The Romantic Hero in Goethe's Faust
Ashley Williams November 4, 2005 HIST 218 - Ramsey The Romantic Hero in Goethe's Faust Long hailed as the watershed of Romantic literature, Goethe's Faust uses the misadventures of its hero to parallel the challenges that pervaded European society in the dynamic years of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Faust is the prototypical Romantic hero because the transformation of his attitudes mirrors the larger transformation that was occurring in the society in which Goethe conceived the play. Faust's odyssey transports him from adherence to the cold rationale of the Enlightenment to a passion for the pleasures that came to define the Romantic spirit. Faust not only expresses the moral contradictions and spiritual yearnings of a man in search of fulfillment, but also portrays the broader mindset of a society that was groping for meaning in a world where reason no longer sufficed as a catalyst for human cultural life. The period of German Romanticism in which Goethe wrote Faust was plagued with the same intrinsic turmoil that Faust himself felt prior to making his deal with Mephisto. The destruction that the French Revolution had exacted on the European consciousness was evident in the attitudes of the people most touched by the tumult of the era - people who came to realize that absolution was no longer a pertinent intellectual goal. The cold rationale of the
Essay - The Imp of the Perverse
Essay - The Imp of the Perverse Discuss the key elements of character, language and theme of "the Imp of the Perverse" Refer to at least one other story in the course of your response. "The Imp..." is a story that demonstrates on many levels the theme of Perversity. It begins with a very impersonal, discursive tone, examining humanity's tendency to be perverse in the style of a metaphysical essay. The language here deliberately unsettles the reader with its use of rhetorical questions and superfluous repetitions: "If we cannot comprehend God in his visible works, how then in his inconceivable thoughts, that call the works into being? If we cannot understand him in his objective creatures, how then in his substantive moods and phases of creation?" Here, the unnamed narrator speculates philosophically whether humans should look at the world, and the nature of the human condition (including that of perversity), from a fixed viewpoint, or a priori, this being religion. He argues that the human instinct of 'perverseness' is not derived from any divine being ("Primum Mobila"), rather that it is almost a primitive "self-defense" mechanism; part of a dark 'flipside' of human progress; a recurring theme in Poe's stories (e.g. "the Black Cat"). This idea of perversity is demonstrated in the beginning of the story, and the character's actions described towards the end of it. The
The Ministers Black Veil - review
John Albrecht 12/10/03 The Ministers Black Veil What is it that makes a great story? Most people have different answers, including a good plot, character development, and an in depth theme. Elements such as metaphor, imagery, and symbolism are said to support these other main elements in producing a good story. In truth, what makes a story great depends on the story and what it wants to convey, as there is no set formula. If a story is about a family and its struggles, then character development and plot are likely to be the core of it. In the case of "The Ministers Black Veil", the use of imagery, symbolism, and theme enhance the greatness of the story. As a result of the acute imagery in "The Ministers Black Veil", a certain gloom and atmosphere of dread is added to the story. Most of the imagery deals directly with the black veil. For example, the quote "Such was its immediate effect on the guests, that a cloud seemed to have rolled duskily from beneath the black crape, and dimmed the lights of the candles." evokes a number of images and pulls the reader further into the story with the gloom emitted by the veil. The image of the cloud is used again in the quote " Thus, from beneath the black veil, rolled a cloud into sunshine, an ambiguity of sin or sorrow, which
EVALUATE BOWEN'S PORTRAYAL OF THE BIG HOUSE DANIELSTOWN IN THE NOVEL AND SHOW HOW FAR YOU AGREE WITH THIS INTERPRETATION.
'THE BIG HOUSE. ISOLATED IN THE UNLOVING COUNTRYSIDE,IS AS MUCH THE SUBJECT OF THE NOVEL AS THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN IT.' EVALUATE BOWEN'S PORTRAYAL OF THE BIG HOUSE DANIELSTOWN IN THE NOVEL AND SHOW HOW FAR YOU AGREE WITH THIS INTERPRETATION. In 1920, at their country home in County Cork, Sir Richard Naylor and his wife, Lady Myra, and their friends maintain a sceptical attitude toward the events going on around them, but behind the facade of tennis parties and army camp dances, all the characters know that the end is approaching, that is the end of British rule in the south of Ireland and the demise of a way of life that had survived for centuries. Their niece, Lois Farquar, attempts to live her own life and gain her own freedoms from the very class that her elders are vainly defending. Elizabeth Bowen, 1899-1973, is a central figure in London literary society, she is widely considered to be one of the most distinguished novelists of the modern era, "combining psychological realism an unparalleled gift for poetic impressionism." P. Tillsmen. Bowen was born in Dublin, the only child of an Irish lawyer and landowner, and spent the majority of her youth on the family's estate in County Cork, called Bowen's Court, the house and its land were the direct inspiration for the setting of Danielstown in The Last September. "The Last September" is a timeless, psychological yet
In what ways do African writers explore the theme of race?
In what ways do African writers explore the theme of race? The theme of race is displayed in most African literature, as an inherent consequence of colonialism that had previously, or continues to be active in Africa. Europe's 'scramble for Africa' created the foundation for great divisions to occur in single countries and multiple countries in Africa alike, it divided tribe from tribe and created the need for a recognised political independence - the after effects of which are characterised by the Biafran struggle for independence in 'Half of a Yellow Sun'. In a similar fashion, Conrad's 'Heart of Darkness' exposes the barbaric truth of colonisation as a vehicle for corruption and debauchery under the pretence of 'civilising' the Congolese natives. In Adichie's 'Half of a Yellow Sun,' Nigeria had just become independent of the United Kingdom, and already, tensions are brewing between the Hausa and Igbo people. Their divide is racially motivated, not in an aesthetic manner since both ethnic groups are Nigerian by descent but rather, in a cultural and religious manner. The Igbo-Hausa divide and the struggle of Biafra lay a foundation for the theme of race, however it is the representation of the Igbo majority that conveys the theme of race on a greater scale. Olanna and Odenigbo, alongside their intellectual friends, have troubled many critics who argue the 'African
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Kantorek's Extract From "All Quiet On The Western Front" The particular extract in Remarque's "All Quiet On The Western Front" that introduces the reader to 'Kantorek'contains many different characters all at once, this is an effective tool employed by Remarque as it helps keep the reader engaged and interested in the plot. The view towards Kantorek is extremely biased; the soldiers describe him as short and then claim 'its funny how often the miseries of this world are caused by short people' this is quite humorous as it is not possibly true yet shows how the soldiers saw Kantorek in a negative light. In addition a lot is learnt about his character, he was the driving force that made his young students enlist at the recruiting office. It is clear that he played on their emotions and he is portrayed as dogmatic - he is forcing the men into war without considering the consequences, " kept on lecturing at us in the PT lessons until the entire class marched under his leadership down to the local recruiting office and enlisted" showing how he abused his power in a way and used his authority to cloud the minds of the young men. Yet it appears the soldiers realise Kantoreks cunning ways into pushing them into enlisting " Schoolmasters always seem to keep their sentiments handy in their waistcoat pockets; after all, they have to trot them out in lesson after lesson" this emphasizes
To what extent do Sergius and 'The Man' conform to Raina's notion of a 'romantic hero'?
To what extent do Sergius and 'The Man' conform to Raina's notion of a 'romantic hero'? Throughout the first pages of this anti-romantic play, Bernard Shaw, through the character of Raina, describes the characteristics some women of that time thought the 'perfect man' should have. This 'perfect man' is best translated into the idea of a romantic hero. In this case, it's Raina who has a fixed idea of how her husband should be. She wants a man with gallant behaviour and with her 'heroic ideals. This is the case of Sergius, to whom Raina is engaged with. However, it is ironic how another character in the play is the total opposite of Sergius. For example, 'the man' is a mercenary while Sergius is a soldier. In the start of the play, Bernard Shaw describes to us the appearance of Sergius, which goes hand in hand with Raina's notion of a 'romantic hero'. He is described as 'extremely handsome' with his clean officer uniform and with a 'magnetic glance', which is felt from the photograph. On the other hand, 'The Man' contrasts Sergius. He has 'short crisp bronze curls', 'clear quick eyes', 'good brows and mouth', 'prosaic nose', 'middle stature' and 'strong neck and shoulders'. Furthermore, unlike Sergius, 'The Man' has an 'undistinguished appearance' due to his 'deplorable plight'. He is 'bespattered with mud and blood and snow' and his blue tunic is torn. Therefore, 'The Man',
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Turgenev opens the novel with the first comparison of many, setting the pace for the rest of the text, where Arkady and Bazarov are ceaselessly contrasted and compared. Turgenev initially portrays Arkady as a youth and Bazarov as a man. Arkady is described frequently as being boyish, whereas words such as 'virile' help the reader to understand Bazarov's manliness. His physical description is more thorough than that of Arkady's ('a face so bright and boyish') and we can infer from the bulging temples and broad forehead, phrenology being at its peak, that he is a deep thinker and an intelligent man. Arkady is initially relatively unself-conscious within his joy at seeing his father and is described as having a 'genuine, almost childish delight', but quickly becomes less relaxed and more conscious of his movements as he attempts to be treated and viewed as a man in front of his more advanced friend. Bazarov's self-assurance and masculinity have impressed Arkady as, after these moments of ease, he reconsiders his actions and speech, as he takes care to call his father 'father' as opposed to 'papa'. His behaviour is forced and stilted in attempt to impress Bazarov and he takes 'more wine than he actually wanted'. His home-coming is at once liberating, as he can revert to old habits and enjoys old pleasures such as 'falling asleep under the quilt worked by loving hands - those of
The Fall of the House of Usher
Stories of Ourselves: The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe Comment closely on the writing of the (following) passage, paying particular attention to ways Poe creates a sense of fear. In this excerpt of "The Fall of the House of Usher", Edgar Allan Poe makes use of personification, supernatural features, character portrayal, foreshadows and setting to create a sense of fear and to set a gothic tale. It also illustrates the beginning of Roderick Usher's mental breakdown. One of the main ways Poe creates a sense of fear for the reader is through the setting. The setting determines the atmosphere. In the story, the narrator tries to convince himself that the reason for his terror was the "gloomy furniture of the room", "dark tattered draperies, which, tortured into motion," and the "breath of a rising tempest." These descriptions form vivid images of the gothic setting in the reader's mind. It also sets a dark haunted setting where the atmosphere is eerie. The words, "I know not why, except that an instinctive spirit prompted me-" expresses the feeling of powerless Poe burdens the narrator with. It could also be one of the reasons to his irrational fear. Furthermore, Poe uses imagery of the curtains in the room to set an eerie mood. A human emotion is used to describe the movement of the curtains to being "tortured." This is personification and it may be a
How did the wife keep her husbands ' hooly in my hand'
How did the wife keep her husbands 'hoolly in my hand' and how do you respond to her character in this section of the prologue? The Wife of Bath used several methods to keep her husbands 'hoolly in my hand' one of which was using sex for gain. She used sex for gain because when she couldn't get her own way or what she wanted from her husbands she would withdraw sex from them as a punishment until they gave into her demands. From line 409 the wife says "I wolde no lenger in the bed abide, if that I felte his arm over my side, til he had maad his raunson unto me; thane woulde I suffer him do his nicetee." This shows that the wife can control her husbands by withdrawing things they enjoy like sex therefore getting her way with them. Another way the wife managed to get her own way with her husbands was by nagging until they gave into her, at one point in the wife's tail, she talks about the way her husband acts with her and how he should be acting. From line 318 she says "thou sholdest seye, 'wyf, go wher thee liste; taak youre disport, I wol nat leve no talis. I knowe yoe for a trewe wyf, dame Alis' We love no man that taketh kep or charge where that we goon; we wol ben at oure large". This may make readers feel that the husband in question is trying to control the wife but she clearly states that she wont love him if he tries to take charge, this nagging therefore may