One of the chief preoccupations of Absurdism is the existentialist belief in the meaninglessness ... more One of the chief preoccupations of Absurdism is the existentialist belief in the meaninglessness or purposelessness of life.
Shakespeare's plays defies any strict classification into a particular type, therefore it is not ... more Shakespeare's plays defies any strict classification into a particular type, therefore it is not surprising when he doles out an intense moment of suspense, dread and fear in the famed courtroom scene of his comedy, The Merchant of Venice. Shylock's pursuit of "a pound of flesh" may seem like a greedy plot lusting for revenge. However, it has a symbolic meaning behind it, which this paper will attempt to address. This paper will start of by elucidating how Shylock is an oppressed Jew in a prejudiced Elizabethan world. It will then proceed to highlight as to why Shylock will be content with a pound of flesh over bags of ducats for his loan. It will try to unearth the symbolic meaning behind the "flesh" and round up by interpreting his pursuit in this light.
Rabindranath Tagore is an Indian poet from the erstwhile Bengal who won the Noble Prize for Liter... more Rabindranath Tagore is an Indian poet from the erstwhile Bengal who won the Noble Prize for Literature for his anthology of poems, Gitanjali. The work has been praised by the likes of W. B. Yeats and Ezra Pound and gave a strong message of love, freedom and spirituality to its readers, thereby garnering universal appeal. Gitanjali is a pilgrimage in the search of the one Divine being. Tagore's religion is not compartmentalized; rather it is deep rooted in the love for humanity. For him, love for his brethren is a pre-requisite in order to attain heavenly graces. Therefore, the thread of spiritual humanism runs through Gitanjali. This paper starts on an elucidation of the fundamental strand of spiritual humanism: the presence of the Infinite in the Finite. It then proceeds to depict how Tagore criticized blind worship of deities and sacred spaces, whereby they should have loved their brethren, instead. It also underscores the hollowness of rituals, material possessions and evil vices which act as an impediment between the Divine and the human being. It rounds up by highlighting the transcendentalism in Tagore's spiritual humanism and the need for charity.
Oedipus Complex was postulated by Sigmund Freud -it is a complex of emotions whereby a child deve... more Oedipus Complex was postulated by Sigmund Freud -it is a complex of emotions whereby a child develops an unconscious sexual desire for his mother and secretly wishes to eliminate his father. Lawrence's novel Sons and Lovers deals with this complex and it forms one of the themes. However, Lawrence's treatment of this complex is problematized in order to create a dramatic effect.
The tragic flaw of the titular protagonist in Shakespeare's Hamlet has kicked up a lot of dust in... more The tragic flaw of the titular protagonist in Shakespeare's Hamlet has kicked up a lot of dust in the critical circles. It does raises a lot of questions as to why Hamlet delays his action of killing King Claudius despite having all the reasons and opportunities. This paper is an attempt to address the same. This paper proposes that taking Hamlet's tragic flaw by its face value is unsatisfactory, rather the reasons behind it should be considered for a better understanding of it. This paper will first shed light on how Hamlet is a product of his Christian context. It will then proceed towards delving on how the moral and spiritual ambiguities and the subtle presence of an Oedipus complex thwart his action in avenging his father's murderer and round up with an apt conclusion.
gained notoriety for his book Lady Chatterley's Lover due to its supposed pornographic content, i... more gained notoriety for his book Lady Chatterley's Lover due to its supposed pornographic content, in which "free love", "permissiveness" and the "four-letter word" were idealized. This unjust critical approach doesn't hold validity today, as what Lawrence advocated was a relationship between man-woman that accepted the synthesis of the mind and the body, which is far removed from the pornographic ideal. Keeping this in focus, Lawrence etches his characters in the novel, Lady Chatterley's Lover.
Fernandes, EG-1913 Harold Pinter's The Caretaker etches the dilemma faced by people post two majo... more Fernandes, EG-1913 Harold Pinter's The Caretaker etches the dilemma faced by people post two major World wars, which plunged them into a sudden absurdity of life. This lead to a feeling of isolation, which reflects the thematic overtone in the limited characters of the play: Aston, Mick and Davies, represented in varying intensities.
Metafiction is a term given to fictional writing which self-consciously and systematically draws ... more Metafiction is a term given to fictional writing which self-consciously and systematically draws attention to its status as an artifact in order to pose questions about the relationship between fiction and reality. Patricia Waugh further comments that contemporary metafictional writing portrays reality or history as provisional: "no longer a world of external verities but a series of constructions, artifices and impertinent structures." Thereby it poses a question to the relationship between fiction and reality.
Kamala Das is an Anglo-Indian poet who shot to the limelight for her unabashed portrayal of women... more Kamala Das is an Anglo-Indian poet who shot to the limelight for her unabashed portrayal of women"s identity and sexuality in her poems, at a time when women litterateurs writing such topics were considered a taboo in India. Das used various literary techniques and devices to portray the urgency of an Indian woman for freedom. This paper samples one of her best known poems -"The Old Playhouse" and attempts to depict the ills of patriarchal Indian society and also provide an insight into the macro-level implications it offers, of our culture and norms.
One of the chief preoccupations of Absurdism is the existentialist belief in the meaninglessness ... more One of the chief preoccupations of Absurdism is the existentialist belief in the meaninglessness or purposelessness of life.
Shakespeare's plays defies any strict classification into a particular type, therefore it is not ... more Shakespeare's plays defies any strict classification into a particular type, therefore it is not surprising when he doles out an intense moment of suspense, dread and fear in the famed courtroom scene of his comedy, The Merchant of Venice. Shylock's pursuit of "a pound of flesh" may seem like a greedy plot lusting for revenge. However, it has a symbolic meaning behind it, which this paper will attempt to address. This paper will start of by elucidating how Shylock is an oppressed Jew in a prejudiced Elizabethan world. It will then proceed to highlight as to why Shylock will be content with a pound of flesh over bags of ducats for his loan. It will try to unearth the symbolic meaning behind the "flesh" and round up by interpreting his pursuit in this light.
Rabindranath Tagore is an Indian poet from the erstwhile Bengal who won the Noble Prize for Liter... more Rabindranath Tagore is an Indian poet from the erstwhile Bengal who won the Noble Prize for Literature for his anthology of poems, Gitanjali. The work has been praised by the likes of W. B. Yeats and Ezra Pound and gave a strong message of love, freedom and spirituality to its readers, thereby garnering universal appeal. Gitanjali is a pilgrimage in the search of the one Divine being. Tagore's religion is not compartmentalized; rather it is deep rooted in the love for humanity. For him, love for his brethren is a pre-requisite in order to attain heavenly graces. Therefore, the thread of spiritual humanism runs through Gitanjali. This paper starts on an elucidation of the fundamental strand of spiritual humanism: the presence of the Infinite in the Finite. It then proceeds to depict how Tagore criticized blind worship of deities and sacred spaces, whereby they should have loved their brethren, instead. It also underscores the hollowness of rituals, material possessions and evil vices which act as an impediment between the Divine and the human being. It rounds up by highlighting the transcendentalism in Tagore's spiritual humanism and the need for charity.
Oedipus Complex was postulated by Sigmund Freud -it is a complex of emotions whereby a child deve... more Oedipus Complex was postulated by Sigmund Freud -it is a complex of emotions whereby a child develops an unconscious sexual desire for his mother and secretly wishes to eliminate his father. Lawrence's novel Sons and Lovers deals with this complex and it forms one of the themes. However, Lawrence's treatment of this complex is problematized in order to create a dramatic effect.
The tragic flaw of the titular protagonist in Shakespeare's Hamlet has kicked up a lot of dust in... more The tragic flaw of the titular protagonist in Shakespeare's Hamlet has kicked up a lot of dust in the critical circles. It does raises a lot of questions as to why Hamlet delays his action of killing King Claudius despite having all the reasons and opportunities. This paper is an attempt to address the same. This paper proposes that taking Hamlet's tragic flaw by its face value is unsatisfactory, rather the reasons behind it should be considered for a better understanding of it. This paper will first shed light on how Hamlet is a product of his Christian context. It will then proceed towards delving on how the moral and spiritual ambiguities and the subtle presence of an Oedipus complex thwart his action in avenging his father's murderer and round up with an apt conclusion.
gained notoriety for his book Lady Chatterley's Lover due to its supposed pornographic content, i... more gained notoriety for his book Lady Chatterley's Lover due to its supposed pornographic content, in which "free love", "permissiveness" and the "four-letter word" were idealized. This unjust critical approach doesn't hold validity today, as what Lawrence advocated was a relationship between man-woman that accepted the synthesis of the mind and the body, which is far removed from the pornographic ideal. Keeping this in focus, Lawrence etches his characters in the novel, Lady Chatterley's Lover.
Fernandes, EG-1913 Harold Pinter's The Caretaker etches the dilemma faced by people post two majo... more Fernandes, EG-1913 Harold Pinter's The Caretaker etches the dilemma faced by people post two major World wars, which plunged them into a sudden absurdity of life. This lead to a feeling of isolation, which reflects the thematic overtone in the limited characters of the play: Aston, Mick and Davies, represented in varying intensities.
Metafiction is a term given to fictional writing which self-consciously and systematically draws ... more Metafiction is a term given to fictional writing which self-consciously and systematically draws attention to its status as an artifact in order to pose questions about the relationship between fiction and reality. Patricia Waugh further comments that contemporary metafictional writing portrays reality or history as provisional: "no longer a world of external verities but a series of constructions, artifices and impertinent structures." Thereby it poses a question to the relationship between fiction and reality.
Kamala Das is an Anglo-Indian poet who shot to the limelight for her unabashed portrayal of women... more Kamala Das is an Anglo-Indian poet who shot to the limelight for her unabashed portrayal of women"s identity and sexuality in her poems, at a time when women litterateurs writing such topics were considered a taboo in India. Das used various literary techniques and devices to portray the urgency of an Indian woman for freedom. This paper samples one of her best known poems -"The Old Playhouse" and attempts to depict the ills of patriarchal Indian society and also provide an insight into the macro-level implications it offers, of our culture and norms.
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