Alfred the Great

War changes a soldier’s perspective of life, whether it is an optimistic or pessimistic view. Some soldiers will enlist thinking that they are taking part in the war because of the nationalism and pride they have for their country. It encourages them to fight knowing that they are protecting the rights and freedom for the future generation. The soldiers often go to war with little to no knowledge of why the government incited the war. Most of the time, they fight knowing only the propaganda the…

The Lady of Shallot Romanticism was a time in European history that was all about feelings and emotion rather than reason. This era was also considered to be a philosophical movement for people to become more emotionally self-aware to improve society. During the romanticism period, artists, authors, etc. took a different route, then how it was in the Neoclassical era. Artists chose to go in a more emotional, creative style for their creations. These artists also chose to display more…

In the poem, “Ulysses,” author Lord Tennyson writes about the king of Ithaca, Ulysses, who had fought in the Trojan War, and had so deeply enjoyed his many travels that he is bored of ruling over his island home, and once again yearns to explore the world. Tennyson writes this poem in the form of a dramatic monologue, and by using this technique the reader is told details of the main characters life and personality through his speech. This is also accomplished through the way the poem itself is…

Complete Isolation Throughout history, art and poetry have seemed to begin to share some of the same characteristics. Poetry is another form of art, and the art itself allows you to visualize the setting and feelings of the poem. Alfred Lord Tennyson’s poem and Waterhouse’s painting, both titled “The Lady of Shalott,” depict the lady not experiencing reality and only seeing life through a reflection. Her life is lived in complete isolation, and remains that way even after she departs from the…

Neutral Tones Analysis The poem ‘Neutral Tones’ by Thomas Hardy is a dark, solemn poem, reflecting on the termination of a relationship that he had in the late 1860s. It has a very melancholic note and in the duration of the poem, he shows the sadness and emotions in the narrator. The poem was published in 1898, however at the bottom of the poem he marked it as being written in 1867, perhaps he did not want it to be published then, before he met Eliza Nickels. It has a rhyme pattern of ABBA as…

Within “The Lady of Shallot”, James R. Kincaid argues that through the contrasting elements of fiction and reality, negative results occur as a means of drawing attention to the perpetual uncertainty within Alfred Lord Tennyson’s poem, “The Lady of Shallot”. This level of ambiguity is emphasized within the text through the Lady’s lack of agency, causing the events of the poem to be enacted on her rather than through her own devise. Kinkaid pushes forth the idea that the text removes the Lady’s…

Between the years of 1914 to 1918, approaching 1 million British soldiers gave up their lives fighting for King and country (greatwar.co.uk). Wilfred Owens, one of the greater known first world war poets, was one of these. He died at the age of twenty-five, only a week away from armistice, leaving behind approaching 100 poems. Despite his early death, Owen’s poetry has immortalized him, passing to future generations both his experience and sentiments regarding the first world war. Like many at…

that we were ever young; / It is to add, immured/ In the hot prison of the present, month/ To month with weary pain” (Arnold 21-25). Similar to Dorian Gray, the speaker would do anything to stay young and beautiful, aware of the better life one can live in society. During the late Victorian Era, there was an immense pressure put upon people to maintain their beauty. Aestheticism was an ongoing movement where individuals only had a value in society if they had a youthful appearance. Pressure to…

Living is Better Than Doing Nothing “The Discussion of Three Messages from Ulysses” Have you ever read the novel the Odyssey? Well in this novel it is about how a man is away from his home for many years, and when he gets home he has to fight compete to get his wife and kingdom back. In this novel it shows when the man named Ulysses is young and he can do whatever he wants. To show how old Ulysses has become Lord Tennyson writes a poem named Ulysses. Lord Tennyson writes a poem like this…

“There is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it.” Alfred Hitchcock Alfred Hitchcock is known for being the “master of suspense”. Born on Aug. 13, 1899 in Leytonstone, England, Hitchcock was one of three children. It is said that he had a lonely childhood due to obesity, which left him isolate and sheltered away from others. His parents had unusual methods of discipline; and often times sent him to the local jail for the police to lock him up for misbehaving, and afterwards would…