Essays and Criticism by Daniyal Wali
The plays of Harold Pinter, particularly his early plays are generally considered as 'comedies of... more The plays of Harold Pinter, particularly his early plays are generally considered as 'comedies of menace' and sometimes they are associated with the Theatre of the Absurd as they deal with the universal human existence in a contemporary world lurking with menacing horror and anxiety. Although Pinter is placed as a playwright who has extended and excelled in the genre of absurd drama after Samuel Beckett, his dramatic world is seldom identified with its connection to Buddhism in spite of his certain use of the statue of Buddha explicitly on stage. In the play The Caretaker a statue of Buddha, employed as a stage prop amidst the several bric-a brac and finally thrashed into pieces, invites different outlooks to interpret his drama that always remains ambiguous and equivocal to establish a generalised meaning to the plays of Pinter.
In contemporary world, we often confront the incidents when people fall sick mentally and suffer ... more In contemporary world, we often confront the incidents when people fall sick mentally and suffer from behavioral and personality disorders. The present research paper seeks to point out the reasons behind neurotic disorder with special reference to social aspect of individuals' life, considering society and authorities as driving forces behind almost every neurosis by applying Freud's psychoanalytic theory of neurosis (but with a little deviation) upon the dramatic persona created by Pinter in The Caretaker (1960). It has been attempted to analyze and interpret the text with Freudian perspective in order to unwrap society's monstrous role in creating neurotic disorder in individuals by pressurizing them to repress themselves in certain ways.
This study investigates common points between Milton's and Machiavelli's attempts to understand i... more This study investigates common points between Milton's and Machiavelli's attempts to understand interpret the limits absolute power whether it belongs to God or the Prince. Milton characterizes satan as an epic hero with virtù, which is a characteristic lauded by Machiavelli as well. Despite this, when satan is in action, he loses these positive traits and turns to a Prince-like character who can justify the employment of vicious means to reach his aim. In the light of Machiavelli's and Milton's republican views, I can say that both satan and the prince are ironic characters which imply a criticism of monarchical power.
Satan is the most controversial and appealing figure of Paradise Lost. No convincing single sourc... more Satan is the most controversial and appealing figure of Paradise Lost. No convincing single source for Milton's Satan has been found, not even the Bible, which contains very little evidence referring to Satan. Satan is, according to some theories, a vital part of a Manichaean universe, the "infinum malum" necessitated by a "summum bonum" which is God. Milton's attempts to concentrate evil in Satan, however, were not very successful. There have even been claims that Satan is superior in character to Milton's God. The critics are divided on the question whether Satan is a hero or an antihero: the anti-Satanist movement emphasises Satan's selfishness or folly while Satanists highly praise his courage and determination. The present paper aims at demonstrating that Milton's Satan is a multifaceted presence, often contradictory, both a hero and a villain, a character revolted against tyranny and a tyrant, a preacher of freedom and a prisoner of his own egocentrism.
The Biographia Literaria was one of Coleridge's main critical studies. In this work, he discussed... more The Biographia Literaria was one of Coleridge's main critical studies. In this work, he discussed the elements of writing and what writing should be to be considered genius. Although the work is not written from Coleridge's poetic mind, it is still written with the qualities and rhythm of the poetic. Not only does he discuss literature itself he discusses the many variables that influence and inspire writers. Through this discussion, he makes many value judgments, leaving his audience with a clear understand of his stance on certain issues. Some of the issues he tackles include politics, religion, social values, and human identity. His treatment of these issues tends to be conservative in its foundation, yet also blatant and original. He does not cater to one certain audience; rather he expresses his own thoughts from a personal viewpoint. Coleridge delivers the Biographia Literaria without a second thought of whether or not there will be any disagreement from his audience.
Papers by Daniyal Wali
The article grapples with the complex networking between exponents of German Romantic Idealism an... more The article grapples with the complex networking between exponents of German Romantic Idealism and S T Coleridge's metaphysics and transcendental speculations, paying specific attention to Biographia Literaria. It argues that Coleridge was immensely influenced by and distinguished himself from German philosophers like Hegel. These philosphers advanced complex, enigmatic and controversial positions on hermeneutic and phenomenological questions of asethetics and sublime, being, nature and mind and spirit, body and soul, the subjective and objevtive and plenitude. The question of influence and/or confluence situates Coleridge's Romantic and idealist speculations in the context of acknowledging the German idealists and submitting to shared ideologies, but at the same time accentuating his formulated opinions prior to and after he met with or read their works. Biographia Literaria as a seminal treatise on English Romanticism expresses how this networking grounded Coleridge's metaphyics in line with artistic and aesthetic concerns. In other words, Coleridge's conviction that a poet was an ardent expression of the mutual inclusivity between phliosophy and creative writing lends credence to his rigorous critical broodings on continental philosophers. His theorisation of imagination in philosophical and poetic expression owes much to both these influneces and his personal stance.
Generally, Donne is read and taught as a metaphysical poet and not a theorist. The paper aims to ... more Generally, Donne is read and taught as a metaphysical poet and not a theorist. The paper aims to present Donne as a theorist of love, and discusses multidimensional aspects of his theory implicitly presented in his poetry. Through thematic analysis of his poetry, his theory can be established on various key points, of which ardent, platonic, spiritual, carnal, cynical, brutal, flirtatious and venomous ones are significant.
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Essays and Criticism by Daniyal Wali
Papers by Daniyal Wali