Notes, Guide and Study material
Critical Appreciation of The Forsaken Merman “Nothing in Arnold’s verse is more arresting than its elegiac element”, rightly observes Hugh Walker, The Forsaken Merman is among Arnold’s celebrated elegiac poems which were published in his first volume of poems. The Strayed Reveller, and Other Poems(1849). Though Arnold has come to be best known for his … Read more
Discuss Matthew Arnold as an Elegiac Poet In ancient Greece elegy used to denote a kind of poetry dealing with the subject matter of change and loss. As a humanist. Arnold was very much concerned about the gaining of the supremacy of science, theology, and natural philosophy over arts, poetry, and moral philosophy as academic … Read more
Critical appreciation of the poem “The Lamb” by William Blake The Lamb is William Blake’s simple poem, written in a lucid style, conveying his philosophy about the world of children, its bliss, and perfection. It is one of the poems belonging to his “Songs of Innocence” published in 1789. In the “Songs of Innocence,” the … Read more
INTERWEAVING OF PLOTS IN TWELFTH NIGHT/ STRUCTURE OF TWELFTH NIGHT “…the plot and underplot (in Twelfth Night) are sorted out…and they are combined into a harmonious whole.’ -A.W. Verity Shakespeare’s comedies generally have a complex action made up of two or more separate actions and episodes. He may not have invented his own plots, but … Read more
Renaissance element in Edward II Edward’s approach to life is that of an imaginative dreamer. His life of self-indulgence. He loves pleasures, plays, masques, and revelries. Like Hercules doting on his favorite Hylas, like Achilles having his favorite friend Patroclus, the king must have his Gaveston, and after Gaveston is taken away from him, he … Read more
Summary of the poem ‘All for Love’ written by Lord byron The poet is not interested in name, fame, glory and honour. He does not bother about the great names in history. He believes that the days of youth are the days of glory. The period of youth the greatest glory in life. Myrtle and … Read more
Twelfth Night as Festive Comedy of Youth Shakespeare’s ‘festive comedies’ have been identified as plays in which the form and spirit of contemporary popular holidays are evident. The characters may be enjoying festive pastimes (such as in A Midsummer Night’s Dream or Love’s Labour’s Lost), or they may, themselves, be part of a larger, festive … Read more
VARIOUS KINDS OF LOVE IN TWELFTH NIGHT ‘As to the types of love represented by the characters in Twelfth Night the subject is inexhaustible, like the light and shadows of contrast…’ -Morton Luce Twelfth Night is the play of which love is peculiarly the subject The very first speech of the Duke calling for music … Read more
Treatment of Childhood and Adulthood in Henry Vaughan’s “The Retreat” The central theme of ‘The Retreat’ by Henry Vaughan is the glorification of childhood based on the Platonic doctrine of immorality and of anti-natal existence, of the soul- the belief that life on earth is not our first state of existence, that the soul comes from Heaven which … Read more
Iago’s Motiveless Malignity Iago is probably the most sophisticated of a long line of Shakespearean villains, and he shares certain characteristics with Richard III in the early tragedy of Richard III (1593), Don John in the comedy Much Ado About Nothing (1599), and Claudius in Hamlet (1601). Iago revels in his ability to dissemble and … Read more