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Literature in English, British Isles Commons™
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Articles 1 - 30 of 52
Full-Text Articles in Literature in English, British Isles
Plays And Punks; Or, Aphra Behn And The Restoration Woman, Amanda J. Thompson
Plays And Punks; Or, Aphra Behn And The Restoration Woman, Amanda J. Thompson
Theses & Honors Papers
In many ways, the Restoration Period in England (1660-1700) is defined by its interest in sexuality. Following the Interregnum (1649-1660), sexuality became a mechanism to distinguish royalists from the “puritanical followers” of Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658), particularly through the emergence of the libertine (Novak 56). Libertinism “made the senses a primary source of knowledge,” which challenged “conventional morality” through ritualistic fornication, drunkenness, and adultery (Staves 20). Men, like John Wilmot, the Second Earl of Rochester (1647-1680) wrote bawdy poetry celebrating their sexual conquests. Libertines were also regularly featured in Restoration drama, with playwrights like William Wycherley (1640-1716) and George Etherege (1636-1692) …
Perfecting Pamela: Samuel Richardson's Final Revisions To His Earliest Novel, Jennifer S. Elliott
Perfecting Pamela: Samuel Richardson's Final Revisions To His Earliest Novel, Jennifer S. Elliott
Theses & Honors Papers
This author details Richardson’s revision process as he edits his first novel Pamela as the last thing he does before dying. There are three chapters detailing Richardson’s motives behind revising his first novel and his actual revision process, which included three main techniques—substitution, addition, and deletion. Motives considered and argued were: moral purpose and criticism received from others—especially analyzing Shamela, a satire of Pamela—which undermines the morality that Richardson had hoped Pamela accomplished. At the end of the essay, there is an extensive chart complied by the author, spanning a total of 55 pages, of all of Richardson’s …
"'Ic Paet Secgan Maeg, Hwaet Ic Yrmpa Gebad'": Christian Scribes' Condemnation Of Blood Feud And Its Effect On Women In Anglo-Saxon Society, Tara Seate-Beck
"'Ic Paet Secgan Maeg, Hwaet Ic Yrmpa Gebad'": Christian Scribes' Condemnation Of Blood Feud And Its Effect On Women In Anglo-Saxon Society, Tara Seate-Beck
Theses & Honors Papers
In preserving The Wife 's Lament, Wulf and Eadwacer, and Beowulf's battle scene with Grendel's mother, Christian poets and scribes preserved much more than just the literature of Anglo-Saxon England. They recorded the feminine voice, a rare perspective emerging from a society founded principally on the fundamentals of warfare and male dominance. The women's songs stand as testaments to the strife and discord women suffered as a consequence of their husbands' participation in blood feud. Their stories are not merely recounted as third person narratives, as much of the other extant texts from the period are; in the elegies, these …
Narrative Distance In The Works Of George Gordon, Lord Byron, And Jonathan Swift, Or "A Digression In Praise Of Digressions", Samantha M. Cash, E. Derek Taylor Ph.D.
Narrative Distance In The Works Of George Gordon, Lord Byron, And Jonathan Swift, Or "A Digression In Praise Of Digressions", Samantha M. Cash, E. Derek Taylor Ph.D.
Theses & Honors Papers
This thesis reviews and discusses narrative distance in the works of George Gordon, Lord Byron, and Jonathan Swift or “A Digression in Praise of Digressions.” Byron takes on multiple roles in his poetry. Swift provided Byron a model for how to negotiate the boundaries of fictional self-fashioning and biographical revelation. Bryon’s technique of presenting a version of himself while simultaneously maintaining narrative distance is a distinct characteristics of Swift’s work. The thesis adapts to an important fact in that Byron, although writing in the age of Romanticism, significantly and unflinchingly sought distance between himself and Romantic figures.
Papacy In Paganism: The Great Schism Of Palamon And Arcite, Samantha Kathleen Diaz
Papacy In Paganism: The Great Schism Of Palamon And Arcite, Samantha Kathleen Diaz
Theses & Honors Papers
This thesis looks at Geoffrey Chaucer’s the Canterbury Tales in the historical context of the Great Schism of the Catholic Church, during which time Chaucer lived and was writing the Canterbury Tales. It compares this work with Giovanni Boccaccio’s Teseida Delle Nozze d’Emilia and analyzes the way in which the two literary works critique the conflict in the Catholic Church in that time period, as well as giving hints to Chaucer’s views on these events and of the Catholic Church as a whole.
King Of The Who? The Collective Unconscious And The Crafting Of National Identity In The Medieval Arthurian Tradition, Melissa Ridley-Elmes
King Of The Who? The Collective Unconscious And The Crafting Of National Identity In The Medieval Arthurian Tradition, Melissa Ridley-Elmes
Theses & Honors Papers
This thesis examines the ways in which British writers of old have attempted to create a sort of ideal, national, British identity through the archetypal image of King Arthur, the “once and future king.” Drawing from sources such as Malory, Laʒamon, and Geoffrey of Monmouth, this thesis suggests that these authors’ texts, along with the texts of others who have modified the myth throughout history, have helped change and develop the way in which Britons think of themselves and their nation over the course of time.
The Reality Of Happily Ever After: Charlotte Bronte's Revision Of Fairy Tales In Jane Eyre, Sarah Rice
The Reality Of Happily Ever After: Charlotte Bronte's Revision Of Fairy Tales In Jane Eyre, Sarah Rice
Theses & Honors Papers
This thesis analyzes Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre through the lens of fairy tale stories, investigating the parts of Jane’s story that seem to parallel stories such as “Bluebeard” and “Cinderella”. It argues for a revisionist view of fairy tales as created by Bronte and discusses how the usage of fairy tale elements helps to further the plot and sociocultural messages of Jane Eyre.
"There's Nothing Like Dancing, After All" Gender As Performance In Jane Austen's Dance Scenes, D. Nicole Swann
"There's Nothing Like Dancing, After All" Gender As Performance In Jane Austen's Dance Scenes, D. Nicole Swann
Theses & Honors Papers
This thesis examines the elaborate and intricate dance scenes in many of Jane Austen’s novels as representations of marriage and the performance of gender. Along with looking at the successful marriages in Austen’s novels which result from the social convention of English country dancing, this thesis also analyzes the failed relationships and broken hearts that result from Austenian dancing and discusses the role of gender in finding both a good dance partner and a good spouse.
Manacled Desires: William Blake's Struggle For Sexual Autonomy, Cheryl Adams Rychkov
Manacled Desires: William Blake's Struggle For Sexual Autonomy, Cheryl Adams Rychkov
Theses & Honors Papers
This thesis closely examines William Blake’s attitudes towards women and compares and contrasts the texts with what can be known of Blake’s life and world. It examines his interest in sexual freedom and where these interests might have emerged from. The author explores the possibility that he might be interested in sexual freedom for the benefit of both men and women.
"What Man As Made Of Man": From British Romanticism To Neo-Romanticism, Melissa A. Pelletier
"What Man As Made Of Man": From British Romanticism To Neo-Romanticism, Melissa A. Pelletier
Theses & Honors Papers
This thesis analyzes the history of English literature as it evolves due to the changing thoughts and ways of poets. Discussing conventions of this literature such as innocence, escapism, and hope, it also analyzes the works of various different poets from these time periods and how they shaped literature into what it has become.
The Byronic Heroine, Jessica M. Laffoon
The Byronic Heroine, Jessica M. Laffoon
Theses & Honors Papers
This thesis examines the well-used character persona in Western literature, the Byronic hero which can be prominently seen in both George Gordon and Lord Byron’s poetry, as well as the juxtaposition to this hero, the Byronic heroine. Both hero and heroine are characterized by being sensitive, passionate, strong, and having self-destructing tendencies. These romantic heroes can be seen throughout many works of literature.
I Am Elizabeth Gaskell: The Literary Evolution Of Elizabeth Gaskell Throughout Mary Barton, North And South, And Wives And Daughters, Jessica Leigh Watkins
I Am Elizabeth Gaskell: The Literary Evolution Of Elizabeth Gaskell Throughout Mary Barton, North And South, And Wives And Daughters, Jessica Leigh Watkins
Theses & Honors Papers
An overview of the literary evolution of Elizabeth Gaskell throughout Mary Barton, North and South, and Wives and Daughters is reviewed in this thesis. Gaskell’s novels contain a plethora of themes and concerns, ranging from the plight of the Industrial working class, to the developing romance of young lovers, and even to the social implications of the developments of rural life. Throughout the three novels, Gaskell’s personal evolution and her struggle to develop a complete female consciousness within her writing can be tracked. As the female characters in her books grow into an understanding of working class life or learn …
From The Stage To The World: The Moralizing Methods Of Sir Richard Steele, Shelah Y. Simpson
From The Stage To The World: The Moralizing Methods Of Sir Richard Steele, Shelah Y. Simpson
Theses & Honors Papers
This thesis looks at the life and literary works of Sir Richard Steel as they relate to his well-defined moral code. It analyzes the sentimentality and comedy which he works into his narratives and discusses how he uses these methods to communicate his sense of morality to his audience.
The Influence Of Celtic Myth And Religion On The Arthurian Legends, Gretchen Koenig
The Influence Of Celtic Myth And Religion On The Arthurian Legends, Gretchen Koenig
Theses & Honors Papers
The person and idea of King Arthur conjures up various images ranging from a young boy pulling a sword from a stone, to a triumphant warrior in battle, to an aging man floating on a barge to the mystical isle of Avalon. Some of the current scholarly discussion regarding Arthur revolves around his historicity. Whether or not a man, warrior, or king named Arthur ever actually walked the earth has little effect on the literature of the man and his legends. These legends were birthed from cultures that needed a hero, one who could shoulder the hopes of all of …
To Glory Or To Ruin : Guinevere And Vivien In Thomas Malory's Morte Darthur, Alfred Tennyson's Idylls Of The King, And Edwin Arlington Robinson's Merlin And Lancelot, Eunice W. Carwile
To Glory Or To Ruin : Guinevere And Vivien In Thomas Malory's Morte Darthur, Alfred Tennyson's Idylls Of The King, And Edwin Arlington Robinson's Merlin And Lancelot, Eunice W. Carwile
English & Modern Languages: Theses, Dissertations & Student Publications
From Malory's Morte Darthur, through Tennyson's Idylls of the King, and through Robinson's Merlin and Lancelot, Guinevere and Vivien evolve from mere servants of a masculine plot and theme to well-rounded characters who struggle with the same problems that confront their male counterparts. Malory's world is about knights, warfare, and a holy quest, with women acting or reacting in certain ways only to move the plot along. While Tennyson develops female characters more fully than Malory, the great Victorian pays no homage to Arthurian womankind, bringing to his work a philosophy of sin-weakness-destruction that makes Vivien an evil seductress and …
Guenevere's Conflict: Pagan Love Or Christian Ethics, Jacquelyn Sweeney Johnson
Guenevere's Conflict: Pagan Love Or Christian Ethics, Jacquelyn Sweeney Johnson
Theses & Honors Papers
This thesis examines the character of Guenevere in the broader, historical story of King Arthur. Analyzing newer, pagan, and feminist interpretations of her character as opposed to her original characterization in the Christian tale, it discusses the changes made in reinterpretation, especially as it relates to her relationship with Sir Lancelot.
The Power Of The Supernatural In Four Shakespearian Plays, Amy M. Lyon
The Power Of The Supernatural In Four Shakespearian Plays, Amy M. Lyon
Theses & Honors Papers
This thesis analyzes Shakespeare’s use of supernatural elements to further the plot of his plays. Discussing the motivations of the characters and their desires for control, it helps provide insight through this major literary theme into the culture of England at the time.
Shakespeare's Twist: The Tragic Within Some Comedies, Susan Dettweiler Wilhide
Shakespeare's Twist: The Tragic Within Some Comedies, Susan Dettweiler Wilhide
Theses & Honors Papers
Shakespeare creatively intermingled comic and tragic motifs throughout each comedy. In doing so, the audience remembers the joyous reunions and unions rather than the potential tragedies of these plays. However, the comic portions are dependent upon the tragic portions and vice versa. The audience understands the tragic situations the characters face, yet laughs at the comic motifs causing these occurrences. The audience also shares in the joy of the characters as everything works out positively in the end.
The Differences Between Dorothy Wordsworth's Journals And William Wordsworth's Poetry: Applying The Principles Of "Preface", Susan Dean Elzey
The Differences Between Dorothy Wordsworth's Journals And William Wordsworth's Poetry: Applying The Principles Of "Preface", Susan Dean Elzey
Theses & Honors Papers
The difference between the accounts of Dorothy Wordsworth and William Wordsworth of the events they experience together is studied. At times it almost seems like William contradicts himself in his dictums. However, that assumption is not the case. He takes from Dorothy’s journals a memory, an idea, a description and uses it as the foundation of deeper and more personal poetic revelations that Dorothy ever did. Together, through their writings, the brother and sister illustrate the basic definition of what it is to be a poet. Dorothy was not a poet, William was.
Reflections On Doris Lessing: Age, Enclosure, And The Female Experience, Heather M. Swan
Reflections On Doris Lessing: Age, Enclosure, And The Female Experience, Heather M. Swan
Theses & Honors Papers
This thesis analyzes the life experiences of female protagonists in Doris Lessing stories. Often referencing the motif of the mirror in Lessing’s work, it discusses age, life circumstances, relationships, and more, and looks at how women are viewed and treated in these stories.
The Portrayal Of Evil And The Shakespearean Villain, Allie Chaffin Yarbrough
The Portrayal Of Evil And The Shakespearean Villain, Allie Chaffin Yarbrough
Theses & Honors Papers
This is an examination of the evil characters in Shakespearian works like Richard III, King Lear, Othello, and Titus Andronicus. It examines how the evolution of villains in Shakespeare’s from his early works to his later works. It also shows how these characters are more than just the vices of the story. They possess desires and hidden motives but are also the primary roles that push a story forward.
Victorian Concepts Of The Ideal Man As Evidenced Through His Relationships With Animals: "If She Don't Carry You, You May Shoot Her" Or "Remember Gyp When You Get Home", Mary Ann Peebles Soles
Victorian Concepts Of The Ideal Man As Evidenced Through His Relationships With Animals: "If She Don't Carry You, You May Shoot Her" Or "Remember Gyp When You Get Home", Mary Ann Peebles Soles
Theses & Honors Papers
In Victorian fiction, the relationships between male characters and the animals with which they come in contact with are interesting. The way Victorian male characters are shown to treat animals revels something about the nature of the men themselves. Therefore, it is important to examine the concept of masculinity at the time. The gender stereotypes that prevailed in Victorian England had a tremendous impact on the portrayal of men and women in the novels written at that time. Male writers, the dominant sex, chose to preserve ideals already present. Female writers did the opposite. The Victorian novelists examined were influenced …
Mary Elizabeth Braddon: Reconstructing Beauty From Portent Of Innocence To Potential Threat In Aurora Floyd And Lady Audley's Secret, Susan Bryant Cook
Mary Elizabeth Braddon: Reconstructing Beauty From Portent Of Innocence To Potential Threat In Aurora Floyd And Lady Audley's Secret, Susan Bryant Cook
Theses & Honors Papers
This explores the “sensation novels”, Lady Audley’s Secret and Aurora Floyd by Mary Elizabeth Braddon during the Victorian Era. These “sensation novels” ushered in characters that were not who they seemed to be which evoked mystery in the story. Braddon also centered on the idea of not relying on a woman’s appearance but rather seeing the woman as she truly is.
The Fox And The Lion: Machiavellian Characters And Tactics In Renaissance Tragedies By Christopher Marlowe And Jacobean Tragedies By John Webster, James Craig Austin
The Fox And The Lion: Machiavellian Characters And Tactics In Renaissance Tragedies By Christopher Marlowe And Jacobean Tragedies By John Webster, James Craig Austin
Theses & Honors Papers
This thesis examines the ideologies of Machiavelli and how Webster and Marlowe adapt them into their plays. It looks at how the characters in these works of literature exhibit Machiavellian behaviors and how their lives and the world around them change as a result.
"The Holy Grail": An Epic Spiritual Quest For Modern Times By Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Rodney Llyn Shetler
"The Holy Grail": An Epic Spiritual Quest For Modern Times By Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Rodney Llyn Shetler
Theses & Honors Papers
This thesis will explore the characters and situations presented by Tennyson in "The Holy Grail" to reveal their human qualities and frailties for the purposes of examination and reflection in order to gain a greater understanding of spirituality . For Tennyson himself said that, "My meaning in the Idyll s of the King was spiritual. I took the legendary stories of the Round Table as illustrations. I intended Arthur to represent the Ideal Soul of Man coming into contact with the warring elements of the flesh" (qtd. in Ricks 671). Hallam Tennyson, as well, observes that "Throughout the …
The Clergy In The Novels And Short Stories Of Thomas Hardy, Jennifer Lynn Facchine
The Clergy In The Novels And Short Stories Of Thomas Hardy, Jennifer Lynn Facchine
Theses & Honors Papers
No abstract provided.
The Heroic Journey Of Troilus And Cressida, Kelly A. Weatherman
The Heroic Journey Of Troilus And Cressida, Kelly A. Weatherman
Theses & Honors Papers
No abstract provided.
The Manifestation Of Thomas Hardy's Agnosticism In Jude The Obscure And Other Works, Joy Fitzgerald
The Manifestation Of Thomas Hardy's Agnosticism In Jude The Obscure And Other Works, Joy Fitzgerald
Theses & Honors Papers
No abstract provided.
The Tongue's Worth: The Use Of Language To Preserve Culture In Havelok The Dane And The Mabinogion, Robin Davidson Smith
The Tongue's Worth: The Use Of Language To Preserve Culture In Havelok The Dane And The Mabinogion, Robin Davidson Smith
Theses & Honors Papers
Most Americans are unaware of how far back the cultural dichotomy goes, its source, or how significant it is in determining our behavior. Therefore, the use of language to preserve culture in Havelok the Dane and The Mabinogion is examined. The Mabinogion and Havelok the Dane are quite different in provenance, style, and purpose; yet, there are similarities. Each work has pathos, humor, excitement, and human emotion. Most importantly, each explores the questions of who we are, what we are, what we might become, and why we are, with seriousness, sympathy, and an occasional chortle at the ridiculousness of us …
A Victorian View Of Old Age: Legacy To The Twentieth Century, Maria M. Baber
A Victorian View Of Old Age: Legacy To The Twentieth Century, Maria M. Baber
Theses & Honors Papers
No abstract provided.