse in Beowulf and The Wanderer
Examines and explains the ubi sunt form of poetic verse in Old English poetry using the Lament of the Last Survivor from Beowulf and The Wanderer. Analyzes the form and function of this verse form, as well as its historic implications.
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Analysis of "The Flea" by John Donne: The Raciest 17th Century Poem You'll Ever Read
John Donne’s poem “The Flea” is probably sexiest 17th century poem you will ever read. It could be considered the first poetic instance of a young man using a ridiculous argument to try to convince a woman to go to bed with him
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The Role of Science in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein examines the pursuit of knowledge within the industrial age, shining a spotlight on the ethical, moral, and religious implications of science. Did the scientist go too far in his creation of the monster, or was he only indulging natural human curiosity?
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What Readers of Wide Sargasso Sea Should Know About Jane Eyre
While readers of Wide Sargasso Sea need not have read Bronte's classic to enjoy the novel, a bit of background knowledge on Jane Eyre can be useful in fully understanding and appreciating the context and themes at work in Wide Sargasso Sea.
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Major Themes in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Frankenstein is often considered a horror story due to its representation in film, yet the novel written by Mary Shelley is more tragic than horrific, and filled with philosophic, cultural, and religious...
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Dehumanization Themes in Fools Crow by James Welch (Review)
Fools Crow, by James Welch, excels in its honest and realistic portrayal of Native American life and culture during the period of initial westward expansion. Native Americans play a prominent role in the literature of the developing American West, yet in many cases these depictions serve only as a...