English Language and Literature Commons^™

Shakespeare's Philosophy Of Music, Emily Sulka

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Shakespeare is one of the most widely read figures in literature, but his use of music is not usually touched on in literary discussions of his works. In this paper, I discuss how Shakespeare portrays music within the context of his plays, both through dialogue and songs performed within each work. In Shakespeare’s time, Boethius’ philosophy of the music of the spheres was still highly popular. This was the idea that the arrangement of the cosmos mirrored musical proportions. As a result, every aspect of the universe was believed to be highly ordered, and this idea is prominent throughout Shakespeare’s …

Identifying Elements Of Kinder- Und Jugendliteratur, Clara G. Hendrickson, Joshua D. Pearson, Brice J. Montgomery, Natalie M. Lien, Marcella B. Moorman, Anna T. Kaster, Elizabeth J. Carraher, Annis N. Shaver

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Kinder- und Jugendliteratur, children’s literature written for the purpose of teaching or entertaining young people, has been present in German literature since the Middle Ages. This genre has changed as German literature progressed, reflecting the developments of each era, including such periods as the Romantic, the Biedermeier, Realism, Modernism and Postmodernism. As such, we examined individual works of German Kinder- und Jugendliteratur for the purpose of identifying distinctive features which situate them within children’s literature as well as in the respective historical genre. The works examined were Nußknacker und Mausekönig (1816) by E. T. A. Hoffmann, Emil und die Detektive …

Tom Bombadil And Goldberry: Romantic Theology As Revelation In Tolkien’S The Lord Of The Rings, Brandon Best

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

While the majority of literary critics suggest Tom Bombadil either subverts or dilutes the Rivendell’s against Mordor, this essay analyzes Bombadil and Goldberry through the romantic theology of Charles Williams, Tolkiens’ fellow Inkling. William’s romantic theology suggests romantic experiences reveals glimpses of perfection, suggesting the Hobbits’ stay at Tom Bombadil’s home within Withywindle reveals the ideal of salvation within The Lord of the Rings. Utilizing Williams’ Outlines of Romantic Theology, this essay shows how Tolkien’s vision for an ideal community guides Bombadil as the moral model for the rest of the free peoples to follow. While romantic theology clearly influenced …

Should English Spelling Be Reformed?: A History Of English Spelling, Rachel M. Schloneger

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

This paper explores the deep, and surprisingly informative, history of English spelling. It is a well-known fact that English spelling is confusing and troublesome for native speakers and non-native speakers alike. Its history is a winding road that ventures into various languages, picking up rules and idiosyncrasies along the way. The question facing linguists and other English language scholars is whether the system that is worth keeping or if reformative measures are needed. In its history, English has overcome invasions, subjugation, and conversion efforts to become what it is today. In the past many individuals have suggested reforms and have …

English In The Amazon: Unhomeliness In Evelyn Waugh’S “The Man Who Liked Dickens”, Hannah E. Rau

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

In the short story “The Man Who Liked Dickens,” Evelyn Waugh describes a cultural collision deep in the jungles of Brazil. The story’s narrative centers around two men, one of whom is an Englishman taking what he believes to be a temporary exploratory expedition to Brazil. The other, Mr. McMaster, is a half-Brazilian, half-white landowner who loves the Dickens books he cannot read for himself. Henty, the Englishman, leaves home to escape his wife, who loves another man, and goes on an ill-fated mission to explore the unmapped regions of Brazil. Along the way, he loses his companions and ends …

Patriarchy And The Protestants: A New Historical And Feminist Reading Of Marilynne Robinson’S Gilead, Jesse D. Lawhead

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

In her novel Gilead, Marilynne Robinson establishes a correlation between the presence of Protestantism and constricting gender roles women experience in the United States. Living in 1956 Gilead, Iowa, seventy-six-year-old Pastor John Ames begins writing to his seven-year-old son in a series of journal entries after he is diagnosed with a terminal case of angina pectoris. In these journal entries to his son, Ames records the histories of his reverend father, reverend grandfather, his own life, and present observations as the beauty of life continues to captivate him. Ultimately he hopes to “to tell [his son] things [he] might never …

A Daughter's Struggle To Individuate In "Einstein's Daughter", Matthew K. Werneburg

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Claudia Smith Brinson’s short story, “Einstein’s Daughter,” is a coming of age tale about a young girl who must delicately navigate her relationship with her mother in order gain independence. The protagonist, who narrates the story, remains unnamed and is defined mostly in reference to her mother’s lineage. The narrator begins the story with the concept that one’s biologically inherited character traits largely determine one’s future. Alluding to Einstein’s theory of relativity, the protagonist uses her extraordinary speed to travel back in time and explore the previous three generations of families on her mother’s side. She uses her observations to …

Captivity Of The Mind: A Postcolonial Analysis Of “The Man Who Liked Dickens”, Juliann R. Phillips

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Ever since the age of Columbus, the ideas of travel, adventure, and exploration have pervaded Western consciousness. In 1933, Evelyn Waugh, a social critic and satirist (Longman 2818), published a short story entitled “The Man Who Liked Dickens” that The Longman Anthology of British Literature describes as “a cautionary tale of what might happen to an ordinary, if wealthy, Englishman venturing ‘beyond the pale’ of European civilization in a disastrous journey to the Amazon” (2818). This chilling story centers around the misfortune of Henty, a rich and uneducated Englishman, who gets swept along on an expedition to the jungles of …

A Queer Poet In A Queer Time: John Milton And Homosexuality, Adam J. Wagner

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Scholar David Hawkes refers to John Milton as a “Hero of Our Time.” Milton’s written works, including his poetry and political treatises, contain cultural and theological insight applicable not only to his 17th Century English culture, but 21st Century American culture as well. As homosexuality continues to enter the public sphere in Western society, many scholars are uncovering past insights about how sexuality has evolved. Milton’s literary texts provide insight into his own sexual orientation and how people viewed human sexuality post-English Renaissance. Homosexuality is a broad topic, but Milton’s works give insight into three main areas—homosexual sex, sexual orientation, …

Of Education: Milton And The Common Core State Standards, Alexander D. Macphail-Fausey

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

This essay compares John Milton's views of educational reform during the 17th Century in England to the Common Core State Standards currently being developed in the United States. The essay argues that the Common Core is a postmodern reinvention of Milton's education reform presented in his tract, "Of Education." It outlines the education Milton received, and how that compared to the pedagogy Milton developed and implemented in his own school. Then, Milton's pedagogy is compared to the implementation of the Common Core State Standards, specifically focusing on the career and college preparation goals presented by the Common Core and difference …

Evangelicalism And Mental Slavery: A Miltonic Critique, Tyler C. Detrick

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

In the 1960s, Billy Graham and Carl Henry heralded evangelical identity as the crusade that would bolster Christian witness in the modern age. Recent scholarship, however, has labeled the movement a dramatic disappointment. Historian D.G. Hart contends that mainstream Christianity has become so inclusive that the label “evangelical” has ceased to mean anything intelligible, and Mark Noll echoes this critique by labeling evangelicalism a “scandal of the mind.” Christianity’s greatest hope for global gospel witness has proved a dissapointment. One window into this evangelical failure may be found in the prose works of sixteenth century poet John Milton. Far from …

Discourses Surrounding Divided Germany, Timothy Gauthier, Shaune Young, Zachary Weaver

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

This discourse analysis examines a collection of short stories, entitled Schattensprünge: Geschichten rund um die Berliner Mauer, spanning the period of divided Germany (1949-1989) and the effect of this era on the mentality of the German people, particularly in the areas of politics, religion, society and economics.

The separation of the country created a culture of fear, struggle and deceit, separated families, encouraged big government secrecy, and proved that socialism leads to economic catastrophe. Both before the Wall went up in 1961 to the time of its destruction in 1989, the German people were faced with having to rebuild their …

Speed Of Light: "Becoming" As A Model Of The Female Experience In Claudia Smith Brinson's "Einstein's Daughter", Josiah Sleppy

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

No abstract provided.

Yesterday And Today: Milton And The Tyrant's Image, Cora Gray

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

No abstract provided.

Equipping These Kids: Connecting Collegiate Writing Centers To Urban High Schools, Abby Cline, Cassie Herbert

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

No abstract provided.