tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79575962124595638172010-02-24T19:02:45.863-08:00Free Literary Articlesakashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033757385887623411noreply@blogger.comBlogger134125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7957596212459563817.post-17745064460387066722010-02-24T18:55:00.000-08:002010-02-24T19:02:45.877-08:002010-02-24T19:02:45.877-08:00The Use of Animal Imagery in Ted Hughes’ poem The JaguarIn a literary work the term ‘imagery’ mainly refers to simile, metaphor, descriptive words etc that evoke the mental pictures, before our minds eyes. It is the picture made out of words and appeals to the senses of taste, smell, hearing and touch, and to internal feelings as well as the sense of sight. The imagery is achieved in any literary work through a collection of images. <br /><br /> The Jaguar, composed by the zoo laureate Ted Hughes, is a poem on the background of a zoo and the poem is well-know for the imagery that the poet uses to portray the condition of the encaged animals and birds and the blind energy embodied in a jaguar, the jungle king. The poem opens with the description of the apes. Line –I depicts them in a spiritless condition, who are engaged in ‘yawning’ and, adoring’ their fleas. By using such words as ‘yawn’ and ‘ adore’ the poet creates two powerful images which suggest that the apes have nothing urgent to do, and so feel sleepy. They also, instead of being annoyed, seem to enjoy the presence of fleas on their bodies while basking in the warmth of the sun. In the next cage the parrots are shrieking as if they were on fire and strutting like harlots attracting the onlookers for a throw of nuts. So the expressions, on fine, and stoat imply two vivid images, the parrots are suffering from untold suffering in their chained life and they make sensual gestures like the street girls to attract the passers by. And the first stanza ends with the description of tiger and lion which have become fatigued and indolent, having been deprived of their natural habitat. They are idly having a sun bath. <br /><br /> In stanza II we have the picturesque description of the boa-constrictor, so coiled and motionless as if it were doing so for ages and turned into a living Fossil. And the next three lines- <br /><br /> “Cage after cage seems empty, or <br /> Stinks of sleepers from the breathing straw,<br /> If might be painted on a nursery wall”. <br /><br /> It suggests the condition of the other animals. Actually the cages are not empty; they only seem to be so as there is no spontaneity among the encaged animals. <br /><br /> And now in the stanza III the poet introduces us with a cage in front of which the crowd ‘ stands’ and, stares and gets hypnotized at the spectacle of a jaguar. Unlike other animals, the jaguar is restless and a mobile machinery of destructive energy. Through the prison darkness his eyes meet those of the viewers and they are locked in a Fierce-fuse’ that can explode any moment Boredom is unknown to him. He spins from the bass to the cage, the cage then seems too small to contain him. He cannot be contained in any cage. No prison can same such ferocious energy or restrict the jaguar’s inborn spirit of independence. And the poet ends his description with the following two striking lines.<br /><br /> The world rolls under the long thrust of his heel.<br /> Over the cage floor the horizons come. <br /><br /> The zoo is made a world where the jaguar is let loose to reign as the supreme power. The world lies under his feet and the horizon meets the cage bass, thus declaring the boundless power of the jaguar. The poet with the help of such vivid expressions as the drills of his eyes, fierce-fuse, cell wilderness of freedom etc successfully depicts the characteristics of the jaguar, the symbol of energy.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7957596212459563817-1774506446038706672?l=freeliteraryarticlesblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>akashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033757385887623411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7957596212459563817.post-58132293527028969572010-02-23T20:33:00.001-08:002010-02-23T20:36:11.636-08:002010-02-23T20:36:11.636-08:00Development of English Sonnet During the Elizabethan AgeDevelopment of English sonnet was one of the remarkable features of Elizabethan literature. The sonnet, a short lyric poem of 14 lines in iambic pentameter and first practiced by Italian Renaissance poet Petrarch, was brought to England by Sir Thomas Wyatt and Surrey. In 1557 they jointly published their anthology of sonnets Tottel’s Miscellany. Soon the sonnet writing became favorite among the Elizabethan poets. The Elizabethan sonneteers followed the structure and theme of the patriarchal sonnets. A Petrarchan sonnet was divided into two parts: octave and sestet. The first eight lines were grouped as octave and the rest six lines as sestet. The function of an octave is to introduce a subject and the function of the sestet is to develop draw it to a satisfactory end. <br /><br /> The theme of a Petrarchan sonnet was usually courtly love. The Elizabethan poets, at first, also used the sonnets for the courtly love poems. In courtly love poems the lover is dutiful, anxious, adoring, full of wanhope and of praises of his mistress couched in a series of conventionalized images. The mistress is proud, unreceptive, but, if the lover is to be believed, very desirable. Throughout the Elizabethan age poets imitated these Petrarchan moods of love, and used sonnets to express them. Sir Philip Sidney, another remarkable sonneteer of the age, jested at the fashion in his ‘Astrophel and Stella and yet half succumbed to it. Some of his sonnets however plead for realism. <br /><br /> The notable changes in sonnet writing mainly come through Shakespeare. Both in style and theme he was different from the previous sonnet writers. His sonnet, which was also of 14 lines, was however, divided into four parts: Three quatrains and a concluding couplet. The rhyme scheme of a Shakespearean soneet is abab, cdcd, efef, gg which is different form the previous sonnet rhyme. This rhyme was very suitable for English sonneteers as it allowed seven different rhymes. <br /><br /> The themes of Shakespearean sonnet are very different. Some of his sonnets are addressed not to a woman but to a young man, and they are in the terms of warmest affection. Others are written not with adoration but with an air of disillusioned passion to a dark lady. Shakespeare’s sonnets have led to a greater volume of controversy than any volume of verse in English literature. But they can be enjoyed without the tantalizing attempt to identify the personages, or to explain the dedication and circumstances of the actual publication.<br /><br /> The sonnet outlived the Elizabethan period. Milton, the greatest seventeenth century poet, used the sonnet, not however for amorous purposes, but to define moments of autobiography, and for brief, powerful comments on public events. To the sonnet Wordsworth returned to awaken England from lethargy, to condemn Nepoleon, and to record many of his own moods. Keats, who had studied Shakespeare and Milton to such purpose, discovered himself as a poet in his sonnet, ‘On First Looking into Chapman’s Homer.’ In the nineteenth century Meredith in Modern love showed how a sixteen line variant could be made a vehicle of analysis, and D. G. Rossetti in ‘ The House of life came back, though with many changes, to the older way of Dante and Petrarch, employing this most perfect of all miniature verse forms for the expression of love.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7957596212459563817-5813229352702896957?l=freeliteraryarticlesblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>akashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033757385887623411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7957596212459563817.post-72888050339133031772010-02-13T09:19:00.000-08:002010-02-13T09:23:11.824-08:002010-02-13T09:23:11.824-08:00Tommy as an Anti-hero in Saul Bellow’s Seize the DayWhile a hero is traditionally a fortunate individual of superhuman power or spirit, an anti-hero is by definition the opposite of a hero and is thus a person who is neither strong nor purposeful. An anti hero may be portrayed as having little control over events, seeming aimless or confused, or as being out of step with society. <br /><br />Tommy Wilhem, the protagonist of Saul Bellow’s Seize the Day is an anti-hero. He does not have Herculean strength nor has he Achillean prowess, nor does he has the sky kissing magnanimity of a Shakespearean tragic hero. As a result failure shapes his future. He seems to drift through his life, making poor decisions that remove him farther and farther from his family and friends, and he feels like an outsider in the city of his birth. <br /><br />Tommy stumbles and dwindles at every step. He is a dangling man. In Seize the Day, Tommy, being caught in an existential crisis, is in quest of identity or meaningful existence. He is engaged seriously in a struggle for survival. He fails, he suffers, and he is spurned (rejected). He is turned into a puppet at the hands of scrubby opportunist. His hope is ever crossed and his mind suffers the stings of torments. <br /><br />Tommy is hardly attractive. He is large-“fair-haired hippopotamus!- in his middle forties. He is even filthy-“What a dirty devil son of mine” thinks his aged father Dr. Adler. His dress-up style of talking and taking food reveals his flaws. He exhibits symptom of neurosis and his actions ad attitudes are symptomatic of his lack of control or loss of order of his being. <br /><br />Tommy is too much emotional and childish and these very features make him dependent on others. Being unable to solve his problems, he rushes to his father for substantial support and he gets nothing but rebuff. Dr. Adler likes to appear affable. Affable! His own son, his one and only son could not speak his mind or ease his heart to him.” This is also the reason that he gives Mr. Tamkin the power of attorney to deal with his last survival without knowing him perfectly.<br /><br />The modern dilemma “to be or not to be” is present in Tommy’s character. He seems to be a genius in bringing calamity upon him. He has always chosen the path that his intuition or intellect warned against. Thus invites bad consequences upon himself. <br /><br />“This was typical of Wilhem. After much thought and hesitation and debate he invariably took the course he had rejected innumerable times. Ten such decisions made up the history of his life. He had decided that it would be a bad mistake to go to Hollywood, and then he went. He had made up his mind not to marry his wife, but ran off and got married. He had resolved not to invest money with Tamkin and then had given him a check.<br /><br />Tommy’s queer inability to stick to a well thought decision is the prime cause in turning his life miserable, precarious. Tommy is a simpleton and believes everyone. His foolish investment with Dr. Tamkin is reminiscent of the investment of his career some twenty years earlier with a movie talent scout called Maurice Venice. <br /><br />In Seize the Day the alienated hero is a terribly oppressed individual and it is with the feeling of his oppression that the fiction begins. The non-human, diabolic forces of materialism pose serious menace to overthrow him and subdue or demolish his human traits. Tommy Wilhem journeys through chaotic situations, through a metropolis (city) of peril (danger); he fights a solitary battle against what is annihilating for mankind. <br /><br />Despite all these, Tommy is a hero, as he possesses something noble and magnanimous. Despite all circumstances of oppression, despite the violence and threat of being overthrown, Wilhem decides to retain humanity. He refuses to become a heartless money-thirst maniac. Tommy is placed in a perplexing situation of making a choice between humanity and heartlessness. Though he sees nothing but a bleak future before him, he decides to retain humanity, admits love and longs to have a place in the human community. <br /><br /><br />Unlike the mythi hero, there is no joyful homecoming for Tommy, or a satisfied sense completion of a mammoth task. HE neither has the superhuman dimensions of Shakespeare’s unforgettable tragic heroes. So, from all these aspects we can call him an anti-hero.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7957596212459563817-7288805033913303177?l=freeliteraryarticlesblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>akashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033757385887623411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7957596212459563817.post-48574466156139536752010-02-13T08:49:00.000-08:002010-02-13T09:19:36.924-08:002010-02-13T09:19:36.924-08:00The Sense Disillusionment in Return of the NativeThomas Hardy has a very pessimistic philosophy of life and his characters also suffer from disillusionment of their lives. He shows man lives in an indifferent world. Return of the Native is based on the assumption that man is destined by God to suffer the overwhelming pain and suffering which exits in the world. <br /><br />All the main characters of Return of the Native namely- Clym, Eustacis, Wildeve, and Mrs Yeoright have their own aim ambition. But all their plans turn into vain. All of their lives are full of aim. But they are trapped in a series of bitterly ironic events. They are faced with an incomprehensible universe. <br /><br />The protagonist of the novel, Clym at an early age have been sent to Budmouth and from where he had gone to Paris. In Paris he had placed in trade and he had rise to the position of a manager of a diamond-merchant’s establishment. He is a boy of whom something is always expected. He feels that he has to use his services for the people in Egdon Heath. In order to be of some service to the people, he wants to start a school. His misfortune, semi blindness disables him from executing the educational project.<br /><br />In his love affair also he was not successful. Clym is very much attracted by the charm and beauty of Eustacia. Ignoring his mother’s strong opposition he takes a cottage at Alderworth, several miles away from Blooms-End. But the utter incompatibility of temperaments had foredoomed their marriage.<br /><br />The heroine of the novel, Eustacia was fully aware of the beauty, which nature has bestowed upon her. She didn’t care about what people may tell about her. She can’t bear the loneliness that heath has. She says, “Tis my cross, my shame and will be my death”. Eustacia dreamed of a life in Paris. She hopes that if she marries, Clym he may take her to Paris. She has fascination for the pompous city life. But Clym on the other hand wants to settle in Edgon. So she had to stay in Heath. In the later part of the novel she tries to escape from the Edgon Heath with the help of Wildeve. Coincidentally Clym writes Eustacia a letter begging her to return to him - but he sends the letter too late. Eustacia does not see the letter before she leaves to flee with Wildeve. If she had, she might have no die like this.<br /><br />Mrs Yeobright, the mother of Clym, is a woman of middle age with well-formed feature. She vehemently opposes the plans of Clym to start a school. She wants Clym to go back in Paris because there he has a respectable job. She had brought up her with great care and devotion. She also strongly opposes not to marry Eustacia. She says, “Is it best for you to injure your prospects for such a voluptuous, idle woman as that?” But nothing could restrict her son from staying in the Heath or marrying Eustacia.<br /><br />She was shocked, for example, by the sight off her son dressed as a furze cutter. She could not believe her eyes. She had thought it was only a diversion or hobby for him. <br /><br />Again she resolves to reconcile with her son. But she never gets the chance to reconcile with her son and she dies.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Wildeve</strong><br /><br />Though Wildeve is depicted as a demon here but still he is also the portrayal of disillusionment. In the beginning of the novel, Wildeve responses quickly to Eustacia’s signal fire. It is true that he wishes to marry her. But he could not. And in the later part of the novel he unhesitatingly leaps into the stream with all his clothes on to try to rescue Eustacia. But in this time also he fails and dies.<br /><br />Analyzing all the above discussed characters we can say that man is thus posited to be the source of the cosmic but the cosmic is considered to be too complex for human understanding.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7957596212459563817-4857446615613953675?l=freeliteraryarticlesblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>akashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033757385887623411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7957596212459563817.post-36979038035142829252010-02-13T08:40:00.000-08:002010-02-13T08:49:18.268-08:002010-02-13T08:49:18.268-08:00The Turn of the Screw as a ghost StoryHenry James's novella The Turn of the Screw shows complex interactions between the living and the dead. The plot revolves around the encounter of the ghosts with the central character of the story, the governess. She apparently sees ghosts when she is alone or preoccupied by fantasies. James wrote The Turn of the Screw at a time when there was a prevalent fondness for ghost stories. <br /><br />As a story The Turn of the Screw is highly suspenseful and tragic. The thing that introduces tension, builds the suspense, climax and the catastrophe of the story is ghost.<br /><br />The beginning of the story is set up very neatly for us. In the story Miss Giddens, a governess agrees to take a position at the estates of Bly. The position requires taking care of two young children, the advertisement having been posted by the uncle, who asks not to be disturbed, even under the most serious of circumstances. She takes the coach to the estate and is welcomed there by the children and their housekeeper. All seems idyllic to start with.<br /><br />Henry James heightens the element of suspense in the novel, through the vision of the mysterious man. At the evening she often strolls through the grounds and mediates on the beauty of her surroundings. Sometimes she wishes her employer could know how much she enjoys the place and how well she is executing her duties. One evening using her stroll, she does perceive the figure of a strange man on top of the old towers of the house. He appears rather distinct, but she is aware that he keeps his eyes on her. She feels rather disturbed without knowing why. <br />The suspense builds up with the reappearance of the strange man. Who is the mysterious man and what does he want? Where did he come from and how did he disappear? One Sunday as the group is preparing to go to church, the governess returns to the dining room to retrieve her gloves from the table. Inside the room she notices the strange weird face of a man staring in at her in a hard and deep manner, suddenly, she realizes that the man has “come for someone else.” Through her description Mrs Grose, the house keeper identifies him as Peter Quint, the ex-valet who has been dead for about a year.<br /><br />Always after a happy session with the children, she experiences shock. Once again after days of fun and fulfillment with the children, she spots the face in the window of the dining room. One day, while playing with Flora near the lake, she probably observes a figure on the other side of the lake. She surmises that Flora has seen the vision, but is pretending to be ignorant about it. Without being sure, she casts aspersions in the innocent child.<br /><br />James arranges the sequence of events in such a way that scene of excitement appear after the scenes of quietness. One night she hears some movement outside her door and becomes alert. She opens the door and walks towards the staircase. She notices the figure of Peter Quint in the landing. From such a short distance he looks frightening. When she returns to her room, she is shocked to find Flora missing from her bed; Flora appears from behind one of the curtains. One night she finds Flora looking through the window and Miles standing outside. Their behavior completely puzzles her.<br /><br /><br />At the stage the governess feels the heed to escape from the whole situation and run away from Bly. But she fears that the spirit might take complete possession of the children if she leaves. She decides to stay back Bly. With this intention, she returns back to the house to pack her things, she is shocked to see Miss Jessel sitting on a desk and looking at her with melancholic eyes. The appearance of a male and then a female ghost complicates the plot.<br /><br /><br />Now suspicion of the governess about the involvement of the children with the ghost takes its climax. She starts looking at the children with a biased eye and exhibits negative attitudes towards them. She imagines that the children are fooling her. One day, the governess and Mrs Gross walk around the lake and finds that Flora is not around. Miles feigns innocence over Flora's whereabouts, so the governess seeks the aid of Mrs. Grose. Before the two women leave to search, the governess places the letter to her employer on the table for one of the servants to mail. The governess and Mrs. Grose go to the lake, where they find the boat missing. After walking around the lake, the governess finds Flora and, asks her bluntly where Miss Jessel is. The governess points to the image of Miss Jessel as proof that the specter exists, but Mrs. Grose and Flora claim to see nothing. The ghost appears to the governess; however, Mrs. Grose sees nothing and sides with Flora, who also says that she sees nothing and never has. <br /><br />The next morning, the governess finds out from Mrs. Grose that Flora was struck with a fever during the night and that she is terrified of seeing the governess. However, Mrs. Grose does say that the governess was justified in her suspicions of Flora, because the child has started to use evil language. The governess encourages Mrs. Grose to take Flora to her uncle's house for safety and also so that she can try to gain Miles's allegiance in his sister's absence. <br /><br />In the falling action of the story, the governess and Miles stay in the house alone. They sit to have a meal which is dominated by silence, the maid cleaning the dishes being the only sound heard. When the governess and Miles discuss the matter of whether he took a letter she had written the day before from the hall table it was Quint who appeared in "his white face of damnation", looking intently at her like "a sentential before a prison". Her main concern at this moment is to protect the boy; it was like "fighting with a demon for a human soul". The apparition still has his eyes fixed on the governess and the boy, lurking like "a baffled beast." But the governess gathers her strength and is determined to face it. He suddenly disappears. She then asks Miles about what he did to result in his being expelled from school, and they have a very long conversation. Eventually she is able to get the truth out of him. He also admits to stealing a letter that the governess had finally decided to send to his uncle. During their talk, Quint's ghost appears to the governess. Miles ask if it is Miss Jessel, but she forces him to admit that it is Peter Quint. He turns suddenly around to look and falls in her arms. The governess clutches him, but instead of a triumph she discovers that she is holding Miles’ dead body.<br /><br />During her first day at Bly, the governess thinks she hears a child's cry in the distance. The governess imagines herself at the helm of a ship lost at sea. Ghosts of Quint, Miss Jessel are not anymore demonic creatures. Ghosts may just be dreams, the dream of a mind that needed to protect the children, an illusion created by fears and frustrated hopes in a way that makes impossible to separate dreams from hard facts. But ghosts are the central idea of the novel or that idea around which the novel functions. So, from this point of view we can say that it is a ghost story.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7957596212459563817-3697903803514282925?l=freeliteraryarticlesblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>akashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033757385887623411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7957596212459563817.post-90319269671868183562010-02-13T08:36:00.000-08:002010-02-13T08:39:47.953-08:002010-02-13T08:39:47.953-08:00How Far is the Governess Responsible for the Tragedy in The Turn of the Screw?The governess, who was entrusted as the protector of the children, ultimately turns out to be the destroyer of them in Henry James’s The Turn of the Screw. So, she is responsible for the tragedy that takes place in the life of the children.<br /><br />As we go through The Turn of the Screw, we find the character governess as a complex character and a combination of good and evil qualities of love, devotion and sincerity and at the same time she is also corrupted by the devilish traits of suspicion, prejudice and self interest. The beginning of novel projects her positive qualities, while the later part of the book exposes her negative traits.<br /><br />The governess is a woman of twenty who is highly romantic, adventurous, imaginative and idealistic. Her romantic and adventurous mentality is shown at the beginning of the novel. When she takes the challenge of working in a remote place under strange condition, of course she had fallen for the charms of her employer was tempted to take up the job to please him.<br /><br />When she reaches Bly, the big house evokes a mystic aura for the governess. As she explores the house with Flora, she passes through “empty chambers and dull corridors”. To the imaginative mind of governess, the house creates “the view of a castle of romance inhabited by a rosy sprite”.The beginning of the story is set up very neatly for us. In the story Miss Giddens, a governess agrees to take a position at the estates of Bly. The position requires taking care of two young children, the advertisement having been posted by the uncle, who asks not to be disturbed, even under the most serious of circumstances. She takes the coach to the estate and is welcomed there by the children and their housekeeper.<br /><br />At the evening she often strolls through the grounds and mediates on the beauty of her surroundings. Sometimes she wishes her employer could know how much she enjoys the place and how well she is executing her duties. Her desire to meet the employer as well as a stranger is soon fulfilled. One evening using her stroll, she does perceive the figure of a strange man on top of the old towers of the house. He appears rather distinct, but she is aware that he keeps his eyes on her. She feels rather disturbed without knowing why. It seems obvious that the governess is infatuated by her employer and her infatuation is psychotic enough to allow her to create ghost. She takes it seriously and spends much time thinking about the encounter. She wonders if there was a secret at Bly.<br /><br /><br />In her imagination she has created the picture of a handsome person. One Sunday as the group is preparing to go to church, the governess returns to the dining room to retrieve her gloves from the table. Inside the room she notices the strange weird face of a man staring in at her in a hard and deep manner, suddenly, she realizes that the man has “come for someone else.” She tells the housekeeper that the apparition was looking for little Miles. She cannot explain how she knows this, but she is sure of it. Through her description Mrs Grose, the house keeper identifies him as Peter Quint, the ex-valet who has been dead for about a year.<br /><br />Just when she seems happy in the company of the children, she is troubled by the visit of this strange man. Always after a happy session with the children, she experiences shock. Thus, the governess who was feeling secured at first, starts feeling insecure. She feels distressed but draws inspiration from the smiling faces to carry on business. Once again after days of fun and fulfillment with the children, she spots the face in the window of the dining room. One day, while playing with Flora near the lake, she probably observes a figure on the other side of the lake.<br /><br />She exaggerates the issue. She is highly opinionated. She surmises that Flora has seen the vision, but is pretending to be ignorant about it. Without being sure, she casts aspersions in the innocent child. She is impulsive when she hears that Miles had been close to Quint and had knowledge of his affair with Jessel, the governess jumps to the conclusion that Miles has acquired evil characteristics. She starts justifying his dismissal from school.<br /><br />She starts looking at the children with a biased eye and exhibits negative attitudes towards them. One night she hears some movement outside her door and becomes alert. She opens the door and walks towards the staircase. She notices the figure of Peter Quint in the landing. From such a short distance he looks frightening. When she returns to her room, she is shocked to find Flora missing from her bed; Flora appears from behind one of the curtains. One night she finds Flora looking through the window and Miles standing outside. The governess develops a negative attitude towards the children. Thus she views their every word and every action with suspicion.<br /><br /><br />The governess feels the heed to escape from the whole situation and run away from Bly. But she fears that the spirit might take complete possession of the children if she leaves. She decides to stay back Bly. With this intention, she returns back to the house to pack her things, she is shocked to see Miss Jessel sitting on a desk and looking at her with melancholic eyes.<br /><br />More than the children, it is the governess who seems to be possessed by the spirits. She forgets that Miles and Flora are children who need freedom to enjoy themselves and move around. <br /><br />The governnes and Mrs Gross walk around the lake and finds that Flora is not around. Miles feigns innocence over Flora's whereabouts, so the governess seeks the aid of Mrs. Grose. The governess and Mrs. Grose go to the lake, where they find the boat missing. After walking around the lake, the governess finds Flora and, asks her bluntly where Miss Jessel is. The governess points to the image of Miss Jessel as proof that the specter exists, but Mrs. Grose and Flora claim to see nothing. The ghost appears to the governess. She takes if for granted that evil spirit posses the children and their activities revolve around the ghost. Thus, when she finds Flora missing she comes to the conclusion that the girl has gone to meet Jessel and also that Miles sends his sister away so that he can meet Peter Quint. <br /><br /><br />The next morning, the governess finds out from Mrs. Grose that Flora was struck with a fever during the night. The governess encourages Mrs. Grose to take Flora to her uncle's house for safety. The governess and Miles discuss the matter of whether he took a letter she had written the day before from the hall table it was Quint who appeared in "his white face of damnation", looking intently at her like "a sentential before a prison". Her main concern at this moment is to protect the boy; it was like "fighting with a demon for a human soul".The apparition still has his eyes fixed on the governess and the boy, lurking like "a baffled beast." But the governess gathers her strength and is determined to face it. He suddenly disappears. She then asks Miles about what he did to result in his being expelled from school, and they have a very long conversation. Eventually she is able to get the truth out of him. He also admits to stealing a letter that the governess had finally decided to send to his uncle. During their talk, Quint's ghost appears to the governess. Miles ask if it is Miss Jessel, but she forces him to admit that it is Peter Quint. He turns suddenly around to look and falls in her arms. The governess clutches him, but instead of a triumph she discovers that she is holding Miles’ dead body.<br /><br />It seems more reasonable to assume that the ghost has visible only to the governess and through her psychotic imagination; she simple frightened the young boy to death. She vows to protect innocent children and to play the part of god mother. But it is ironic that the more the governess thinks of guarding the children against evil, the more they are exposed to it. She fails in her mission and is partly responsible for the child’s plight.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7957596212459563817-9031926967186818356?l=freeliteraryarticlesblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>akashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033757385887623411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7957596212459563817.post-10654747573801041802010-02-13T08:25:00.000-08:002010-02-13T08:35:16.500-08:002010-02-13T08:35:16.500-08:00The Picture of the Indian Society as Reflected R. K. Narayan’s in the GuideThe daily life of the Indians, the traditions of the land and indeed the superstitions and values of India gains a form in the remarkable novel “The Guide”. R.K.Narayan quite consciously in his novel “The Guide” echoes the more and tradition of the Indian society amidst his literal symbolism. R.K.Narayan’s chief concern is to give an artistic expression of Indian life. Though his art form is western, his theme, atmosphere, situations and scenes are truly Indian.<br /><br /><strong>Malgudi </strong><br /><br />Narayan’s India is symbolized by Malgudi. Malgudi, of course, does not exist. It an imaginary landscape inhabited by the unique characters of his stories. It is an average town with swamis, beggars, postmen, shopkeepers, spongers etc. Narayan creates his fictional world of Malgudi as an essentially Indian society or town. Gradually it grows like any other town and becomes a city of tourists, a centre of attraction for scholars of ancient Indian culture and even Americans who see the future of India in its growth. The Indian ness and Indian sensibility pervaded the whole place. Narayan's Malgudi is also a microcosm of India. It grows and develops and expands and changes, and is full of humanity.<br /> <br /><strong>Two Locales</strong><br /><br />In The Guide there are two locales, namely-Malgudi and Mangala. Though Mangla is the actual setting, Malgudi is a part of recollection and consciousness. The hero is common to both the locales. Like all other heroes of R.K.Narayan, the hero of The Guide has a longer consciousness and involved with bigger concerns of life. <br /><br /><strong>The Village School</strong><br /><br />Narayan gives a vivid and faithful picture of a village school. The “pyol” school, with its respected but not well paid teachers; the school master sitting on a cushion with classes going on simultaneously, the routine of school- boys shouting and getting caned; the foul-mouthed teacher who abuses instead of including good manners; the co-operative effort of the parents in catering to the needs of the schoolmaster- all these are typically Indian and represent a typical village school.<br /><br /><strong>Religious Beliefs- Swami</strong><br /><br />The Guide also depicts Indian religious beliefs, superstitions and philosophy. The blind faith of the Indian masses in sadhus and religious men is depicted in their acceptance of Raju as a swami. However, unlike most swamis, Raju is forced into this role due to circumstances and he has a true discipline (Velan) instead of the usual fake accomplices. The blind faith of Indians who worship swamis’s and give offerings to them is depicted very realistically. The drought and their response to it, is authentically Indian-they make offerings and wait for a muscle man to foot and bring rain. The reaction to the fast, too, is characteristic- they are glad and they make use of the opportunity for “party”, make money and make merry.<br /><br /><strong>Sacrifice </strong><br /><br />The sacrifice of life for social and spiritual good, an ideal of Indian philosophy, is portrayed through all this. Selfishness gives way to altruism and sacrifice: Raju, epitomizes this Indian belief he moves from skepticism to idealism, he changes his psyche and from a criminal he becomes as a altruistic swami with true feelings for those who have fed him. Raju spends his days muttering prayers as a result of his indubitable liberation from his ego, and it is revealed by his words-“I am only doing what I have to do; that is all. My likes and dislikes do not count”. Thus, he sacrifices his life for the well being of the villagers.<br /><br /><strong>Traditional Morality</strong><br /><br /> The Guide also portrays other Indian beliefs. The Indian philosophy is that any deviation from tradition creates disorder and unhappiness. Happiness can only be restored by conforming to traditional views, is well illustrated in the novel. Raju, too deviates from traditional morality by seducing Marco’s wife. When Rosie comes to live in the house, she brings disorder in his life and he is ultimately jailed. However, by becoming a sadhu and accepting the traditional belief in sacrifice, self-discipline and purification, he brings harmony and order to his spiritual life. He has a spiritual rebirth because he confirms to traditional belief.<br /><br /><strong>Indian Culture</strong><br /><br />In all this Narayan’s character like Raju, Marco and Rosie are deeply rooted in Indian culture-Rosie, a “devdasis” daughter stands for traditional Indian culture; Marco embodies modern man appreciating the Indian heritage, Raju’s death and faith stand for man’s faith in Indian tradition. The temple and rural poverty widen his perspective in contrast with his urban life with Rosie and he gains spiritual faith and peace. Indian faith and tradition are ultimately triumphant in spite of modernization.<br /><br /><strong>Family</strong><br /><br />Family relationships being a part of Indian tradition the main theme of family, too, is characteristically Indian. Narayan gives a graphic description of Raju’s family and inter-family relationships. His relationship with his father and mother is expressed vividly. The theme of family relationship is also depicted with reference to Velan who has the responsibility of marrying off his sister.<br /><br /><strong>Hospitality</strong><br /><br />Another Indian trait which is depicted is hospitality. Indian’s being extremely hospitable. Raju and his mother look after Rosie. His mother asks no question at first. In the same way Velan and the villagers arrange for the meals of the swami, without asking any question.<br /><br />Narayan also gives a realistic picture of the plight of Indian villagers. <br /><br /><strong>Indian Scenes and Situations</strong><br /><br />In fact, at each and every step, we come across Indian scenes and situations. The mother and son’s argument over marriage, the material uncle’s endeavor to bring Raju to the senses, the establishment of Raju as a fake swami, the fascination of tourists for king Cobra’s dance, the renovation of the temple, chanting of holy text,lighting of the lamp at the temple, the “mela” like atmosphere while Raju is fasting-are all typically Indian.<br /><br />Narayan also gives a realistic picture of the plight of Indian villagers. He authentically portrays the problems of a country dependent on agriculture and monsoons. Drought leads to the inevitable femine, dying cattle, lack of water, hoarding by merchants, riots, penance, pujas, and sacrifices to appease the ran-God. This faith in swamis at the time of drought and the consequent fasting by Raju is typically Indian. The gloomy picture, as usual, only attracts the attention of the government, tourists and journalist but the problem of the villagers remains unattended. The activity which occurs due to the drought is an authentic portrayal of India.<br /><br />Narayan, in his authentic portrayal of India, uphold the traditional Hindu world-view. By juxtaposing several symbolic elements Narayan represents the religious and philosophical beliefs based on the great Indian epics, legends, folk and tales. It affirms values of Indian traditional life and undeniably confers on the novel its artistic uniqueness.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7957596212459563817-1065474757380104180?l=freeliteraryarticlesblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>akashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033757385887623411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7957596212459563817.post-41936306512554704582010-02-13T08:00:00.000-08:002010-02-13T08:22:55.362-08:002010-02-13T08:22:55.362-08:00Ecstasy and Disillusionment in Keats’ OdesIn his Odes, Keats makes a balance between the flux of human experience and the fixity of art. Keats’ poetic imagination changes easily from the living world to the world of dreams, from art to reality, and from a place of ecstasy to a place of disillusionment.<br /><br />In the poem, "Ode to a Nightingale," written by John Keats, the speaker attempts to use a nightingale as a means of escaping the realities of human life. The speaker wants to share his experience of listening to the song of a Nightingale and its effect on his mind. The time is night, a moon lit night and place is a green woods. There is a path in the woods which ends somewhere in the woods. In this romantic place and time, a Nightingale is “pouring forth” its soul. The song of the Nightingale has a hypnotizing effect on his mind. It appears in the poem that Keats is tempted into the nightingale's world of beauty and perfection. The speaker cherishes a longing to join the world of the bird which he wants to do through at first, country celebrations and secondly through drinks. The speaker visualizes the happy, excited, and ecstatic frenzies which he wants to have in order to join the happy world of the Nightingale.<br /> <br />Away! away! for I will fly to thee<br />, <br /> Not charioted by Bacchus and his pards, <br /><br />But on the viewless wings of Poesy, <br /><br /> Though the dull brain perplexes and retards:<br /><br />The speaker also gives the description of his actual journey into the dim-sum woods. But as soon as the speaker in the deep woods he can’t see anything in embalmed darkness. He can only guess. In this imaginative forest he finds all the sensual enjoyment of his life. In the darkness of the forest he is surrounded by all the pleasures that he would think to have in the ideal world. There are flowers and fragrance every where and the summer season of woodland takes him to the extremity of joy of living.<br /><br />The coming musk-rose, full of dewy wine, <br />The murmurous haunt of flies on summer eves.<br /><br />At this point the speaker becomes so excited that he wants to die.<br /><br />Now more than ever seems it rich to die, <br /><br />To cease upon the midnight with no pain, <br /><br />While thou art pouring forth thy soul abroad <br /><br />In such an ecstasy!<br /><br /><br /><br />But all this ecstasy is followed disillusionment and the speaker comes down to reality. The world of imagination can shelter us for a short time, but it can not give us the solution of the reality of life.<br /><br />Forlorn! the very word is like a bell <br />To toll me back from thee to my sole self!<br />Adieu! the fancy cannot cheat so well <br />As she is fam'd to do, deceiving elf.<br /><br /><br />Keats begins his “ode on a Grecian Urn” simply describing the various figures that are curved on its surfaces. <br /><br />The first scene depicts musicians and lovers in a setting of rustic beauty. The speaker attempts to identify with the characters because to him they represent the timeless perfection only art can capture.<br /><br />THOU still unravish'd bride of quietness, <br />Thou foster-child of Silence and slow Time,<br />Sylvan historian, who canst thus express <br />A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme:<br /><br /> The lovers will always love, though they will never consummate their desire. The musicians will always play beneath trees that will never lose their leaves.<br /><br />The speaker ends the poem with "heart high-sorrowful." This is because the urn, while beautiful and seemingly eternal, is not life. The lovers, while forever young and happy in the chase, can never engage in the act of fertility that is the basis of life, and the tunes, while beautiful in the abstract, do not play to the "sensual ear" and are in fact "of no tone.<br /><br />Thy song, nor ever can those trees be bare; <br />Bold Lover, never, never canst thou kiss, <br />Though winning near the goal—yet, do not grieve; <br />She cannot fade, though thou hast not thy bliss, <br />For ever wilt thou love, and she be fair! <br /><br />In Ode to Autumn, the act of creation is pictured as a kind of self-harvesting Autumn is a season of ripe fruitfulness. It is the time of the ripening of grapes, apples, gourds, hazelnuts etc. <br /><br /><br />SEASON of mists and mellow fruitfulness, <br />Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun; <br /> Conspiring with him how to load and bless <br />With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;<br /><br />It is also the time when bees suck the sweetness from “later flowers” and “make honey.” Thus the autumn is pictured as bringing all the fruits of earth to maturity in readiness for harvesting. Despite the coming chill of winter, the late warmth of autumn provides Keats with ample beauty to celebrate: the cottage and its surroundings in the first stanza, the agrarian haunts of the goddess in the second, and the locales of natural creatures in the third. Keats experiences these beauties in a sincere and meaningful way.<br /><br /> But the music of autumn is ‘wailful’ and “mournful”. Also we have in the last stanza the “soft-dying day” after the passing of “hours and hours’. Thus the poem’s latent theme of mortality is symbolically dramatized by the passing course of the day. “And gathering swallows twitter in the skies” and “Birds habitually gather in flocks toward nightfall” means that the day is coming to a close. Also, birds gather particularly when they are preparing to fly southwards at the approach of winter. <br /><br /><br />While barrèd clouds bloom the soft-dying day<br />And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;<br /> Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn <br />Among the river-sallows, borne aloft <br />Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;<br /><br />The sense of coming loss confronts the sorrow underlying the season’s creativity. When Autumn’s harvest is over, the fields will be bare, the swaths with their “twined flowers” cut down, the cider-press dry, the skies empty. This means that the season too is drawing to a close. A feeling of disillusionment is inevitable because of these suggestions.<br /><br />From the above discussion we an say that the strain and stress of practical life makes him fly o the world of imagination for the time beings but he thinks of the short coming of the imagery world and finally accepts life as it is.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7957596212459563817-4193630651255470458?l=freeliteraryarticlesblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>akashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033757385887623411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7957596212459563817.post-13221709235622338722010-02-13T07:43:00.000-08:002010-02-13T07:59:16.508-08:002010-02-13T07:59:16.508-08:00R . K. Narayan’s Use of Irony in The GuideR. K. Narayan’s conception of humor is meticulously achieved in The Guide. We get a glimpse of the complexity of life in this novel through irony of motives, characters, situations, and ideas.<br /><br />Narayan behaves like Chaucer when the matter of religion arrives. Narayan satirizes the corruption of the sadhus through irony. Sainthood is reduces to a matter merely of external appearance when Raju thinks to compose his feature for his professional role and smoothes out his beard and hair, and sits down in the seat with a book in his hand.<br /><br /> “He was hypnotised by his own voice; he felt himself growing in stature as he saw the upturned faces of the children shinning in the half light when he spoke. No one was more impressed with the grandeur of the whole thing than Raju himself”<br /><br />Narayan criticizes sharply when Raju relates some principal of living with a particular variety of delicious food and he mentions it with an air of seriousness, so that his listeners take it as a spiritual need.<br /><br />Narayan had all respect for Gandhi and Gandhism but the Gandhi and use of fasting for self-purification is also satirized when a fraud is shown as being compelled to undertake a fast to bring down the rains. Narayan has full command over verbal irony s for example Velan says to Raju,’ Your presence is similar to that of Mahatma Gandhi. He has left a disciple in you to save us’.<br /><br />Raju, the protagonist, is a victim of the irony of life. His life which moves from birth to death, symbolizes the rise and fall of man in life. Though Raju detests Marco, the scholar ironically, he teaches others all his life. Raju is trusted by Marco, but ironically Raju seduces his wife. He hides Marco’s book to keep his control over Rosie, but this act of deception ironically alternates her. He forges Rosie’s signature, for greed and to keep her away from Marco, but instead he loses her, instead of a box of jewelry, a warrant for his arrest arrives. His attempt to hide Marco’s generosity ironically exposes his deceit, and Rosie loses her respect for him. Ironically Marco, the scholar who studies “dead things” and is unaware of his surroundings, ends in out-witting Raju, the clever guide. Raju’s pride over his role in Rosie’s success ironically replaces by the realization that she is capable of even great success without him. Thus, he is a victim of irony at every step.<br /><br />After his release from prison he wants a life of solitude but ironically he becomes a fake swami, he is surrounded by people and greatness is thrust upon him. They believe that a superior soul has come to live near their village.<br /><br />In order to appear wise, he tells the story of a man who fasted for twelve days to appease the gods. Ironially, he too has to have to fast to propitiate the rain-god. His own story rebounds on him and the fake swami has to fast to keep up the faith of the people. Once again, he is the victim of the irony when he tells Velan’s half brother that he will not eat ill they stop fighting. His aim is to get food, but ironically the message is distorted and the villagers come without food. It is ironical that his desire for food results in him fasting for life. In a desperate bid to save his life, he confesses to Velan in the hope that he will condemn him and give him food, but ironically Velan pardons him as the frank confession confirms Velan’s belief in his goodness. Thus, the man who becomes a fake swami because of food becomes a true swami, once he renounces food.<br />Thus Raju faces the unexpectations at every stage. At every stage, he gets what he rejects; he is denied what he wants.<br /><br />Narayan satirizes the thing through irony. In this novel he refers to lawyers-five year plan, red-tapism, postal services, efforts to eradicate mosquitoes etc, all expose the irony of life. The reaction of the government to Raju’s fast is ironical, while special arrangement are made for the fasting swami and the pilgrims who throng to see Raju but nothing is done to help the drought effected villagers. The ignorant villagers, the government and the elite are also satirized as they affirm their belief in fake sadhus. Equally ironical is the interview of the American journalist. <br /><br />The final lines of the book, as Raju steps into the water for the last time, are both ambiguous and hopeful, and the complexity is once again achieved through the use of irony:<br /><br />Raju opened his eyes, looked about, and said, “Velan, it’s raining in the hill. I can feel I coming up under my feet, up my legs,….He sagged down. It may simply be an illusion because of his physical weakness.<br /><br /><br />Narayan very aptly exposes and ridicules human follies and weakness through irony. His irony arises from the bringing together the opposites and contrasting them.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7957596212459563817-1322170923562233872?l=freeliteraryarticlesblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>akashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033757385887623411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7957596212459563817.post-23259424252703042942010-02-13T07:41:00.000-08:002010-02-13T07:42:56.037-08:002010-02-13T07:42:56.037-08:00Theme of Alienation in Saul Bellow’a Seize the DayAlienation or sense of separation is one of the dominating themes in Bellow’s novel Seize the Day. Saul Bellow is primarily concerned with the well-worn modern dilemma of the individual: desperately isolated and profoundly alone in a society whose only God is money. As the story opens, Bellow’s hero, Tommy feels out of place in this hard world of money, selfishness and exploitation. It is a world which has a non- human and animal like frame work, where feelings ad emotions have no significance.<br /><br />As the story opens, Tommy is in a state of extreme ignominy, forty four years old, overemotional and heavily dependent. He is caught and crushed in a world devoid of heart in which feelings and emotions have no significance. He is disillusioned in a world where there is no caring and no real communication among the men. In the lower middle class, densely populated section of New York cit, Tommy lives I hotel, Gloriana. His father lives also in the same hotel apart from his son. People talk to each other, do business, pass the time or day, but somehow do so only superficially. <br /><br />The theme of ignominious isolation is established in the firs several pages of the novel when Tommy stops to get his morning newspaper from the Rubin. Both of them pretend that they are intimate in their talking, but neither of them talks about important issues. Their issues involve only trivial matters such as the weather, Tommy’s clothes, gin game etc. Though both men knew many intimate details of each others personal lives neither of them talks about it. As the author says,<br />“None of these could be mentioned and the great weight of the unspoken left them little to talk about.”<br /><br />Tommy also thinks” He (Rubin) meant to be conversationally playful, but his voice had no tone and his eyes, solace and lid-blinded, turned elsewhere. He did not want to here. It was all the same to him.”<br /><br />Tommy’s biological father Dr Adler even refused to become involved in his son’s desperate loneliness. In Tommy’s case his aged, rich and successful father is physically present but emotionally distant. Tommy is badly in need of money which his father could provide him with. But Dr. Adler is greatly pained when the subject is said. More than money, however, Tommy needs communication with an understanding heart. Again and again he appeals repeatedly to his father for compassion. But he endeavors vainly to penetrate the boundary that surrounds his father. The appeal is always futile. He receives nothing from him but selfish advice as his father says,<br />“I want nobody on my back, Get off! And I give you the same advice, Wilky. Carry nobody on your back.” His father’s response is ever old, detached, yet bitter and angry, analytical denunciation of Tommy’s past failures ad present ignominy.<br /><br />“It made Tommy profoundly bitter that his father should speak to him with such detachment about his welfare. Dr Adler liked to appear affable. Affable! “His own son, his one and only son could not speak his mind or ease his heart to him.”<br /><br />And in a different way, the circumstances are the same with the rather mysterious Dr. Tamkin, a sort of surrogate father to Tommy. According to Tommy “That the doctor cared about him, pleased him. This was what he earned, that someone should care about him; wish him well, kindness, mercy he wanted. “<br /><br />Tommy feels that he can talk to and be understood by this doctor. But very soon he becomes frustrated. No consolation comes from this master. At the end of the novel he comes to know that he has merely been used. He apprehends that Dr. Tamkin does not truly care about him or his problems. Tommy sounds-<br /><br />“I was the man beneath: Tamkin was on my back and I thought I was on his. He made me carry him too, besides Margaret, like this they ride on me with hoofs and claws. Tear me two pieces, stamp on me and breach my bones.”<br /><br />There are other characters namely- Maurice Venice, Mr. Pearls, old Mr. Rappaport from all these characters Tommy finds no consolation. His wife Margaret has left him but will not agree to make a divorce. Isolation is present between them. Margaret torments and exploits him very much. It is her mission only to victimize her husband. Among others Maurice Venice is another agent of disillusionment Mr. Pearls, a German refuge from a concentration camp and Mr. Rappaport, an elderly clutching player of stock markets. The role of each of these figures only reinforces Tommy’s aloofness.<br /><br />In Seize the Day the sense of despair and isolation of a modern city dweller is conveyed by the image of a howling wolf. Wilhem is a city- bred man, but still he feels out of place in Newyork. When night comes he feels like holing from his window like a wolf. He is painfully aware of his isolation. <br /><br />One of the major themes of Seize the Day is the isolation of the human spirit in modern society. Tommy is estranged from his wife, separated from his son whom he clearly loves. He has lost the respect of his father. He is completely crushed by the oppressive forces around him. In the novel the appeal is for the caring, for a sincere feeling of involvement with mankind.<br /><br />Bellow furnishes that a loving recognition of the natural bond between hearts is essential to a society, which seems to have lost or seems to be denying all social kinship. At the end of this novel, Tommy recognizes his kinship when he finds himself at a funeral, while searching for Dr. Tamkin. As he looks down on the corpse of a stranger, he feels the basic relationship between himself and all men. A relationship is established in spite of superficial and man-made barriers by the bond of mortality. At the end, Tommy manages to savage his feeling. He realizes what it is to be a man. He remains emotionally alive and he is redeemed by being completely human. Wilhem’s identification of himself with the dead man asserts that the day has not seized him. He has seized the day. He has rejected the animal world of Tamkin which is unnatural and morally chaotic. He has flaws but he is finally redeemed. He has found the “consummation of his hearts ultimate need.”<br /><br />The picture upholds the disintegration of family life in (American Society) Western Civilization. It is indeed a social picture of American life. The emotional aridity, lack of fellow- feeling has rendered Western Civilization a true Waste land.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7957596212459563817-2325942425270304294?l=freeliteraryarticlesblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>akashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033757385887623411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7957596212459563817.post-53828999607339408862010-02-13T07:16:00.000-08:002010-02-13T07:38:48.720-08:002010-02-13T07:38:48.720-08:00Nelly is a narrator more than a character in Wuthering HeightsNelly Dean serves as the chief narrator of Wuthering Heights. A sensible, intelligent, and compassionate woman, she grew up essentially alongside Hindley and Catherine Earnshaw and is deeply involved in the story she tells. She has strong feelings for the characters in her story, and these feelings complicate her narration.<br /><br />Nelly is an eyewitness-first person participant-main narrator of Wuthering Heights. Nelly Dean’s narrative has an extraordinary sometimes breathless energy as if she were describing events that she had witnessed an hour ago, every moment of which is vividly present to her. Nelly’s narrative is an art of stark immediacy - of making the past live for us in the present.<br /><br /> As much of Nelly’s narrative is unfolded in the words of the actual characters, we the readers, feel that the narrative is moulded by the pressure of events, not that the shape and interpretation of events is being fashioned by the narrator. The sense of actuality is conveyed by a series of concrete details that fall artlessly into place. Nelly’s sureness in relating her narrative seems to arise out of an astonishing clear memory, the impression of rapid excitement is achieved by concentrating our attention on movement and gesture, action and reaction, intermixed with vehement dialogue which convinces by its emphatic speech rhythms and plain language. The dialogue has no trace of a conscious stylist, it is noticeable for the brief rapidity of the sentence, an example of this is Nelly’s recollection of the time leading up to Catherine’s death, when Catherine emplored her to open the window of her room - "Oh, if I were but in my own bed in the old house!" she went on bitterly, wringing her hands, "And that wind sounding in the firs by the lattice. "Do let me feel it! - it comes straight down the moor - do let me have one breath!" <br /><br />Nelly’s value as a narrator is clear from this example. She brings us very close to the action and is in one way deeply engaged in it. The intimate affairs of the Grange and the Heights have taken up her whole life, however, her position as a professional housekeeper means that her interests in events is largely practical. She provides the inner frame of the narrative and we see this world of the successive generations of Earnshaw’s and Linton’s through her eye’s, although much of the dialogue, in the interests of objectivity, is that of the characters themselves. As a narrator reporting the past from the present, she has the benefit of hindsight and can therefore depart from the straight chronological narrative to hint at the future. <br /><br />Nelly is a character within her own narrative, which causes her several problems. At times she is involved in the action, she is now describing and therefore she treads a difficult path between romantic indulgence and moral rectitude, she both encourages and discourages relationships. Her attitude to theme sways between approval and disapproval, depending on her mood. This is primarily evident in the role she plays in the love triangle between Heathcliff, Catherine and Edgar; at times taking Edgar’s side while yet arranging the last meeting between Heathcliff and Catherine by leaving the window open for him. She adopted a similar position between the relationship between Cathy and Linton, at time colluding with Cathy and at other times judging and betraying her for writing against her father’s wishes. <br />There is an ambivalence in Nelly’s attitude and this combined with her meddling nature renders her moral stance inconsistent and even hypocritical. Despite these shortcomings, she is vigorous, lively narrator with a formidable memory whose energy and unflagging interests allow the reader an insight into the lives of characters. <br /><br />As a narrator, her language is lively, colloquial and imaginative, this has the effect of bringing characters to life and providing the reader with many vivid and precise images, an example of this is her reference to Heathcliff’s life "It’s a cuckoo’s, sir - I know all about it, except where he was born, and who were his parents, and how he got his money at first. And that Hareton, has been cast out like a unfledged dunnock." In this example the tagging on of the phrase "at first" suggests that Nelly knows how he got his money later and therefore arouses our interest in Heathcliff. Nelly is limited because of her conventional, religious and moral sentiments, which often prevent her from a greater understanding of the emotions or motives of the characters. <br /><br />From the above discussion we can say that Nelly is actually a narrator, rather than a character.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7957596212459563817-5382899960733940886?l=freeliteraryarticlesblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>akashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033757385887623411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7957596212459563817.post-72682828594698286672010-02-13T07:13:00.000-08:002010-02-13T07:15:25.179-08:002010-02-13T07:15:25.179-08:00Significance of the Title “Great Expectations”The title of Charles Dickens’s novel Great Expectations mainly refers to Pip’s "great expectations" which are many dimensional and ever-evolving. His great expectations arrive in the form of his fortune and are embodied in his dream of becoming a gentleman. These expectations also take the shape of his longing for a certain cold star named Estella. Each of the three parts of the novel treats a different expectation, and we watch how Pip changes in the face of his changing expectations.<br /><br />Pip undergoes 3 phases in his life, in which he has different expectations: <br /><br /><strong>The first stage of Pip’s expectations</strong><br /><br />Pip is a poor orphan living with his sister and her husband the blacksmith. He has an encounter with an escaped criminal on Christmas and the help he gives him results in the criminal setting him up with a secret inheritance. One day a lawyer comes and says that he has money coming or "great expectations" and he has to have a different education now that is he is to be a gentleman rather than a blacksmith. <br /><br /> The title also alludes to the idea of great things to come or things that are expected to come but aren't there yet. <br /><br /><strong>The second stage of Pip’s expectations</strong><br /><br />When Pip receives riches from a mysterious benefactor he snobbishly abandons his friends for London society and his 'great expectations'.<br /><br /><strong>The third stage of Pip’s expectations</strong><br /><br />On his arrival in London, Pip’s initial impression is London is unattractive and dirty. Nonetheless, his great expectations lie before him, and he is informed by Jaggers and his clerk, Wemmick, of his new living quarters. When Pip turns 21 years old, he visits Jaggers for further information on his expected fortune and hopefully the identity of his benefactor. Jaggers tells him he will have an annual allowance of 500 pounds until his benefactor is made known to him, but refuses to tell him when his benefactor will be revealed to him. He also tells Pip that when his benefactor is revealed, Jaggers’ business will end, and he need not be informed about it.<br /><br />In yet a fourth (metafictional) sense, we can say that the title refers to the readers’ great expectations, which Dickens builds upon for his wonderful plot twists. All of these layers of meaning in the title make for a rich reading experience. <br /><br />Dickens portrays the expectations of other characters very efficiently in the novel .<br /><br /><strong>Miss Havisham’ Expectation</strong><br /><br />Miss Havisham is the wealthy, eccentric old woman who lives in a manor called Satis House near Pip's village. She is manic and often seems insane, flitting around her house in a faded wedding dress, keeping a decaying feast on her table, and surrounding herself with clocks stopped at twenty minutes to nine. As a young woman, Miss Havisham was jilted by her fiancé minutes before her wedding, and now she has a vendetta against all men. Her expectation is to obtain revenge on the male sex and so she adopts Estella and deliberately raises her to be the tool of her revenge, training her beautiful ward to break men's hearts.<br /><br /><strong>Magwitch’s Expectation</strong><br /><br />Magwitch and Pip first meet when Pip is a boy and Magwitch an escaped convict. Magwitch does not forget Pip's kindness in the marshes, and later in life devotes himself to earning money that he anonymously donates to Pip.<br />Magwitch’s expectation is to make Pip gentleman in a full sense and so his expectation is great.<br /><br />The sad irony of the title is that expectations are never great. A man is what he does. A man who expects to be given is a parasite and a fool. The title has something to do with the nature of Pip's perception of society. He comes from a poor blacksmith family and has these great expectations of what he's missing out on. As the book progresses these "great" expectations become less and less great to Pip. He meets Magwitch (as Uncle Provis) and he is just realizing how much he'd rather be back at home at the forge than live out all of these great expectations he had for the rich social class.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7957596212459563817-7268282859469828667?l=freeliteraryarticlesblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>akashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033757385887623411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7957596212459563817.post-47242151389924222232010-02-13T07:08:00.000-08:002010-02-13T07:11:48.134-08:002010-02-13T07:11:48.134-08:00The Vision of Life that Hardy gives in Return of the Native is Essentially TragicHardy has a very pessimistic philosophy of life as his characters seem to have little control over their own lives. Hardy saw external circumstances and uncontrollable internal urges as controlling human actions. In this aspect we find that the vision of life that Hardy gives in The Return of the Native is essentially tragic and in characterization Hardy is similar to the Greek tragedians.<br /><br />The Return of the Native shows man as the helpless plaything of invisible powers, ruthless and indifferent. In this novel Hardy embodies the idea that man lives in an indifference of universe. Critics usually refer Hardy’s themes as expressing a fatalistic view of life, that is to say a view of life which depicts human actions as subject to the control of an impersonal force perhaps called destiny or fate which is independent of both man and man’s god. <br /><br />The characters in Hardy’s novel do not have control over their lives. First of all, Hardy believes that characters are governed by fate. In The Return of the Native Hardy symbolises this ‘fate’ by his presentation of chance and co-incidence.The Return of the Native is the tragedy of Clym, Clym’s mother, Eustacia and Wildeve. Hardy as a rule emphasizes the fact that even those characters whom would call wicked are so much the creatures of circumstance that they are far more to be pitied than to be blamed.<br /><br />There is nothing impractical or impossible or ignoble about Clym’s decision to start a school on Egdon Heath. But destiny must intervene to prevent him from succeeding in his purpose. He disregards his mother’s opposition to marry Eustacia Vye. He becomes semi-blind which forces him to become a humble furze-cutter. Again we find that Clym finds himself in a difficult situation for which he is no way deliberately responsible. Hardy thus describes Clym’s situation “three antagonistic growth had to be kept alive, his mother’s trust in him, his plan for becoming a teacher and Eustacia’s happiness.”<br /><br />Fate or providence or circumstance has put Eustacia Vye, the tragic heroine in the wrong place. She marries Clym Yeobright as an escape rejecting her former lover, Damon Wildeve. But nothing can provide her a happy and worthy existence. Eustacia finds herself in a difficult situation. Clym's promising life has completely changed direction at the conclusion of the text so she suffers more.<br /><br />Damon Wildeve, spitefully marries Clym's cousin Thomasin in revenge for Eustacia's rejections of his charms. But he is also not happy because the reminiscence of his X beloved always haunts him. Even he names his daughter name by the name of Eustacia.<br />Destiny shows its power in more glaring form, namely in the form of accidents and coincidences. The most crucial coincidence or accident in the novel is Mrs. Yeobright’s arrival at Clym’s house precisely at the time when Wildeve and Eustacia are engaged in an intimate conversation inside the house. <br /><br />Mrs. Yeobrights death is the outcome of a series of chronic accidents and coincidences. Mrs. Yeobright's decides to send a gift of guineas. Her son, Clym, is marrying Eustacia against her wishes, and she hopes that, by offering this gift, she and her son can repair their relationship. The other half of the money is to go to her niece, Thomasin, who has recently married Damon Wildeve, Eustacia's former lover. Unfortunately, Mrs. Yeobright selects as her messenger the inept Christian Cantle, the village simpleton. This ill-considered decision has major ramifications, and ultimately deepens the rift between herself and her son instead of bridging it. Instead of hurrying to the wedding party, Christian attends a raffle with his fellow heath men and happens to win. To the simple man, this occurrence is evidence of newly discovered, infallible luck.<br /><br />After Christian has sorrowfully left, Diggory Venn, a former suitor of Thomasin and Damon Wildeve's rival, reveals that he has been observing the dice game from a nearby hiding place. He has overhead the gamblers, and had watched the drama unfold. He challenges Wildeve to extend his winning streak, and the two men play. At first, "The game fluctuated, now in favour of one, now in the favour of the other, without any great advantage on either side" (Hardy 182). However, Lady Luck soon deserts Wildeve. He eventually loses all the coins to Diggory Venn. Venn is unaware that they were to be divided between Clym and Thomasin, and so presents all the guineas to Thomasin. As she did not know the amount of the gift, she does not think to question the precise number of guineas. Through this convoluted chain of events Mrs. Yeobright's hopes for reconciliation are dashed.<br /><br /> This situation drives mother and son apart as she believes Clym received the gift but made no gesture of thanks. Eventually, Mrs. Yeobright decides once more to attempt reconciliation with her son and his new wife, and again Hardy's philosophy of how change and chance conspire to cause human suffering comes into play. But the day Mrs. Yeobright chooses to make her journey is unseasonably warm, resulting in a difficult expedition.<br /><br />Through a misunderstanding, no one answers the door when she knocks, even though she knows that Clym, Eustacia, and another man are inside. Feeling cast off by her son, Mrs. Yeobright heads back home in the sweltering heat, growing extremely exhausted and weary from the length of the walk and heat. When Clym finds his mother, she is exhausted and her weak heart is suffering, and she dies with Clym present. Her last words are that she is a, "broken-hearted woman cast-off by her son."<br />All these events are guided by fate. If Mrs. Yeobright were not as elderly--if Clym had not fallen into such a deep sleep-if Wildeve had not come to the house--then the tragedy could have been avoided. <br /><br />It is through misunderstanding and unfortunate coincidence that events drive Eustacia to her death and Wildeve to follow her. When Clym discovers the part Eustacia played in his mother's demise, Clym has a fierce quarrel with Eustacia and Eustacia is compelled to leave him. Disillusionment, conflict with her mother-in –law, and a violent quarrel with her husband lead her to attempt a desperate flight with former lover Damon Wildeve. On her way to meet him she gets drowned. Hardy never tells us whether Eustacia’s drowning is an accident or a suicide. But suicide is the inevitable explanation, since she considers herself trapped between the intolerable alternation of staying on Edgon Heath or living with a lover who is inferior to herself. She is a victim of perverse dispensation of things. Circumstances have put her in wrong place. She cries in frenzy, “How I have tried to be a splendid woman, and how destiny has been against me! I do not deserve my lot!” Fate is her enemy and it effectively frustrates her desire to taste the joys and the life of Paris driving her ultimately to commit suicide.<br />On the other hand, Hardy symbolises nature as fate. A direct confrontation with Egdon causes tragedy. Eustacia, for example, has always hated Egdon and the end of the novel nature kills her. Venn pulls Eustacia's cold, lifeless body out of the water. Whether she purposely fell in or slipped, Eustacia has drowned. Because Eustacia could not accept the heath, the heath has rejected her for all eternity<br /><br />Characters in Hardy such as Clym, Eustacia, Wildeve and Mrs Yeobright are trapped in a series of bitterly ironic events. They are at the mercy of their instincts and emotions. Besides this, the incongruity of the situation forms the very basis of the tragedy in his novel; the incongruity between Clym and his mother, between Eustascia and Mrs Yeobright. All these persons have their own individual natures and temperaments and the irreconcilability and incompatibility of their temperament bring their tragedy. Hardy proves a dismal view of life in which coincidence and accident conspire to produce the worst of circumstance due to the indifference of the Will.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7957596212459563817-4724215138992422223?l=freeliteraryarticlesblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>akashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033757385887623411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7957596212459563817.post-81220218309972213662010-02-13T07:05:00.000-08:002010-02-13T07:07:47.424-08:002010-02-13T07:07:47.424-08:00The Symbolic Setting of Great ExpectationsThe setting establishes the mood in Great Expectations. The opening scene sets a gothic mood. Charles Dickens opens the story with a young boy in a graveyard. It was dark, dank and terrifying, and "growing afraid of it all and beginning to cry was Pip.Then, an evil convict pops out at Pip threatening his life unless he brings him food and a file. The dark, creepy graveyard sets the evil scene for this to occur. Miss Havisham is an evil woman who lives in a house "of old brick, and dismal, and had many iron bars to it." This sets an eerie and strange mood to the story and almost a feeling of wonder, for who would live in a house like the one described. The mood of the story is often set by the setting, as was the case in this novel.<br /><br />The setting can tell many characteristics about the character that lives within. Charles Dickens creates settings that are like subtle characters. Though not named, these "characters" have a big impact on the story. Pip's kind brother-in-law, of which he lives with, was a blacksmith. "Joes forge adjoined our house, which was a wooden house, as many in our country were." (671). Pip's family is a common one. <br /><br />They do not have an exquisite home or a great deal of money, they were just like everyone else: common. Joe's forge is a good place. Joe says that there is always room at the forge for Pip though his sister wished to turn him away. The forge tells of Joe's warmth and kindness. Though he may be average, he has a big heart. Miss Havisham is an evil person, who lives in the past. Her house is also evil. "the first thing I noticed was the passages were all dark, and only candle lighted us." (688). Her home is dark and invested with old, dreadful memories that haunt Miss Havisham. These memories turn her evil. Estrella is a young girl that lives with Miss Havisham. She carries the candle through the dark passages, so she is even the slightest bit good, though she hurts Pip emotionally, physically, and mentally. The setting can tell the reader much about a character.<br /><br />The setting of a story can further or support the theme. One theme in Great Expectations is that even a good person will do evil things when exposed to evil. Pip is a young innocent boy who is scared into stealing from his family by an evil convict. This happens on the graveyard, an evil place, where a good young boy begins to loose his innocence. Estrella is a young girl who lives with Miss Havisham, an evil person.<br /><br />Miss Havisham's home is dark and the only light comes from a candle that Estrella carries. This symbolizes that Estrella is the only good in the house even though she is now almost fully corrupted by the dark enveloping her candle, Miss Havisham. She enjoys abusing Pip even when she realizes he likes her. She hits him and puts him down, telling him that he is common. Miss Havisham tells her to break his heart and she accomplishes this goal. Miss Havisham corrupts the innocent Estrella. The setting supports the theme of a good person will do evil acts when exposed to evil.<br />The setting is an important part of a novel. It helps the story progress. The setting helps the reader visualize where and when the story takes place. The setting establishes the mood of the entire story. Charles Dickens uses places like characters that tell about the inhabitant. The setting is also used to advance the theme. The setting of a story plays an important part in the narration of a story.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7957596212459563817-8122021830997221366?l=freeliteraryarticlesblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>akashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033757385887623411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7957596212459563817.post-88583752927568242182010-02-13T06:59:00.000-08:002010-02-13T07:01:36.624-08:002010-02-13T07:01:36.624-08:00Picture of the Victorian Society as Found in Great ExpectationsGreat Expectations reveals Dickens’s dark attitudes toward Victorian society such as its inherent class structure, flaw of judicial system, contrast between rural and urban England and immorality of high class. In Great Expectations, he also depicted several educational opportunities that highlighted the lack of quality education available to the lower classes. <br /><br />Throughout Great Expectations, Dickens explores the class system of Victorian England, ranging from the most wretched criminals (Magwitch) to the poor peasants of the marsh country (Joe and Biddy) to the middle class (Pumblechook) to the very rich (Miss Havisham). It is not only that there were several classes, but there also existed class distinction or class consciousness. The people of the upper class, so called gentleman did not mix with the people of the lower class. It is seen through Pip’s uneasiness on Joe’s arrival at London.<br /><br /><br />This is Dicken’s sharp criticism that a fake Victorian gentleman Pip becomes ashamed of his old childhood friend Joe’s presence at his lodging in London. When Biddy, by writing a letter, informs Pip that Joe is coming at London, Pip cannot be happy: rather a growing discomfort seizes him. Inwardly, he does not hope Joe’s coming to meet him at London where Pip lives with a sophisticated society. Pip’s snobbishness rises to such an extent that he once thinks that if it would be possible, he could bid Joe away offering him some money. When Joe meets him, Pip shows a cold and disinterested attitude to him. He feels a sense embarrassment for Joe’s clumsy behavior, loose coat, and old hat. However, Joe clearly recognizes Pip’s treatment of him, and decides not to settle down in his room for the night. Similarly, Pip’s snobbery is obvious when he, on visiting his home town, does not settle down on the smithy with Joe, rather takes a room at an inn.<br /><br />The shocking fact was that the people of the higher class or gentlemen also got the different treatment from the judicial system. They were highly punished, while the people of the lower class got the comparatively harsh punishment. Magwitch fell a victim to injustice and ruthlessness of law enforcing agency. They passed a harsher punishment (14 years imprisonment) for Magwitch than the original villain Compeyson (7 years’ imprisonment) simply because Magwitch had previous records of criminal activities while Compeyson seemed a gentleman with good and upper social lineage.<br /><br />A marked difference existed between the rural and urban England. The lives of the rural people were still very simple. They were honest and caring. But the people of the city like London became complicated as well as complex. For example, pip has arrived in the metropolis and has taken a look around. He is not much impressed by the locality in which Mr. Jaggers has his office. He finds this locality called “Little Britain,” to be full of filth. Mr. Jaggers office is itself a most dismal place.<br /><br />The housekeeper, a woman of about forty, kept her eyes attentively on her master all the time that she was in the dining-room. Pip also noticed that, during the dinner. Jaggers kept everything under his own hand and distributed everything himself. In the course of the dinner, Jaggers, a shrewd lawyer as he was, extracted whatever information he wanted from each of his guests.<br /><br />The picture of rural England, is given through the Joe’s family. In the opening chapter we find, an orphan boy, named Pip who lives with his sister, Mrs. Joe Gargery, who is married to the blacksmith, Joe Gargery. The family, consisting of the blacksmith, his wife, ad the latter’s little brother Pip, lives in the marsh country, down by the river, within twenty miles of the sea.<br /><br />People specially the members of the upper class became immoral. A number of characters in Great Expectation are dominated by a greed for money. When Pip goes o Miss Havisham’s house for the second time, he finds a number of Miss Havisham’s relatives there. He calls those relatives “toadies and humbugs”. <br />Herbert Pocket- Herbert Pocket is a member of the Pocket family, Miss Havisham's presumed heirs.<br /> <br /><strong>Camilla</strong> –Camilla is an ageing, talkative relative of Miss Havisham who does not care much for Miss Havisham but only wants her money. She is one of the many relatives who hang around Miss Havisham "like flies" for her wealth.<br /><br /><strong>Cousin Raymond</strong> -Cousin Raymond is another ageing relative of Miss Havisham who is only interested in her money. He is married to Camilla.<br /><br /><strong>Georgiana</strong> - Georgiana is another aging relative of Miss Havisham who is only interested in her money.<br /><br /><strong>Sarah Pocket</strong>- Sarah Pocket is one of her relatives who are greedy for Havisham's wealth.<br /><br />All those relatives are seeker after money. They all expect monetary advantages from Miss Havisham. They all visit her on her birthday in order to win her favor. The inwardly hate her because of her prosperity. Their visit to Miss Havisham is based on greed, hoping to please her enough to be given some of her money at her death.<br /><br />Miss Havisham is the victim even of her lover’s greed for money. Her lover robbed her of a lot of money and then deserted her. Miss Havisham has learned that the possession of money is no guarantee of avoiding cruelty and unhappiness. <br /><br />Mercenary attitude of people is reflected through Miss Havisham's relatives. Her relationship with her relatives is based on money and power. They may conceive enough hate for her but cannot refuse to have undue advantages from her. The greed of these persons also portrays the materialistic society of that time.<br />Through his portrayals of teachers in Great Expectations, Dickens symbolized the varied educational opportunities and what they offered. Mr. Wopsle’s great aunt illustrates the lack of education available to the working class. Like the education she offers, this old dame is "ridiculous," "of limited means," "and unlimited infirmity". She is so insignificant, that she has no name. This emphasizes the insignificant amount of knowledge she offers her students. Just as she is a distant relative of a church clerk, her school is a distant relative of the church’s attempts at educating the poorer class. <br /><br />Other educational options existed in Victorian England but were reserved for those who could afford it. Pip is elevated to one such opportunity when a mysterious benefactor pays for his "gentleman’s education." Matthew Pocket illustrates this type of education. As indicated by its tutor’s name, this genre of education was reserved for those who had "full pockets." Unfortunately, it was bestowed upon many who would find little use for it. These "gentlemen" were not expected to work. Mr. Pocket, a Cambridge graduate, provides a scholarly education that like his own pursuits leads to "loftier hopes" that often fail (185; ch. 23). This type of education produced self-serving individuals who offered no benefit to society. It costs a great deal of money for Pip to "contract expensive habits" (197; ch. 25). His expensive habits put him in debt, yet his scholarly education leaves him "fit for nothing" (316; ch. 41). Almost a comical situation, if you are not living it. Even an expensive education yields very little benefit for Pip and society. <br />Great Expectations was a magic mirror for England’s Victorian society. In Great Expectations, Dickens provides a vivid picture of the working-class struggles with the existing educational opportunities.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7957596212459563817-8858375292756824218?l=freeliteraryarticlesblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>akashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033757385887623411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7957596212459563817.post-63330349155882774282010-02-13T06:49:00.000-08:002010-02-13T06:52:04.447-08:002010-02-13T06:52:04.447-08:00Use of Symbols in Scarlet LetterThe use of symbols is a distinctive feature of American literature. In this regard, Hawthrone’s Scarlet Letter is a pioneer novel for the use of symbols. In Hawthrone’s use of symbol in The Scarlet Letter we observe the author’s making one of his most distinctive and significant contribution to the growth of American fiction. This novel is usually regarded as the first symbolic novel to e published in the United States. <br /><br />Moreover the use of symbols makes his narrative more convincing. In this novel the writer depicts the early colonial society dominated by the Puritans. The Puritans had a tendency to see everything allegorically. They looked also ever simple matter from allegorical point of view. Hawthrone vividly portrays this puritan tendency to look for a symbolic meaning in everything.<br /><br /><strong>Prison</strong><br /><br />Several of Hawthrone’s symbols in “The Scarlet Letter” are obvious. In the first chapter, for example, he descries the prison as “The black flower of civilized society” by using the building of the prison to represent the crime and punishment which were aspects of early Boston’s civilized life.<br /><br /><strong>Wild rose Bush</strong><br /><br />In the same chapter, he uses the grass plot “much overgrown with burdock, pigweed, apple-peru and such unsightly vegetation” as another symbol of civilization corrupted by the elements which make prisons necessary. He also points out another symbol that is the wild rose bush. He says that “it may serve to symbolize some sweet moral blossom” to relieve the gloom of a tragic story<br /><br /><strong>Beadle</strong><br /><br />Shortly afterward, in chapter 2, Hawthrone uses the “Beadle” as a symbol of Puritanism.<br /><br />These symbols are easy to find. Moreover impressive, however are the symbols which Hawthrone sustains throughout the novel, allowing each of them, to develop and take on various appearances and meanings as the book progresses. Among such symbols is the letter “A” itself. In its initial form it is a red cloth letter which is a literal symbol of the sin of adultery. Hester is doomed to wear it throughout her life. But Hawthrone makes the “A” much more richly symbolic before the novel ends.<br />The letter A appears in a variety of forms and places. It is the elaborately gold embroidered A on Hester’s heart, at which Pearl throws the wild flowers. On the night of his vigil on the scaffold Dimmesdale sees an immense red A in the sky. While Hester is conferring with Chillingworth near the a shore, Pearl arranges eel-grass to form a green “A’ on her own breast. One of the most dramatic of the several A’s in the book is the A so frequently hinted at earlier and which is finally revealed to be an A on Dimmesdale’s chest by “most of the spectators” who witnesses his confession ad death. At the very end of the novel, as a kid of summary symbol there is the reference to the scarlet A against the black background on Hester and Dimmesdale’s tombstone.<br /><br /><strong>Different Meanings of A</strong><br /><br />Not only the A appears in various forms, but is also acquires a variety of meanings. Even as the original mark of adultery, the scarlet letter has different personal meanings to the various characters. To the Puritan community, it is a mark of just punishment. To Hester, the A is a symbol of unjust humiliation. To Dimmesdale the A is a piercing reminder of his own guilt. To Chillingworth, the A is a spur to the quest for revenge. To Pearl, the A is a bright and mysterious curiosity. In addition, the A also symbolizes things other than adultery. For example, it symbolizes “Angel” when it appears in the sky on the night of Governor Winthrop’s death, and it symbolizes “Able” when years after her humiliation on the scaffold, Hester has won some respect from the Puritans.<br /><br /><strong>Scaffold</strong><br /><br />Many of the other sustained or important symbol in the novel lie either in the setting or in the characters. The scaffold, for instance, is not only a symbol of the stern Puritan code, but it also becomes a symbol for the open acknowledgement of personal sin.<br /><br /><strong>Night Day</strong><br /><br />Night is used as a symbol for concealment, and day is a symbol for exposure Dimmesdale’s mounting the scaffold and standing with Hester ad Pearl at night will not suffice. He knows that his symbolic acceptance of his guilt must take place in the day light.<br /><br /><br /><strong>The sun </strong><br /><br />The sun is also used as a symbol of untroubled guilt free happiness or perhaps the approval of god and nature. The sun shines on Pearl, even in the forest; she seems to absorb and retain the sunshine. But the sun flees from Hester and from the mark of sin on her breast.<br /><strong><br />The Forest</strong><br /><br />The forest itself is symbolic on a variety of ways. It is a symbol of the world of darkness and evil. In addition, it also symbolizes a place where Pearl can run and play freely, a friend of the animals and the wild flowers, and where even Hester can throw away her scarlet “A” let down her hair, and feel like a woman again. It is also symbolic of a natural world governed by natural laws-as opposed to the artificial, strict community with its man made Puritan laws.<br /><br /><strong>The Brook</strong><br /><br />The brook in the forest is also symbolic in several ways. First, it is suggestive of Pearl- because of its unknown source and because it travels through gloom. Because of its mournful babble, it becomes a kind of history of sorrow, to which one more story is added. And when Pearl refuses to cross the brook to join Hester and Dimmesdale, the brook becomes to Dimmesdale “a boundary between two worlds”. The natural setting, then, provides many of the most striking symbols in the novel.<br /><br /><strong>Characters</strong><br /><br />But perhaps the most revealing display of Hawthrone’s symbolism lies in his use of characters. His minor characters are almost wholly symbolic. The Puritan notions of Church, Sate, and witchcraft are personified in the figures of the Reverend Mr. Wilson, Governor Bellingham, and Mistress Hibbins. It is interesting to note that Hawthorne mentions all three of them in connection with each of the scaffold scenes. The groups of unnamed somber and self righteous Puritans in the marketplace (chap 21-23) are clearly representative of Puritanism generally, even down to the detail of the gentle young wife who saves Hawtrone’s condemnation of the Puritans from being a complete one. <br /><br /><strong>Four major characters</strong><br /><br />It is however, in the four major characters that Hawthrone’s powers as a symbolist are brought into fullest play. Each of his major characters symbolizes a certain view of sin and its effects to the human heart. And one of them, Pearl is almost a self contained symbol perhaps the most striking symbol that Hawthrone ever created.<br /><br /><strong>Pearl</strong><br /><br />Pearl is almost as important as the scarlet letter, because she is herself the scarlet letter in another form. Pearl is “the scarlet letter endowed with life” when Arthur Dimmesdale, Hester Prynne ad Pearl stand together on the scaffold one night. The author refers to Pearl as a symbol, as the connecting link between the other two. Pearl is not only an innocent child of nature, she is at the same time an agent if retribution. <br /><br />Symbol enlarges and deepens a writers meaning. Hawthrone’s principal device for developing meaning is the symbol.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7957596212459563817-6333034915588277428?l=freeliteraryarticlesblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>akashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033757385887623411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7957596212459563817.post-54059121926918689192010-02-13T06:34:00.000-08:002010-02-13T06:43:40.788-08:002010-02-13T06:43:40.788-08:00Role of Max in Richard Wright's Native SonIn Richard Wright’s Native Son, Boris Max, the communist attorney, is the mouthpiece of the writer. Wright the first protest novelist, in America, raised his voice against the racial injustice that turned the black people into half human during the 1930s. He expresses all the themes of the novel through Max. Through Max, he describes the overall system of race and class oppression in the United States.<br /><br />Max, on behalf of the novelist, describes all the institutions of power in the country, the press, the courts, the legal system, the psychiatric profession, the housing market, the entertainment, industry and other institutions as oppressive to the Blacks. But through Max, Wright expresses other two important issues. It’s through Max, we can understand the psyche of Bigger better. And other factor is that Richard Wright wanted reconciliation between the lack and the white. So, Max appeals for reconciliation between the black and he white.<br /><br />Like Bigger, Max feels a deep sense of exclusion from American society. As a Jew and a Communist, he suffers in myriad ways because American society is dictated by the prejudices of the majority. Perhaps because of his own experiences living on the fringes of society, Max is willing and able to understand Bigger’s life story. He sympathizes with the idea that factors outside of Bigger’s control created the conditions that caused Mary’s death. He makes a compelling argument for the judge that life inside prison would allow Bigger to live as a man among equals for the first time in his life. Disappointed at his failure to convince the judge, Max takes on the burden to convince the governor to grant a stay of execution. He fails at that, too. However, in the final scene, despite Max’s sense of failure, he does connect with Bigger. He is ultimately the one who helps Bigger see his worth as a human being, no matter what he’s done or not done in the short time of his life.<br /><br />Max tries to show the real cause of Bigger’s murder."Max uses blindness in his passionate argument to the judge, and this same blindness is a continuing theme throughout the book. Max eloquently tells the judge that if he reacts only to Max's comments about the sufferings of Negroes, he will be "blinded" by feelings that prevent him from understanding reality and acting accordingly. Max pleads, "Rather, I plead with you to see... an existence of men growing out of the soil prepared by the collective but blind will of a hundred million people" (Wright 328), and continues, "Your Honor, in our blindness we have so contrived and ordered the lives of men" (Wright 336). Thus, Max sees blindness in this instance is a threat to the state, along with a threat to men's freedom."<br /><br /><br />Max is more vocal when Mr. Dalton is placed on the stand and he exposes the exorbitant rents and segregating practices and policies of the Dalton's South Side Realty Company. Dalton admits that he simply assumed that blacks were happier living in their own neighborhoods and after he prides himself on helping his employees get an education, he admits that he has never offered employment to any educated blacks. <br />Through Max we get psychology of Bigger.<br /><br />When Max returns to see Bigger, Bigger tries to convince the lawyer that the case was already lost and that there is nothing that can be done. Max remains optimistic and he hopes that Bigger will have some faith in him. Bigger sees that he is living in a No Man's Land and even as he answers the sum of Max's questions, he feels Max's condescension and feels distance. Max focuses on Mary's rape and is puzzled when Bigger explains that he did not rape Mary, he did kill her by accident and he hated her even though she didn't do anything to him. As for Bessie, Bigger explains that he neither loved nor hated her; his hate is reserved for whites mostly, because they "own every thing" and prevent him from being able to live freely. He is told to "stay in a spot" and Bigger confesses that he was simply unable to live that sort of life adding that after committing the murders, he felt a sort of freedom that he had not experienced. <br /><br />In his conversation, Bigger also explains that he is not religious and he would never let himself become so "poor" that he had to rely upon happiness in another world to guide him through the present world. Bigger insists that he will never believe in God and then changes to topic to Mary Dalton, explaining that he had to kill her because "she was killing [him]." Bigger rambles on to explain how the Communists and race leaders have done little for him, that even though he is too young to vote, he has already illegally signed up to vote for those who paid him to do so. Max seeks to convince Bigger that he is different and Bigger is admittedly moved that Jan does not hate him. Max explains that the trial verdict will be delivered by a judge and not by a jury and that Bigger will plead Guilty, rather than Not Guilty, hoping for life imprisonment rather than the death penalty. <br /><br /><strong>Max defends Bigger (the black) in the court</strong><br /><br />After Buckley has roused the passions of the racist mob, Max decries the very racism and misplaced passion that fuel Buckley's unjust cries for "justice." Max argues that racism, fear and the feudal relationship of Bigger to his landlord Daltons have all mitigated Bigger's motive. Max hopes that the judge might look beyond race prejudice and take a step in the direction of a greater understanding of race in America. After making his case, Max tells Bigger that he did the best he could. <br />Buckley swiftly derides Max's rhetoric as Communist propaganda and proclaims that Bigger's death is the necessary thing for justice and humanity in America. If Bigger is not killed, the law will have been mutilated and justice will have returned to the people void. Buckley maintains that the law is "holy" and that the court must "let law take its course." <br /><br />But finally Max stays with Bigger to the last.The judge quickly sentences Bigger Thomas to death. At last, the mob becomes jubilant and they are sated because the judge has accommodated justice by speeding the process of execution, as Bigger's appeal seems unlikely. Max is more perturbed than Bigger, who is to be executed "on or before midnight Friday, March third." Bigger has tried to remain dispassionate but his spirit falters as his mind tries to sort out the reeling, whirlwind activity of the last few days. To recapitulate: On a Saturday, Bigger learned that he would have a job as a chauffeur for a millionaire family; he takes the job after rejecting the temptation to rob Blum's deli. Early Sunday morning, Bigger returns Mary Dalton to her home, accidentally suffocating her. Later Sunday, Bigger visits Bessie, forges a ransom note, discovers the "discovery" of Mary's earrings in the ash, returns to Bessie and rapes and kills her. Monday, Bigger is on the run and he is caught that very night. His inquest is on a Tuesday, his trial is on a Wednesday, and his execution is to be "on or before midnight," Friday. <br /><br />Max is perturbed because he has little time to regroup and he is unable to convince the Governor to offer Bigger a commutation of sentence or stay of execution. After this final hope has expired, Bigger knows that his life is drawing to a close and he emancipates himself from his emotional stress. He is a broken spirit, no doubt, but Bigger is increasingly introspective and even if his reflections are to be faulted, he struggles to grow as much as he can before he dies. Max stays with Bigger for most of his final hours and the grim reality of Bigger's fate is revealed not in his imminent death but in the details of his conversation with Max. When Bigger sees that Max is disappointed and guilty, he consoles the lawyer by confessing "I'm glad I got to know you," which surprises Max considering the prejudices against Communist, Bigger's distrust of Jews and his fear of white people. Max tries to build solidarity with Bigger through politics, explaining the similarities between Bigger's suffering as a black man and his own sufferings at the hands of anti-Semites. <br /><br />Bigger is not interested in political solidarity and as he tries to explain what he is feeling he recalls his earlier conversations with Max. Max does not understand what Bigger is trying to say and Bigger becomes frustrated and gives up his last hope of communicating. Uncharacteristically, Bigger is nagged by the thought and again, he tries to explain his "idea" to Max; he needs to "make him know" what he has been trying to express for his whole life. He recounts an earlier conversation when Max asked Bigger the political questions regarding his hate and fear of whites, his economic situation, etc. Bigger focuses on the question of "What would you have liked to do, if you were allowed to?" explaining to Max that nobody had ever asked him what he wanted to do, and so he had never spent serious time contemplating a future. Even though he felt disconnected from humanity, Bigger felt like a human and Max's questions helped Bigger realize how badly he wanted to live. <br /><br />In Book Three, Wright varies his narrative structure. After two sections of Bigger's thoughts and actions being played off of each other, Book Three dedicates a large portion of the section towards the courtroom scenes that depict Boris A. Max and David Buckley far more than Bigger. In contrast to Buckley's colorful prose and mob-inciting rhetoric, Max is a self-righteous bore. His statement on Bigger's behalf is well over 10,000 words and much of this soliloquy was excised from the original 1940 edition of the novel. Max's speech is heavy with communist theorizing and Wright certainly uses Max to forward some of his own theories. Bigger is the product of black oppression and killing him will only produce new Biggers and more black violence. Max gives warning to the White. Here he is also the mouthpiece of the inarticulate Bigger.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7957596212459563817-5405912192691868919?l=freeliteraryarticlesblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>akashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033757385887623411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7957596212459563817.post-45949777904556500142010-02-13T06:18:00.000-08:002010-02-13T06:27:59.580-08:002010-02-13T06:27:59.580-08:00What Shortcomings does Arnold find in Chaucer and Burns as Poetical Classics?Arnold’s “The study of Poetry” can be taken as a kind of legislative criticism where he puts up his belief as a literary critic. He proclaims that Chaucer and Burn are not the great classics. Now, the question comes why does Arnold put Chaucer and Burn outside the domain of classic writers? To solve this riddle, we should first know his idea of a classic.<br /><br />According to Arnold, poetry is a criticism of life under the conditions fixed for such a criticism by the laws of poetic truth and poetic beauty. Great poetry alone posses the power to sustain, console, delight and to interpret life to us. He thus sets high standard for great poetry. In order to be a classic the poet must be able to fill us with such strength and joy that will guide us in our life. He suggests a practical method for finding a true classic. It is his famous “Touchstone Method.” One has to take specimen of poetry of the high quality and apply them to the poetry under judgment. When we judge a contemporary piece of poetry by such touchstone we can determine whether it can be justifiably turned as the product of a genuine classic.<br /><br />Accordingly the best poetry is characterized by truth and seriousness. As regards the manner and style, the best poetry is characterized by superiority of diction and of movement. Thus according to Arnold, a poet is to be regarded as a classic if he fulfils the conditions stated above. <br /><br />Arnold is of the opinion that many writers are considered to be classics but actually they are false classics because their poetry does not live upto the high standard of poetic art attained by such great masters as Homer, Milton and Shakespeare. <br /><br />Arnold at first applies his Touchstone Method on Chaucer. He quotes a few line from Chaucer and then compares them with a line from Dante and comes to the conclusion that the poetry of Chaucer does not have the account of the classics. At first Arnold praises on Chaucer’s poetical performance and poetical achievement. But he denies to Chaucer the status of poetical classic. In his opinion, Chaucer does not possess high poetic seriousness. <br /><br />Arnold has high praise for Chaucer’s poetical performance. The poetry of Chaucer is far superior to the French romance poetry of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. Chaucer’s power of fascination is enduring.The substance of Chaucer’s poetry, his view of things and his riticism of life has largeness, freedom, shrewdness and kindliness. His poetry is criticism of life and it has truth of substance or matter. Chaucer is a perpetual source of good sense. Yet he does not have that high seriousness which Homer had, which his successor like Shakespeare, Milton etc had.<br /><br />Chaucer does not pose himself as stern moralist, as social reformer. Chaucer has a genial humor devoid of spite and cynicism. Chaucer endeavored to picture life truthfully without either exalting unduly or demeaning unnecessarily any of his characters.<br /><br />In the poetry of Burns too, Arnold does not find the accent of high seriousness. The poetry of Burns has truth of matter and truth of manner but not the accent of the poetic virtue of the highest master. Arnold concludes the essay by pointing out the case of Burns, how a personal estimate of a poet can mislead us and how we can correct such an estimate by using the poetry of the great classics as a sort of touchstone, just as we would correct the historic estimate of a poet by the same means.<br /><br />By such means we can derive the benefit of being able clearly to feel and deeply to enjoy the best, the truly classic in poetry.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7957596212459563817-4594977790455650014?l=freeliteraryarticlesblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>akashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033757385887623411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7957596212459563817.post-51256654348352913792010-02-13T06:07:00.000-08:002010-02-13T06:18:45.250-08:002010-02-13T06:18:45.250-08:00The Use of Dramatic Elements in Jane Austen’s Pride and PrejudiceThe novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen has several characteristics of a drama. The novel shares such leading qualities of a drama as dialogue, character development, plot, theme, action and dramatic irony. The use of these dramatic devices makes the novel interesting to read.<br /><br /><strong>Dialogue</strong><br /><br />The novel opens with dialogue. It provides the substance of the play. Dialogue is used to show the characters speaking directly to each other which give the reader access to the thoughts and emotions of the characters. It grows intimacy between characters and audience.<br /><br />“My dear Mr. Bennet,” said his lady to him one day, “have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?”<br /><br />All of Austen’s many characters come alive through dialogue. Long, unwieldy speeches are rare and in their place, the reader hears the crackle of quick, witty conversation. True nature reveals itself in the way the characters speak: Mr. Bennet’s emotional detachment comes across in his dry wit, while Mrs. Bennet’s hysterical excess drips from every sentence she utters. Austen’s dialogue often serves to reveal the worst aspects of her characters—Miss Bingley’s spiteful, snobbish attitudes are readily apparent in her words, and Mr. Collins’s long-winded speeches carry with them a tone-deaf pomposity that defines his character perfectly. Dialogue can also conceal bad character traits: Wickham, for instance, hides his rogue’s heart beneath the patter of pleasant, witty banter, and he manages to take Elizabeth in with his smooth tongue. Ultimately, though, good conversational ability and general goodness of personality seem to go hand in hand. Pride and Prejudice is the story of Darcy and Elizabeth’s love, and for the reader, that love unfolds through the words they share.<br /><br /><strong><br />Plot</strong><br /><br />The plot of a drama involves unexpected turns, suspense and climax. In pride and Prejudice we find some turning points which motivate the novel such as Darcy and Elizabeth’s first meet at the Meryton ball. Darcy’s Pride arouses Elizabeth’s prejudice. Darcy refuses to dance with Elizabeth upon Bingley’s request, saying that Elizabeth is no handsome enough to tempt him. Elizabeth hears this comment and greatly hurt. She immediately takes a view about Mr. Darcy that he will be a man of arrogant personality.<br /><br />However through the Bingely-Bennet friendship Darcy and Elizabeth are brought into each other’s company. Again Jane’s illness at Netherfield brings the two together again. And it is the beginning of his admiration for her.<br /><br />Now the audience becomes suspicious when Mrs. Bennet’s garrulous vulgarity turns Darcy away from his interest in Elizabeth and leads him to take the docile Bingley to London. Moreover Elizabeth’s initial prejudice is deepened by the smooth lies of Wickham against Darcy. She accepts at face value everything that Wickham says about Mr. Darcy. Mr. Wickham professes to be discrete and hints that he would not defame anybody’s character, but he defames Darcy. Elizabeth would not have tolerated such a conversation if anybody except the disagreeable Mr. Darcy were the subject of the talk. As a result, Elizabeth forms an even more unfavorable opinion about Mr. Darcy than she had formed before. Her prejudice turns into hatred.<br /><br />As an another principal turning point the two meet again when Elizabeth is visiting Charlotte Collins and Darcy is visiting his aunt Lady Catherine at Rosings. Darcy’s old interest is revived with increased fervor. <br /><br />Now we see the struggle in Darcy’s mind between his pride and love for Elizabeth with the handicaps of such relations as Collins, Lydia, Kitty, Mary, Mrs. Bennet and the inferior family connection with trade. Love wins enough of a victory to bring him to the point of proposing.<br /><br />The chief climax of the main story occurs when Darcy proposes to Elizabeth at Rosings and is refused. Darcy constantly emphasizes the struggles and obstacles that he had to overcome in order to make him this step. Rather than emphasizing his love, he constantly refers to all the obstacles which he has had to overcome. This proposal completely stuns Elizabeth. She thinks that Mr. Darcy is only seeking a wife who is so inferior as to be ever grateful for a chance to be his wife. She rejects his proposal without least hesitation and she gives her reasons for her refusal. She mentions his past ill- treatment to Mr. Wickham and she tells him that he was responsible for breaking up between Jane and Bingley. And finally she accuses him not behaving in a gentleman- like manner. The denouement is reached with his second proposal and this time acceptance.<br /><br />On the very next day, Mr. Darcy hands over to Elizabeth a letter which contains a defense of him against the charges which she had leveled against him. There is much logic in this defense and Elizabeth is deeply affected by it. She is forced to acknowledge the justice of his claims as regards Wickham, his criticism of her family and even his claims concerning Jane. She comes to a self realization. Suddenly, she cannot remember anything that Mr. Darcy has ever done which was not honorable and just, while Mr. Wickham has often been imprudent in his comments. Previously, she had called Jane blind, and now she has gained a moral insight into her own character and sees that she has also been blind. Consequently, Elizabeth’s character increases in depth as she is able to analyze herself and come to those realizations. This self- recognition established her as a person capable of changing and growing.<br /><br />Meanwhile, the youngest Bennet, Lydia, rushes into an ill-advised romance with Wickham, an officer who at first appears charming and trustworthy. Wickham fails in a ruthless attempt to marry a rich northern woman and impulsively elopes with the naive Lydia. The 16-year-old girl speaks recklessly, acts offensively, and must gratify her impulses instantly. Lydia fails to see that running off with Wickham scandalizes her family. <br /><br />Darcy shows his true mettle by secretly helping Charles return to Jane, by ensuring that Wickham and Lydia return to Longbourn as a married couple with an income, and by proposing again to Elizabeth with new humility. Shamed, Elizabeth recognizes many of her misjudgments and accepts Darcy's proposal. Their personalities soften and blend beautifully.<br /><br />Another coincidence brings Elizabeth and Darcy at Pemberly House. He is very warm and friendly and inquires of her family. There is no trace of haughtiness in the manner in which he now talks to her and to her relatives. Even more, when she learns the role which Darcy has played in Lydias marriage, she becomes strongly inclined towards him. <br /><br />In this changed circumstances Mr. Darcy arrives at Netherfield and proposes marriage to her. This time she gladly accepts the proposal because she has now begun to think that Mr. Darcy is truly a gentleman. He also tells Elizabeth that it was her frankness which had finally revealed to him his shortcomings. He also admits that he encouraged Bingley to propose Jane. Elizabeth also honestly confesses the change in her feelings and the two lovers are finally happy.<br /><br />A plot also centers on a single interest and other sub-actions become involved to it. There is a quite compact plot in Pride and Prejudice. In Pride and Prejudice the main story of Elizabeth and Darcy runs throughout the whole narrative. Minor stories, kept under complete control, are never permitted to obtrude and are always made to contribute to the main story.<br /><br />Secondary plots revolve about Jane and Bingley, Lydia and Wickham, Mr. Collins, Miss Bingley’s schemes, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. The action is developed around the gradual coming together of Elizabeth and Darcy and their ultimate happiness. The secondary figures act as foils to the main characters and interact with them to help bring about the final resolution. <br /><br /><strong>Character</strong><br /><br />In a drama the characters show significant development. The characters of a drama suffer from their mistakes and finally learn many lessons. In the same way, here in this novel we also see the development of characters. The characters who mostly develop are Elizabeth and Darcy.<br /><br />Jane Austen’s characters evolve the drama. Throughout the novel, the characters, like in a drama are developed gradually or step by step. They are placed in different contexts in which he encounter each other and help reveal their personalities. Darcy and Elizabeth, for example, undergrow significant changes throughout the novel.<br /><br />Letter plays an important role to develop the relationship between Elizabeth and Darcy. <br /><br />Darcy’s first letter to Elizabeth makes her even more prejudiced against Darcy but at the same time begin to think deeply about Wickham’s previous story.<br /><br />Darcy writes his first letter in such a way as if he is showing favor to her, which exhibits his pride. She rejects his proposal without least hesitation and she gives her reasons for her refusal. She mentions his past ill- treatment to Mr. Wickham and she tells him that he was responsible for breaking up between Jane and Bingley. And finally she accuses him not behaving in a gentleman- like manner. This final accusation gives a serious blow to Darcy. This is a turning point for his self realization.<br /><br />Elizabeth learns lessons and changes the way she thinks about some situations. An extremely rich and famous man, one of the most sought after men in the country falls in love with Elizabeth, and although she initially rejects his proposals of marriage, thinking him too proud, does slowly fall in love with him, realizing his pride was only shyness, and they become engaged. She admits her own faults and overcomes her prejudice against Mr. Darcy and she becomes aware of her own social and emotional prejudice. When her friend Charlotte marries Mr. Collins, Elizabeth condemns the marriage as ridiculous but comes to understand and accept the position her friend was in. The marriage between Mr. Collins and Charlotte is based on economics rather than on love. <br /><br />Elizabeth regards Jane as more noble and kind-hearted than herself. Jane is slightly naive, she expects all people to have pure and good motives for everything and seeks to find good in everyone. She has not shown much emotion to Bingley's advances, though she accepts them. She shows little of the same sentiment, although this is just her nature, this is what made Darcy think Jane would not be much hurt if Bingley left her. This is untrue, she suffers the loss greatly, though alone and privately. <br /><br />Lydia and Wickham have each other in an unhappy and impecunious marriage. Miss Bingley’s jealous envy brings only bitterness and disappointment. Mr. Bennet’s indolence and failure as a parent brings him the pain and shame of Lydia’s elopement and Lady Catherine’s arrogance brings about her humiliation in her interview with Elizabeth and her defeat in the marriage of Elizabeth and Darcy.<br /><br /><strong>Theme</strong><br /><br />The title of the novel Pride and Prejudice can be interpreted as a theme running through the novel. Pride is the feeling that one is better or more important than other people and prejudice is an adverse judgment or opinion formed beforehand without knowledge of the facts. When we add these two themes together, we get this novel Pride and Prejudice.<br /><br />The very basis of this book is on Pride and Prejudice. Jane Austen created a world in which most of the people are guilty of Pride and Prejudice and judge each other on the basis of their pride and prejudice. But pride and prejudice are not very unusual factors in this world which is based on artificial and conventional behaviors. And Jane Austen appreciates those who can come out of their Pride and Prejudice and reject the superficial behaviors. But those who can’t discard their pride and prejudice remain the objects of ridicule till the end of the novel.<br />Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet, the two central characters of the novel, for the better part of the novel is the focus of Pride and prejudice respectively. And in the later part of the novel both Darcy and Elizabeth have come out from their Pride and Prejudice respectively. <br /><br /><strong>Irony </strong><br /><br />Irony is the very soul of Jane Austen’s novels and “Pride and Prejudice” is steeped in irony of theme, situation, character and narration. Irony is the contrast between appearance and reality.<br /><br />The first sentence of the novel Pride and Prejudice opens with an ironic statement about marriage, “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife” (1). A man with a fortune does not need a wife nearly so much as a woman is greatly in need of a wealthy husband. The entire novel is really an explanation of how women and men pursue each other prior to marriage. Jane Austen uses a variety of verbal, dramatic and situational irony through the novel.<br /><br />The novel is full of verbal irony, especially coming from Elizabeth and Mr. Bennet. Verbal irony is saying one thing, but meaning the complete opposite. Although Mr. Bennet is basically a sensible man, he behaves strangely because of his sarcasm with his wife. He amuses himself by pestering his foolish wife or making insensitive remarks about his daughters. Mr. Bennet cruelly mocks his wife silliness and is shown to be sarcastic, and cynical with comments as “…you are as handsome as any of them, Mr. Bingley might like you.<br /><br />In chapter 4, Elizabeth confirms her strong dislike for Darcy and criticizes Bignley’s sisters as well. She is critical of Jane for being “blind” to others. This criticism is filled with irony, because in the later part of the novel Elizabeth is blind in analyzing Darcy because of her prejudice against his pride. Shortly in the novel, Darcy grows interest in Elizabeth, but Elizabeth doesn’t notice it. Elizabeth misunderstands Darcy attraction toward her. As she was playing the piano at the parsonage, she believes that Darcy is trying to unsettle her when he stands by the piano to hear her play the piano.<br /><br />Also, Darcy was blind in the beginning of the novel because he did not realize that Elizabeth possesses the qualification his future wife must have. Another dramatic irony is in chapter 39 when Elizabeth is shocked by the behavior that she sees in her family and realizes the truth Darcy has stated about the weak impression they make.<br />It is interesting to note that ironically, in “Pride and Prejudice”, it is the villainous character Wickham and lady Catherine – who are responsible for uniting Elizabeth and Darcy.<br /><br /><strong>Action</strong><br /><br />Another requisite of drama is action. In Pride and Prejudice there is a great deal of action, even though it is quite and seemingly unexciting. The characters of the novel do not behave in any wild or improbable way. Since the picture drawn is of everyday life and activities, it is easy for us to comprehend it and is that much more real to us.<br /><br />The elements of drama, by which dramatic works can be analyzed and evaluated, are categorized into the above discussed areas. And because of the presence of these dramatic elements we can call Pride and Prejudice as a dramatic novel.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7957596212459563817-5125665434835291379?l=freeliteraryarticlesblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>akashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033757385887623411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7957596212459563817.post-70746190825057661022010-02-13T06:06:00.000-08:002010-02-13T06:07:32.271-08:002010-02-13T06:07:32.271-08:00Influence of Biddy and Estella on Pip in Great ExpectationsIn Dickens’s Great Expectations, we find throughout the novel the hero, Pip, learns through sufferings. He develops and gets maturity through society, through the development of his selfhood, and his realization of which people actually cares about him. Pip would not have to worry about any of these issues if it were not for Estella’s influence in his life. the influence of Biddy is also not less important from moral point of view.<br /><br />At the beginning we see him as a naive but after meeting with Estella, Pip has completely changed. It is the turning point of his life when he first meets with her. So, Estella displays an enormous power over his thinking unlike Biddy. But the influence of Biddy is more admirable than Estella. Biddy is always pleasing to him whereas, Estella is always tormenting to him. After, the meeting with Estella Pip becomes ambitious, whereas from Biddy he gets practical preparation for his future life. So, it is seen that the influence of Biddy and Estella on Pip is very far-reaching which will be clearer in the later discussion. There are marked gaps in their 1st meeting, their family bond and their treatment with Pip. When Pip first meets with Biddy, she is presented as Mr. Wopsele’s great-aunt’s grand daughter, and helps her grandmother run the evening school. An orphan girl live Pip, she is rather bedraggled in appearance in early day, her hair always wanting brushing and her shoes mending. However, Biddy’s appearance and manner improve as she grows up. When Mrs. Joe is assaulted, Biddy moves into Joe’s household as her attendant. In this novel, she also shares the quality of compassion, simplicity, self respect etc. This dignified caring attitude of Biddy is contrasted with the self-seeking, selfishness of Estella who wishes to use or flatter Pip for her own ends. <br /><br />Estella is the daughter of Magwitch, a convict, and Molly, a servant for Jaggers. Although her roots are extremely common, she is raised in nobility because M. Havisam adopts her. She is the tool of M. Havisam to destruct the male hosts. When Pip first meets her he immediately overwhelmed noticing her pretty grown hair and her manner, though she is in fact about the same age he is. She despises the coarse ways of the common laboring boy Pip, but ironically Pip falls in love with her. Before meeting with her, Pip never realizes that anything could be wrong, or that there could be anything might need to change. After the meeting, Pip now begins to question everything in life. She sets a struggle between Pip’s personal ambition and his discontent, which Biddy teaches Pip the error of his ways and shows that being common is not so bad.<br /><br />Biddy is gentle, sympathetic, and kind-hearted to Pip. She is much more realistic and self-controlled in her emotions than he is and can see his faults. When on a Sunday afternoon walk on the marshes he tells Biddy that he wants to be gentleman and why she gives him sensible advice. She tells him that Estella is not worthy of his love and he should not live his life to please her. She also says that indifference can work more than an active nature or feigned love for strategic purposes. In this way, she tries her best to instill realism in Pip. On the other hand, Stella’s beauty leads him to fall indirectly into Miss Havisham’s trap and he tries to change himself to have a chance with Stella. In Pip’s youth the feelings of guilt and shame continue in his way to become a gentleman to win Estella and achieve his ambition, which leads him to enhance embarrassment for Pip. He gradually more aware and ashamed of Joe’s limitations, especially his illiteracy and his lack of social ease who is actually the best sole model he has.<br /><br />Pip does not want to be seen around the forge, especially for Estella. He feels depressing particularly by the thought that Estella might see him there. Later, when Pip receives his great expiations, he automatically assumes that the expectations come from M.H. and Estella is expected in these expectations. Pip thinks that he has to become a gentleman for Estella. Because of this, he begins to look down upon Joe when Joe meets with him in London. He terms Joe as stupid and common. So, we see that because of Estella’s influence, he begins to become what he thinks a gentleman should be. But his decision proves wrong, as he starts to grow within a false modesty, gentility etc. He has become so blind by the false inspiration of M.H that he even does not see the hollowness behind it. She inspires him to love Estella. He can do nothing but follow M.H’s orders as he begins to believe that after obeying her, he will get Estella.<br /><br />Pip holds on to the dream of having Estella until he finds out that she is marrying Drummle. At this moment all of his hopes for Estella are rushed. His self-deception about gentleman and his hope of getting Estella lead to another Pip. He now begins to realize what a horrible man he has become, and that he has shunned all who really care for him. His utterance: “I wish I had never left the forge” shows his moral regeneration. <br /><br />At an early stage of life, when Pip is raw and unfeeling enough, he could tell Biddy that he loved her if his inspirations had not stood in the way. Now at this middle age of his life, purged by his various experiences and trials, he grows into an awareness of Biddy’s true nature. At the end of the novel, he hopes to go his old home on the marches, to marry Biddy and perhaps to return to work in the forge with Joe. Later when he finally come his village he is struck seeing that she is married with Joe. Then he realizes his own faults, that she too is a person in her own right, with her own desires and feelings. In this way, Biddy helps to reveal Pip’s growing snobbery.<br /><br />At the end of the novel, we see Estella and Pip, meet at the old Satis-House when they are both very changed from their past. Pip is over Estella, out of money, and has full respect for Joe and Biddy. Estella too has learned from her sufferings and has become a wiser person, able to understand Pip.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7957596212459563817-7074619082505766102?l=freeliteraryarticlesblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>akashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033757385887623411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7957596212459563817.post-27986627542297130022010-02-13T05:57:00.000-08:002010-02-13T06:01:40.356-08:002010-02-13T06:01:40.356-08:00Pip’s Regeneration in Charles Dickens's Great ExpectationsWe may call Great Expectation as the study of human psychological development. This is Dickens’s distinctive style plot that while developing plot structure he, at the same times, externalizes the inner workings in Pip’s psyche. To serve the purpose, his adoption of first person narration, of course, plays a good part both in developing plot and facilitating the readers to have a close glimpse of the central figure in the novel, Pip. In one sense, this grand and huge novel, voluminous can be called a work dealing with the moral regeneration of Pip. <br /><br />The outliving may be like this- Pip gets a chance from an unknown benefactor (Magwitch) to be a gentleman, his original moral strength and values are dimmed/ blurred/ clouded coming in contact with a London higher class embedded in money, show, pride and revenge and false gentility. However, Pip being a snob at this time can not detect the dark side of this luxurious social class and keeps himself aloof from his real well-wishers and childhood friends like Joe, Biddy, and pays respect and homage to people like Miss Havisham, Jagger. Gradually through the novelist’s dramatic techniques of suspense, humor, dialogue and denouement, the knots of the incidents are opened and Pip recognizes his real benefactor ( Magwitch – a criminal and convict) and thus is cursed of his snobbish behavior. His moral regeneration starts. The clouds which covered his original goodness pass away and once again he enables to see man as man recognizing the proper worth of basic humanity. At last he retains his original power of morality and returns to his real friends (Joe, Biddy, and his real home, the forge).<br /><br />From his early boyhood Pip was good, gentle, and morally strong. He does not show any sign of villainy and notoriety at his boyhood. His conscience always keeps awake under the proper guidance of Joe and Biddy. He develops a strong moral sense and good values. However whenever he is forced to commit an evil deed or to tell a lie; he suffers a mental disturbance. In the marsh scene, he is terrified at Magwitch’s ill treatment and he is forced to commit crimes: to steal a file and some food from his sister’s house. Under Magwitch’s threat he promises that he must do so. But after stealing food and a file, he becomes restless and uneasy. He can not get rid of his guilt feelings. He thinks that he has betrayed Joe and his sister. However, he retains his basic humanity and shows pity for an outcast by giving the file and some food and drink to him. Though Pip provided the demanded things to the convict under Magwitch’s force, Pip shows deep compassion for him. This is quite obvious when in the course of their conversation while Magwitch takes the food to the marsh, Pip confesses:<br /><br />“Pitying his desolation, and watching him as he gradually settled down upon the pie, I made bold to say, `I am glad you enjoy it.' <br />`Did you speak?' <br />`I said I was glad you enjoyed it.”<br /><br />Such a humble life Pip leads in the village with his great friend Joe. He is apprenticed to Joe, the blacksmith. Though he is unhappy to live with his cruel sister, he certainly had consolation as he got love and affection from Joe Gargery.<br />In fact, Pip’s confrontation with Miss Havisham and Estella and their circle is the turning point in the development of his personality. So, far he had been unconscious about class distinction – he was indifferent that he belonged to a “commoner’s class“. Going to the Satis House he feels for the first time in his life his inferiority complex which was absent in his simple innocent life style. The occasional visits to the Satis House, playing cards with Stella, her scorn of his coarse hands and unpolished manners made him utterly uneasy and disturbed. He lost mental peace and calm. In one hand, he becomes fascinated with Estella’s physical charm and beauty; on the other hand, he is hurt by her scorn and continual torture concerning his belonging lower social class. One seems to be at his horns of dilemma. After a long period of mental torture and frustration, he comes to the point that he must be a gentleman to win his scornful beloved. <br /><br />In fact, Estella enkindled a fire in his heart to ascend to the social ladder to become a gentleman. Afterwards, Pip’s meeting with Magwitch on the marshes and his help to the latter with food and file is the turning point in Pip’s rising as a gentleman. Magwitch later on works on his project of making a gentleman of Pip through his lawyer Mr. Jaggers.<br /><br />Thus, Pip has been taken to London to be brought up as a perfect London gentleman according to the wish of the convict Magwitch, his benefactor. But, Pip is kept to be in the dark concerning the supposed identity of his benefactor. However, the young man is, to some extent, feels relaxed and ease thinking that Miss Havisham is his real benefactor and Estella is supposed to be married to him. Gradually, he starts his lessons and other necessary instruction with Mr. Herbert Pocket at London. Very soon he acquires the outward appearance of a “gentleman” along with his growing snobbery. He has undergone a lot of change in his outlook. Previously, he was a commoner who became the butt of extreme scorn and criticism by Estella. Now, he thinks that he has developed a gentlemanly attitude and etiquette. He begins to feel a kind of uneasiness and incongruity for his past life with Joe and his sister at the smithy. His snobbery is made to be exposed on the occasion of Joe’s London tour. <br /><br />When Biddy, by writing a letter, informs Pip that Joe is coming at London, Pip cannot be happy: rather a growing discomfort seizes him. Inwardly, he does not hope Joe’s coming to meet him at London where Pip lives with a sophisticated society. Pip’s snobbishness rises to such an extent that he once thinks that if it would be possible, he could bid Joe away offering him some money. When Joe meets him, Pip shows a cold and disinterested attitude to him. He feels a sense embarrassment for Joe’s clumsy behavior, loose coat, and old hat. However, Joe clearly recognizes Pip’s treatment of him, and decides not to settle down in his room for the night. Similarly, Pip’s snobbery is obvious when he, on visiting his home town, does not settle down on the smithy with Joe, rather takes a room at an inn. He always feels that if he took shelter at the forge, his newly developed gentlemanliness would be hurt. Thus, Pip betrays his childhood friend Joe and Biddy and his original morality is dammed for the time being. He terms Joe as stupid and common. He has grown into a false man with coming in contact with money and fortune.<br /><br />Pip holds on to the dream of having Estella until he finds out that she is marrying Drummle. At this moment all of his hopes for Estella are rushed. His self-deception about gentleman and his hope of getting Estella lead to another Pip. He now begins to realize what a horrible man he has become, and that he has shunned all who really care for him. His utterance: “I wish I had never left the forge” shows his moral regeneration.<br /><br /> Pip also begins to spend too much money and goes into debt even with his secret benefactor giving him money. Through the novelist’s dramatic techniques of suspense, humor, dialogue and denouement the knots of the incidents are opened and Pip recognizes his real benefactor- Magwitch a criminal and convict and all his dreams are shattered. He cannot believe a criminal had been supplying him with money all this time. <br /><br />His moral regeneration starts in this stage. The clouds which covered his original goodness pass away and once again he enables to see man as man recognizing the proper worth of basic humanity. Pip tries to repair all his relationships with people he mistreated and loved. Pip finds Herbert a good job even if it means Pip using some of his own money. Pip also tries to help Magwitch escape. Although Magwitch does not escape, Pip makes Magwitch happy before he dies telling him that he has a daughter and that he is in love with her. Pip also helps Miss Havisham discover the error of her ways. She is happy Pip has shown her this and would like to give Pip some money to help him with his debts. Pip does not take the offer and knows that he himself must work hard to pay off his debts. Pip then goes to his home in the marshes. Joe pays off all his debts and their relationship is now repaired. Pip also meets Little Pip, the symbol of rebirth. Pip fixed all his problems and was never again faced with them because he decided to live with the people he loved, Joe and Biddy, his family. <br /><br />Pip’s behavior as a gentleman has caused him to hurt the people who care about him most. Once he has learned these lessons and matures into the man.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7957596212459563817-2798662754229713002?l=freeliteraryarticlesblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>akashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033757385887623411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7957596212459563817.post-27835240442151460792010-02-13T05:04:00.000-08:002010-02-13T05:31:28.976-08:002010-02-13T05:31:28.976-08:00Use of Naturalism and Impressionism in Crane’s Red Badge of CourageIn his novel “Red Badge of courage” Crane follows two narrative techniques namely impressionism and naturalism. Through his technique of impressionism Crane tries to give picture of the battlefield as well as the effects of the wars on the nature. By using his method of naturalism Crane mainly tries to portray Henry’s character.<br /> <br />Impressionism is a method of writing in which the author presents characters, scenes, and moods as he visualizes them at a particular moment rather than as they are in reality. The term comes from the French impressionist painter who painted an object in a few strokes thus suggesting the form rather than delineating it realistically. They were chiefly concerned with the effect of various kinds of light on an object or scene.<br /><br />Crane was one of the chief impressionists of his day. Like the painters he had little sense of line. He characterized his people by giving an impression of a loud soldier, a tall soldier, a tattered soldier, or a cheerful soldier. Although the reader knows a great deal about Henry Fleming he does not know what he looks like physically.<br /> <br />Crane had the same concern as the painters for the effect of light on color. In the book the landscape and objects change their colors as the light changes. A river is “amber-tinted” in the early morning. Green trees and bushes appear blue in the distance. Crane describes troops on the battlefield as follows.<br /><br />These battalions with their commotions were woven red and startling into the gentle fabric of softened greens and browns. <br /><br />Crane has used impressionism as a painter but he also has carried this art beyond the physical level by creating images which are impressions of the mind rather than just impressions of line and color. Many of the seemingly disconnected images in the book are relevant to the emotional experiences of Henry. For instance in chapter 11 Crane repeatedly creates the image of the regiment as an insect.<br /><br />1-It was now like one of those moving monsters wending with many feet.<br /><br />2-There was an occasional flash and glimmer of steel from the backs of all these huge crawling reptiles.<br /><br />3-They were like two serpents crawling from the cavern of the night.<br /><br />4-But the long serpents crawled slowly from hill to hill without bluster of smoke.<br /><br />Henry, as part of the “moving monster,” feels very much alone with his thoughts and problems. The army is like a monster to him which forces him to be part of it against his will and which makes him obey orders he cannot understand.<br /><br />Naturalism is a theory of fiction which approaches life with a detached, objective, almost scientific outlook. Man is portrayed as an insignificant and helpless creature who acts according to his instincts in response to the conditions of his environment. He does not exercise his individual intelligence and free will to any great extent. He is like a puppet at the mercy of the physical conditions which surround him.<br /><br />Nature is conceived of as being serene and indifferent to the troubles of mankind. Nature is not a person with attitudes, feelings, and intelligence. It is simply the natural environment and the physical forces which surround man.<br /><br />Crane reflects these naturalistic concepts in The Red Badge of Courage. To Crane war is part of nature, a condition that is part of the physical environment. Crane many times repeats the idea that the individual loses his identity in the collective regimental personality. He writes of the military units as insects or machines. In the early march to the front Henry wants to run away but cannot do so.<br /><br />He saw instantly that it would be impossible for him to escape from the regiment. It enclosed him and there were iron laws of tradition and law on four sides. He was in a moving box.<br /><br />Henry discovers, in his flight from the battlefield, that he cannot fond refuge and consolation in nature. He goes into the dark forest seeking comfort. Instead he comes upon a ghastly corpse hidden in a “natural chapel” made of the boughs of trees. As he runs away from the scene panic-stricken, the bushes and trees seem to him to be impending his progress. Here is a picture of a youth who is helpless against his environment which is indifferent to his problems.<br /><br />Crane points out the serenity of nature in contrast to the fighting that is taking place.<br /><br /><br />As he gazed around him the youth felt a flash of astonishment at the blue, pure sky and the sun gleaming on the trees and fields. It was surprising that Nature had gone tranquilly on with her golden process in the midst of so much devilment.<br /><br />Crane has attempted to portray a “natural” man in the person of Henry Fleming, and “natural” actions. Henry follows his instincts when he runs from the battlefield. He later discovers that no harm was done by this action as no one knows about it and he comes to the following conclusion:<br /><br />In the present, he declared to himself that it was only the doomed and the damned who roared with sincerity at circumstance. Few but they ever did it. A man with a full stomach and the respect of his fellows had no business to scold about anything that he might think to be wrong in the ways of the universe, or even with the ways of society. Let the unfortunates rail; the others may play marbles.<br /><br />Later when Henry acts with great bravery he discovers that the heroic actions, too, are natural. In looking back at his actions he reflects the naturalistic conept.<br /><br />He had fought like a pagan who defends his religion. Regarding it, he saw that it was fine, wild, and, in some ways, easy. He had been a tremendous figure, no doubt. By this struggle he had overcome obstacles which he had admitted to be mountains. They had fallen like paper peaks, and he was now what he called a hero. And he had not been aware of the process. He had slept, and, awakening, found himself a knight.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7957596212459563817-2783524044215146079?l=freeliteraryarticlesblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>akashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033757385887623411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7957596212459563817.post-91445140817568298912010-02-12T08:46:00.000-08:002010-02-12T08:48:13.025-08:002010-02-12T08:48:13.025-08:00Wuthering Heights by Emile Bronte as a Class conscious NovelThe novel Wuthering Heights by Emile Bronte opens in 1801 when the old rough farming culture, based on a naturally patriarchal family life, was to be challenged, tamed and routed by social and cultural changes. These changes produced Victorian class consciousness and ‘unnatural' ideal of gentility." This social-economic reality provides the context of WUTHERING HEIGHTS.<br /><br />The setting of the story at Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange provides a clear example of social contrast. While the Heights is depicted as simply typical and "domestic," the Grange is described as a "scene of unprecedented richness" (80). Each house is associated with behavior fitting the description. For example, when Catherine is taken into the Grange, she experiences drastic changes, thus going from a "savage" to a "lady" (80). While at this house, she rises in status, learns manners, and receives great privileges such as not having to work. Heathcliff, on the other hand, learns to classify himself as a member of the lower class, as he does not possess the qualities of those at the Grange. <br /><br />The struggle between social classes roughly resembles a real life conflict during this time. The reader sympathizes with Heathcliff, the gypsy who was oppressed by a rigid class system .But as Heathcliff pursues his revenge and tyrannical persecution of the innocent, the danger posed by the uncontrolled individual to the community becomes apparent. Like other novels of the 1830s and 40s Wuthering Heights reveals the abuses of industrialism and overbearing individualism, <br />Catherine is the daughter of Mr & Mrs. Earnshaw and Heathcliff is a pickup boy by Mr. Earnshaw from the slums of Liverpool city and is named Heathcliff Earnshaw by Mr. Earnshaw. Mr. Earnshaw’s treatment towards Heathcliff is likely a father’s treatment towards his own child. But the social contrast happens when Hindley returns to Wuthering Heights and forces Heathcliff to work in the fields.<br /><br />The basic conflict and motive force of the novel is class conflict. Environment of the moor and same dwelling place gives both Cathy and Heathcliff a greater chance to develop their romantic love-affair. Both Cathy and Heathcliff love each other profoundly. But Catherine's decision to marry Edgar Linton rather than Heathcliff widens the gap between social classes. Edgar Linton is a wealthy man of high status, and Heathcliff is poor and possesses no assets. Catherine does not consider personal feelings, but instead, she focuses on her outward appearance to society. "Edgar Linton will be rich and I shall like to be the greatest woman of the neighborhood whereas if Heathcliff and I married, we should be beggars (81). It is obvious that wealth justifies social class, and Catherine strives to achieve high status. Cathy says to Nelley:-<br />“It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff, now.”’<br /><br />The Earnshaw's and Linton's are part of a social class named the gentry, similar to the upper-middle class. Theirs social positions are not poor, but they try to improve their status. Another example is Heathcliff story. He begins as an orphan but moves up in status when he is adopted by Mr. Earnshaw. <br /><br />Considerations of class status often crucially inform the characters’ motivations in Wuthering Heights. Catherine’s decision to marry Edgar so that she will be “the greatest woman of the neighborhood” is only the most obvious example. The Lintons are relatively firm in their gentry’s status but nonetheless take great pains to prove this status through their behaviors. The Earnshaws, on the other hand, rest on much shakier ground socially. They do not have a carriage, they have less land, and their house, as Lockhood remarks, resembles that of a “homely, northern farmer” and not that of a gentleman. The shifting nature of social status is demonstrated most strikingly in Heathcliff’s trajectory from homeless waif to young gentleman-by- adoption to common laborer to gentleman again (although the status-conscious Lockwood remarks that Heathcliff is only a gentleman in “dress and manners.”)<br />The writer draws a complex and contradictory relationship between the landed gentry and aristocracy, the traditional power-holders and the capitalist, industrial middle classes, who were pushing for social acceptance and political power. Simultaneously, with the struggle among these groups, an accommodation was developing based on economic interests. The area that the Brontës live in, the town of Haworth in West Riding, was particularly affected by these social and economic conditions because of the concentration of large estates ad industrial centers in West Riding.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7957596212459563817-9144514081756829891?l=freeliteraryarticlesblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>akashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033757385887623411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7957596212459563817.post-91023897059898925182010-02-10T06:33:00.000-08:002010-02-10T06:36:45.398-08:002010-02-10T06:36:45.398-08:00Disordered and Destructive Relationships in Wuthering HeightsPeople often try to find a perfect relationship and a perfect companion. Some of them even marry without knowing what their new husband or wife is like. This kind of situation often leads to separation or hostility. Other situations may develop between two friends that stem from jealousy, desire for revenge, uncaring parents, etc. Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights displays several characteristics of destructive relationships. Three of these are uncaring parents, marriage without knowing the person, and jealousy. <br /><br />Uncaring or unsympathizing parents are shown throughout this story to be an element of destructive relationships. Nelly tells Mr. Lockwood a story from Heathcliff's childhood. Mr. Earnshaw had favored Heathcliff, and he was able to get whatever he wanted. When Mr. Earnshaw gave each boy a horse, Heathcliff insisted on having the prettier one. When this one got hurt, Heathcliff tried to take Hindley's horse. Heathcliff threatened to tell father about all the times Hindley beat him, and in retaliation, Hindley hit him. Heathcliff seems to want Hindley to hit him, so he will have something to hold against him. He doesn't even need to fight back, because father will always take his side. Thus Heathcliff gained all the attention from Mr. Earnshaw, Hindley became disassociated from his father. This separation continued until after Mr. Earnshaw had died. <br /><br />Another example is between Hindley and Hareton. Hindley became such a drunk and a gambler that he could not properly care for young Hareton. Even affection is violent with him, and the boy pulls away from his father's rough embrace. This led to a separation between Hareton and his father as well. <br /><br />Aother primary example of an uncaring parent is shown between Heathcliff and his son Linton. Heathcliff did not even want his son for anything except enacting a part of his revenge. This is shown by Linton's fear of Heathcliff and Heathcliff's enmity toward his son. Linton even says "... my father threatened me, and I dread him - I dread him!"(244) to express his feeling about Heathcliff. The hostility and separation between father and son in this book shows that uncaring parents can cause serious damage in relationships with their children. <br /><br /><br />This element of destructive behavior may stem from an unhappy marriage in which the husbands or wives don't know each other. This had happened between Isabella and Heathcliff. Isabella did not really know Heathcliff when she married him, but after she had married him she saw that Heathcliff was not a gentleman at all. To declare her feelings she wrote " Is Heathcliff a man? If so, is he mad? And if not, is he a devil? I shan't tell my reasons for making this inquiry; but I beseech you to explain, if you can, what I have married ..."(125). Heathcliff hangs Isabelle's dog from a tree, Another example of this is when Catherine married Edgar Linton. Although she had been happy at the beginning of the marriage, she thought having parties all the time was going to be fun. Yet, after a while, she became bored. She also realized that she loved Heathcliff more than Edgar and would always love Heathcliff. This enlightenment created separation between Edgar and Catherine during the final hours of Cathy's life. An additional marriage which was made that was doomed was the one between Catherine and Linton. Because this was a forced marriage, Cathy had not yet learned all she could about Linton. Because she did not know until after the marriage that Linton was selfish and inconsiderate, she became distressed and grew isolated in the house. These three failed marriages described in this novel show that knowing the person you will marry is very important. <br /><br />While these marriages took place, jealousy also took a hold in some relationships. One example of this is when Mr. Earnshaw starts to favor Heathcliff over his own son, Hindley. Because of this, Hindley becomes jealous of young Heathcliff and sets out to make Heathcliff's life a nightmare. Hindley's jealousy becomes evident when he says ,"... be damned you beggarly interloper! and wheedle my father out of all he has; only afterwards show him what you are, imp of Satan."(35). Jealousy was also found very notably in the relationship between Heathcliff and Edgar Linton. The jealousy between them is expressed when Heathcliff and Edgar start a hostile conversation after Cathy's homecoming at Christmas near the beginning of the book. Heathcliff hates that Catherine likes him, and when Linton makes a comment about Heathcliff's hair, Heathcliff throws hot applesauce in his face. Heathcliff's violence is answered with more violence. Hindley took him upstairs and beat him, and when he came back down he told Linton that next time he should beat him himself<br />Hindley, crazed with the loss of his wife and his land, tells Isabella about his plan to kill Heathcliff. Every night he tries to open Heathcliff's bedroom door, and when one night it is unlocked, he plans to shoot him. He believes some kind of devil urges him to settle the score this way.<br /><br />As the story progresses these two become bitter enemies who will not speak to one another. Another relationship which jealousy ruined is the one between Hareton and Linton. These two become jealous of each other over Cathy's affections. This relationship ends as Hareton and Linton hating each other. These relationships show that jealousy can ruin a relationship very quickly. <br /><br />The jealousy, neglect, and unprepared nature of the many relationships in this book indicates that many of the relationships in this book have gone "sour". In spite of all these destructive elements one relationship may succeed. This is the one between Cathy and Hareton. Because there is no more jealousy or neglect, and because they are getting to know each other, their relationship has a good chance of succeeding. Because all the other failed relationships in this book containing the elements; jealousy, neglect, and ignorance concerning the nature of your companion; one can conclude that these elements will destroy any relationship.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7957596212459563817-9102389705989892518?l=freeliteraryarticlesblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>akashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033757385887623411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7957596212459563817.post-57104398966634249562010-02-10T06:26:00.000-08:002010-02-10T06:30:26.029-08:002010-02-10T06:30:26.029-08:00Comparison and Contrast between Keats' “Ode to Nightingale” and “Ode on a Grecian Urn”“Ode to Nightingale” and “Ode on a Grecian Urn” are finest examples of pictorial quality and sensuousness. There are both similarities and dissimilarities in these odes.<br />As the theme is concerned both of the poems are similar. Both poems seal with a universal theme – mortal and immortal, transience and permanence.<br /><br /><strong>Similarities on the basis of structure</strong><br /><br />The structure of the “Ode on a Grecian Urn” has a close parallel is that of its contemporary “Ode to Nightingale”. The “Ode to Nightingale” with its eight stanzas is longer but has the same kind of plan and development. The first verse provides the introduction in which the poet, feeling like one numbed or drugged hears the Nightingale singing of summer. Though no explicit questions are asked, the contrast between the exhaustion of the poet and the rapturous song of the bird is itself a question and provokes what follows. In the second to seventh verses, Keats develops the main subject which is the effect of the Nightingale’s song on him. He wishes in turn to fade away with the bird, to dissolve and forget his fever and his fret, to cease upon the midnight; then he rises to a more positive theme. He sees that the bird’s song belongs to a timeless order of things and the climax comes at the end of the seventh stanza with its recognition that song like this is beyond the grasp of death. The eighth stanza brings the conclusion in which Keats returns to reality and relates his enrapturing experience to it, recognizing that he can not for long share the ecstasy of the bird’s song. He has come back to where he started but something has happened which makes him unsure of himself asking whether he is awake or asleep. Keats has understood the bird’s rapture and entered into it and he sees more clearly the ambiguous nature of his relations to all such experiences. And just as in the “Ode on a Grecian Urn” Keats deepens the significance of his poem by his contrasts between ideal beauty and actual life, so in the “Ode to a Nightingale”. At each stage of the “Ode on a Grecian Urn” Keats transforms poetry to which he had given prolonged attention and which are very much his own. <br /><br /><strong>Similarity on the basis of the use of symbol</strong><br /><br />Both of the odes are rich in the use of symbol. The central symbol of “Ode to Nightingale” is Nightingale. On the other hand the main symbol of “Ode on a Grecian Urn” is Urn. Nightingale symbolizes happiness. As the poem progresses, the song does not remain the song of a particular bird it becomes a symbol of the eternal beauty for the poet. It is in this sense that the poet cries out:<br /><br />“Thou wast not born for death, immortal bird.”<br /><br />The song of the bird will never come to an end because it has become one with the universal beauty.<br /><br />In “Ode on a Grecian Urn” Keats calls the Urn as ‘unravish’d bride of quietness. The Urn is a concrete symbol of some vast reality which can be reached only through knowledge of individual objects. The Urn is also the “foster child of silences and slow time.” <br /><br />Addressing the Urn Keats says;<br /><br />Thou, silent form, dost tease us out of thought <br />As doth eternity:<br /><br />In “Ode to a Nightingale” the world of Nightingale is a symbol of perfection, happiness with its fullness. The Grecian Urn is the symbol of immorality of art.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Similarity on the basis of Personification</strong><br /><br />In this poem “Ode to a Nightingale”, Nightingale is personified. To the eye of the poet, the bird is a symbol of happiness and perfection. The Nightingale’s world is the ideal world where the poet wishes to go to free him from the pings and sufferings of the world. But just one word “forlorn” is enough to call him back from the world of Nightingale to the world of those who are suffering from palsy, growing pale, spectre thin and then dying. The world of Nightingale with all its charm can not take away from Keats’ heart his sense of oneness with his earthly fellow beings who are suffering from “fever and fret” of the world.<br /><br />Same is true in the case of the Urn. In “Ode on a Grecian Urn'’ the Urn is personified. It stands for beauty and permanence. It contrasts with the transitoriness of human life which is full of misery. The poet knows the value of the Urn as a beautiful piece of art but at the same time he realizes that beauty is not the only thing of importance. The Urn though immortal is speechless. It lacks the warmth and vigor of life.<br /><br /><strong>Similarity on the basis of sensuousness</strong><br /><br />Keats expands the range of his sensuousness from pictures of physical love to the pictures of natural beauties. In “Ode to a Nightingale” the poet looks for eternal beauty. The beauty of the song of Nightingale is beautiful from time immemorial. It delights all people in all ages every where. The Urn itself is a symbol of everlasting beauty. The painter may die but the beauty of the painting is everlasting. The poet may die but poetry is undying.<br /><br /><strong>Similarity on the basis of temperament</strong><br /><br />In all his poems, the poet is Greek in temper and spirit. The poems convey the poet’s mind’s inborn temperamental Greek ness. He is a representative of Greek thought and culture in a sense in which Wordsworth, Shelley, Coleridge are not. In “Ode to a Nightingale” there are references of Dryad, Hippocrene, Dacchus, Lethe- which remind us of Greek mythology. The Urn itself is from Greek mythology. It immortalizes Greek joy, culture, religion. The Grecian Urn shows the poet as the true representative of Greek, as the Urn outlives Greek culture. The Urn is the beauty. It is as true as the Greek immortality.<br /><br /><strong>Similarity on the basis of Disillusionment</strong><br /><br />Both poems show that escape from the real world is never possible. In “Ode to the Nightingale” it is the word “forlorn” that puts the clock black. In the “Ode on a Grecian Urn” it is the realization of the death like, machine like, warmthless, speechless silence of the Urn that brings Keats back into the world of reality.<br /><br /><strong>Dissimilarities</strong><br /><br />The tone of “Ode to Nightingale” is pathetic and it is more subjective than “Ode on a Grecian Urn”. The tone is joyous and objective in “Ode on a Grecian Urn”. The overall tone of the poem is melancholic in “Ode to Nightingale”. The poem is also very subjective, because it draws reference from Keats’ own life. The expressions “fever and fret” the “spectre thin” etc clearly refer to the pathetic death of Keats’ brother. The poem is written immediately after the death of his brother. On the other hand Keats’ tone in “Ode to Grecian Urn” is very joyful. Here he celebrates the beauty of the Urn, the joyfulness of the lovers and the excitement of the religious sacrifice. He uses the word “happy” several times. More importantly unlike Nightingale it is not based on his personal loss. The poem was written after one of his visits to the British museum.<br /><br />In these Odes the speaker wants to go beyond the better realties of the world by a kind of visionary imagination of the happy world. But when he comes to learn that the kind of imagination he is pursuing is a false temptation, he rejects the visionary imagination and comes back to harsh reality.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7957596212459563817-5710439896663424956?l=freeliteraryarticlesblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>akashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03033757385887623411noreply@blogger.com0