The poem " My Last Duchess" by Robert Browning is a fascinating poem exposing a flawed and sinister character.

The poem " My Last Duchess" by Robert Browning is a fascinating poem exposing a flawed and sinister character. The Duke, in his revealing monologue is ordering his new Duchess. I was intrigued by his egotism and evil behaviour. I intend to explore the extent of his character unwitiningly exposed by him in this dramatic monologue. The poem is a monologue, the continuous speech of a Duke to the envoy of a count whose daughter is to be the next Duchess. The Duke immediately reveals his egotism and possessiveness when he draws back the curtains to expose to the envoy a fine life-like painting of his previous wife. "........(since none puts by The curtain I have drawn for you, but I)" The repetition of "I," is obvious here, it continues through out the monologue, which even ends with the words "for me." The Duke refers to the painting as though referring to a living person, and goes on to explain the Duchess's behaviour. It requires little interpretation of the Dukes words to discover that his last Duchess was not only beautiful but charming, romantic and one who delighted in nature and the simple things of life "Sir, 'twas all one! My favour at her breast, The drooping of the daylight in the West, The bough of cherries some officious fool Broke in the orchard fro her, the white mule She rode with round the terrace" Unfortunately, for the Duchess she seems naive and

  • Word count: 788
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Is Absolon to be mocked or pitied?

Is Absolon to be Mocked or Pitied? How far does Chaucer guide our view? Absolon is a parish clerk and is introduced as a failed courtly lover. We see how he takes great pride in his appearance, so as to impress the women of the area. We see Absolon as a feminine character and there are contrasts drawn between Nicholas and the Miller and himself. Chaucer presents Absolon as a foolish character. I feel that as a reader you mock Absolon as he appears very differently to men of the time. We see this through his vanity, his hair is described as 'strouted as a fanne'. This suggests that Absolon takes a great pride in his hair and this is further suggested as we are told 'gold it shoon'. This suggests that Absolon frequently washes his hair which would be an act associated with the women of the time. Absolon's biblical namesake also was proud of his hair and he to is shown to be a fool. It was because of his vanity and need to have long hair that Absolon's namesake was killed. I sense that there is a connection which can be established in the downfall of these characters and their vanity. Absolon is mocked because of his hair and attention to detail in his appearance and therefore he is not taken seriously ending in his final embarrassment at the window. We are also told of Absolon's shoes which are 'Poules window carven on his shoes'. This shows us that Absolon has a reasonable

  • Word count: 1027
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Sonnets: Are They More Than What They Seem?

Sonnets: Are They More Than What They Seem? Sonnets are not just poems that rhyme. They are not simply rhyme schemes, voltas and sestets. Sonnets have larger ideas at work than simply sounding pretty. The poets work larger stories and figures of speech into only a few lines. Making the average, unassuming reader fall prey to the idea of a simple, rhyming, pretty poem. This type of reader would not even notice the larger figures of speech, and the stories they create within these sonnets. So, read carefully; sonnets are not always what they seem. Three of the sonnets we read are perfect examples of images within a sonnet working to create the larger figures of speech. Stories are created by the larger figures of speech. The larger figures of speech in these sonnets may have different effects on different readers. However, I feel that each sonnet helps the reader to come to a realization about some aspect of life. As long as the reader takes it upon himself to find the story within the sonnets and think about it, he should find a deeper meaning behind the sonnet. The images in Wadsworth's, The World Is Too Much With Us, create a larger figure of speech that attempts to show the reader that society takes nature for granted and Wadsworth feels we should not. The images in Hopkins' sonnet, God's Grandeur, also attempt to show the reader that society's appreciation of nature has

  • Word count: 705
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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For a modern reader, Paradise Lost is alienating, coming as it does from a different era politically & psychologically. how far do you agree?

"FOR A MODERN READER, PARADISE LOST IS ALIENATING, COMING AS IT DOES FROM A DIFFERENT ERA POLITICALLY & PSYCHOLOGICALLY." HOW FAR DO YOU AGREE? In addressing the view propounded in the title, the term "alienating" must be addressed. In this case, it means that the modern reader would find 'Paradise Lost' either simply inaccessible, or perhaps a work with which they might not identify with to a degree that a contemporary audience would have done. The term 'modern reader' also, needs clarification, and in this case it is assumed that the 'modern reader' is anyone who enjoys reading modern novels of what is widely considered to be a fairly high literary standard living in 2010, with no extensive knowledge regarding Milton, Classical Civilisation and Literature or the events of the English Civil War. There is much to commend the view that this modern reader would find 'Paradise Lost' "alienating". In the former interpretation of the word "alienating", regarding a stylistic inaccessibility, the syntax and classical references which Milton employ would do much to push the modern reader away. Milton often arranges his sentences in a fashion which would be unfamiliar to the modern reader: the first line of the poem is a case in point ("Of Man's first disobedience... Sing heavenly Muse..."). As written here, the modern reader would have little trouble understanding that Milton is

  • Word count: 1211
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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'Merchant's Tale - Marriage'

To what extent do you agree that The Merchant's Prologue and Tale is merely a cynical attack on marriage? Geoffrey Chaucer's presentation of marriage throughout The Canterbury Tales is, indeed, varied, abstract and supplemented by dispute over the sincerity of specific works. This literary inconsistency is strongly evident in The Merchant's Tale, making it essential to address the disparity of its message on the topic of marriage. It could initially be assumed that the poem is not solely a cynical attack on marriage; Chaucer offers a somewhat objective overview of the issue, purveyed by the obvious difference in opinion of its characters, for example; the merchant in the prologue - 'we wedded men live in sorwe and care'1 - and Januarie's opinion - 'in this world it [marriage] is a paradis'2 - or the differing judgements of both Justinus - 'it is no childes pley'3 - and Placebo - 'Dooth now in this matiere right as yow leste'4 - after Januarie's consultation with them. By addressing the fact that the message fluctuates it could be argued that Chaucer offers multiple compatible interpretations. Should we interpret the opinion of Placebo in the same way as we should Justinus, or do the subsequent events of the Tale prove to us that we should primarily concern ourselves with the view of the more reasoned, objective character - the name 'Justinus' implies a judicial figure?

  • Word count: 1689
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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In Miltons Paradise Lost, God is portrayed as having limited influence and contact with our world. This is perhaps a result of his respect for free will/conscience.

Hayden Kallas Mr. Becker Honors English Lit. 9/26/11 God's Influence In Milton's Paradise Lost, God is portrayed as having limited influence and contact with our world. This is perhaps a result of his respect for free will/conscience. This lack of contact is supported by one; God's passiveness, there are several situations in the book in which God seems like he should be able to influence events but he simply doesn't act. When he does act, he acts indirectly. God seems to execute his plans through either his angels or his son. Finally, perhaps the best indication of God's limited connections is in the cases where God uses complicated, elaborate plans to do things that if he really had 100% power he would perform simply and immaculately. In the book Paradise Lost, God plays a relatively passive role considering that he is by far the most significant character in this book. He seems to sit up on his heavenly throne and observes rather than interact with his creations. A good case of this is in Book three lines 80-90, when God watches Satan ascending from hell. It would seem that when he was alerted by Uriel, the archangel would have been a good time to intervene and smite down Satan. It almost seems like Milton's God wants the events of Paradise Lost to transpire because he yields so many times at so many opportunities to stop Satan. Satan should have been stopped

  • Word count: 1078
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Many of the more famous Blake poems present us with a inner message, displaying his political, social or religious thoughts. Poems such as The Chimney Sweeper may also be interpreted as providing moral lessons,

Jasmin Hayward "Rather than simply delighting us with the beauty of Nature, some poems seem primarily designed to teach us a moral lesson." Discuss this view with close reference to your set text and one of the poetry extracts which follow. Many of the more famous Blake poems present us with a inner message, displaying his political, social or religious thoughts. Poems such as "The Chimney Sweeper" may also be interpreted as providing "moral lessons," where the Blake criticises the actions of others. This was common for poets to do during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, in particular as "guidelines" for children. Nonetheless it could be argued that this does not necessarily make a successful poem. Other Blake poems such as "The Lamb" are evident on this. A Blake poem that provides us with a "moral lesson" is the songs of experience poem "A Poison Tree." In this poem uses the metaphor of a growing fruit to symbolise the growing anger for a foe. The lesson that is presented here is one against Christian Forbearance, the action of suppressing feelings rather than acting upon them. This is due to the fact that at the end of the poem it is detailed "my foe [was] outstretched beneath the tree." The use of of the fruit metaphor of the "wrath" is an interesting one. Blake uses a mixture of human actions with the atypical actions of growth, such as "I watered it in

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  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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A sinister exploration of the nature of evil Discuss Chaucers poetic methods in presenting evil in the pardoners prologue and tale in the light of this comment.

(a) 'A sinister exploration of the nature of evil' Discuss Chaucer's poetic methods in presenting evil in the pardoner's prologue and tale in the light of this comment. In Chaucer's time, the nature of evil related to any committing of the 7 deadly sins, consisting of greed, pride, blasphemy, sloth, avarice, wrath, lust and envy. The pardoner's prologue and tale is comprised of many of these sins, the pardoner himself demonstrating the majority. Other characters, such as the 3 rioters also embody many of these sins. This essay will explore these characters as well as their evil natures and formulate an opinion how Chaucer presents evil in the pardoner's prologue and tale. The pardoner's evil nature is initiated from his physical description in the general prologue. He is described as having hair as yelow as wex and hood we wered noon - a description immediately illustrating him as a rule breaker, as for most clergymen it was assumed they would cover their hair. In addition to this, he is described as having such glaryng eyen. In the medieval times, this amounted to the suggestion of evil; therefore, Chaucer has constructed the pardoner in such a way to ambiguously imply he may be somewhat evil. Critics, such as Spearing, have noted that the pardoner's repellent outer appearance reflects his inner corruption. The description of his fake relics, such as the sayle that saint

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  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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The country pleasures which John Donne mentioned in The Good Morrow is an example of the physical pleasures which the poet seeks to satisfy in physical activities.

In Donne's poetry, individual desire operates on two levels: on one level, it is the desire which is born out of the lower self and seeks gratification in the pleasures of the senses. On another level desire is spiritual and it seeks to transcend the physical. The "country pleasures" which John Donne mentioned in "The Good Morrow" is an example of the physical pleasures which the poet seeks to satisfy in physical activities. However such kinds of pleasures are only mere illusions, that is, "fancies". The desire to love is felt like an inner urge in the poet. It is a spiritual force which transcends the physical to meet at a higher level and brings about a unity of souls. His only desire was to be united with his beloved: "If ever any beauty I did see, Which I desired, and got, 'twas but a dream of thee". The strong urge of the desire to love is enacted effectively by the tone of the last two lines in the first stanza of "The Good Morrow". The caesuras after "see" in line 6 of the first stanza and in line 7 of the first stanza enacts forcefully the inner urge which the poet feels. The "desire" starts in a dream to have a "beauty" and that desire is fulfilled majestically. The use of metaphysical conceits dominate the last two stanzas. The lovers see worlds of their own reflected in the pupils of each other. Here we can see that the desire is not sensual

  • Word count: 1475
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Considering in detail one or two passages, explore the significance of magic in The Franklins Tale.

Considering in detail one or two passages, explore the significance of magic in 'The Franklin's Tale.' You must * Look closely at effects of language and imagery; * Show that the relationship of the chosen passage(s) to the methods and themes of the tale as a whole Without Magic, the Franklin's Tale would have never unfurled in the way it does. The whole fact that Dorigen wants the rocks to 'disappear' suggests a magical element, and because the magic is successfully worked, this causes Arveragus to submit his wife to another man, permitting them to love each other. Magic is significant in The Franklin's Tale, because if Aurelius had never succeeded in making the rocks disappear then Dorigen would have never had to be unfaithful to her husband. Chaucer links this underlying theme of magic with the theme of courtly love, and he employs metaphor and setting as mechanisms to condemn the fictions of courtly literature. More specifically, he reveals the dangerous power of literary texts to create and scatter harmful ideas of courtly love. I will consider lines 507-536, to explore, primarily, the use of magic, and integrate it with other themes such as courtly love. Line 507 opens up in a sombre mood, telling the reader that 'they dede were' about the brother's former companions. The deaths of all these old friends can be taken as a warning of being immersed into a world of

  • Word count: 903
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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