Category: Essays Samples on Literature

Shakespeare portrays the king in Henry V as an exceptional politician and language expert. Henry conquers France in a very short time, with a small armoury. His victory declaration (IV.viii.123), shows that he is eager to give God the entire credit for defeating France. His Machiavellian style of kingship can be questioned, though, because Henry is not religious. His power as the King of England...

Homer’s The Odyssey and Sophocles’ Antigone both depict violence as an honorable act. Heroes such as Antilokhos or Akhilleus, Odysseus, Eteocles, and Eteocles, of The Odyssey, are celebrated as great fighters, brave souls who were willing to fight in battle. The play as well the poem contain a lot of violence, but there is also a sense that almost every instance of violence is tragic and...

Tuesdays with Morrie tells the story of a college professor and a man. This story is about Mitch, a journalist and sports commentator who has made a career of it. He is so busy that it was difficult for him to have the time and love he deserves. He saw Morrie his favorite professor passing away from ALS. He started the last lesson of Morrie to Mitch about the purpose of life. The film is true to...

The extraordinary book Just Mercy is a story about mercy and how it can redeem us. Bryan Stevenson was a strong, brave, wise, and courageous hero who stood up to injustices. I loved the book's inspirational, challenging, entertaining, and compelling writing. The powerful story of just mercy has a profound impact on people's lives. This is because Bryan Stevenson shared his experiences as a lawyer...

Child Called it was a tragic tale. The saddest thing about child abuse is that no one pays attention to it. Brianna López and Terrell Peterson are both examples of horrific child abuse. Terrell Peterson, 5 years old, was tortured and killed while his case was still under state surveillance. Many calls were made to authorities claiming that Terrell Peterson's mother was using welfare checks and...

Anatole French, a recipient of the 1921 Nobel Prize, said that irony was only lighthearted reflection. Nathaniel Hawthorne uses irony to expose the deeply sad themes in The Scarlet Letter. Hester Pryne is a vibrant young woman who falls for the temptation to commit adultery in Boston, a small Puritan community. Hester must wear a scarlet A to symbolise her sin. Hester is now publicly aware of her...

Alice Walker's The Color Purple tells of the life of Celie, a young girl. Celie writes daily in her journal. The book's beginning reveals that Celie lives in constant turmoil, confusion, and hardship. She is also insecure and hopeful that she will find a way to overcome these hardships. The novel ends with an inspiring transformation. Some would say she was able to transform herself through...

Charlotte Perkins Gillman, an American author, wrote "The Yellow Wallpaper" as a way to vent her frustration over women's oppression. Gilman's intent in writing "The Yellow Wallpaper", is to show the way women are treated today and how it has been treated over time. This book was written for women suffering from postpartum depression, and those who feel trapped in unjust relationships. This...

Most people don't consider the entire process animals go through before they become their dinner. "Consider the Lobster," was launched to raise awareness about the cruel treatment that animals are subject to, in particular the treatment given to lobsters at the festival. Foster Wallace wrote the article in Gourmet, a magazine that published his work in 2003. People who love food and are...

A Streetcar Named Desire depicts the cultural tension which pervades post-World War II. It was the attempt by an ambitious, idealistic American nation to prove that it could defeat Nazi Germany and its superiority to the international community. Stanley Kowalski (an ex-soldier) was an engineer in the American Army. He later returned to his home. He returned to normal life after many years of...