Joe "King" Oliver

The Mithridatic Wars were fought during the first century BC between Rome and the Kingdom of Pontus, ruled by King Mithridates VI. Mithridates was betrayed by his own son, and the Kingdom of Pontus eventually lost to Rome, after which Mithridates took his own life (Simpson). The poem “Rain of Statues”, written by Sarah Lindsay, tells a story about the soldiers who fought and died during these wars. “Rain of Statues” gives the reader the idea that people are often viewed as being no different…

easily and is not mentally strong presently at that time. This quote also suggests the transition that has occurred on Macbeth as a result of this guilt. His ambition has been to great and looks like to continue that way in the future. Macbeth becoming king is almost an addiction to him and will go to any sorts of measures to make sure he receives his desired outcome. As mentioned earlier, his strength psychologically is very weak at this time and is unable to think straight and decide…

disagreement with Achilles, Achilles and his army left the battle, and did not return even after the men beg, or after a women was raped, or even after the scales were tipped away from their favor through a deal Achilles’ goddess mother made with Zeus, king of the gods. After all these decisions, while watching the slaughter, it says in the novel, “This is the moment that Achilles and his mother have summoned: the Greeks, routed and desperate, without him. But when will it be enough?.... ‘They…

Through the play The Dumb Waiter, Pinter wants to convey that everyone is prone to death. No one is safe in this world. The two hit-men Ben and Gus are waiting for their victim whom they are to kill. They have been paid for the work. But they are unaware of the fact that one of them is the victim. Though Ben and Gus are partners, yet someone has used and employed Ben to kill his own partner – Gus; and this remains a secret with them until the last moment. Gus who, until the last, plays the role…

The short stories ‘A Perfect Day for Bananafish’ (1948) and ‘For Esmé—with Love and Squalor’ (1950) present the American writer Jerome David Salinger in his prime. Both short stories are well-acclaimed by critics as well as readers, as they preceded the author’s well-known novel The Catcher in the Rye (1951). Although the two short stories may not be as famous as the worldwide-known Salinger’s masterpiece is, they both represent him maybe even better than The Catcher in the Rye’s Holden…

her as a complaisant and passive character. This is mainly demonstrated through the fact that the only time she speaks in the first two acts of the play is when she speaks either directly to Hamlet or to Claudius about how unnecessary it is to mourn King Hamlet’s death. In Act I scene II, she reprimands Hamlet for how upset he is about his father’s death when it is natural that “all that lives must die” (I.ii.74). When she says this, she demonstrates her lack of sadness over the loss of her…

Deconstructing Food in The Lunchbox ( Drama/ Romance Film) Being a passionate cook, I fell for first-time director Ritesh Batra’s film, The Lunchbox. This film got the actual cooking right. Several batches of food from different parts of India are recreated in the lunchbox Ila packs. Maharashtrian dishes such as stuffed bitter gourd and basic comfort foods such as dal and paneer kofta made the cut. The lunch break is the only time the otherwise frustrated and busy accountants in Saajan’s office…

In the town of Sleepy Hollow, we find Ichabod Crane, the protagonist, who begins to notice the daughter of the richest man in town, Katrina. He decides to pursue a relationship with Katrina. However, this decision starts trouble with Katrina’s other suitor, Abraham "Brom" Van Brunt. There is a party at Katrina’s house later she breaks up with Ichabod. Heartbroken Ichabod makes his way home when he is interrupted by the Headless Horseman. The next day, Ichabod has disappeared and no one knows…

the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta. In the beginning of the book, we find out that Antigone’s brothers have slaughtered each other in war. One of the brothers, Polyneices is considered a traitor and Creon, the king, refuses to give him a proper burial. Antigone decides to disobey the king and give her brother a proper burial. Antigone loves the idea of a noble death and it drives her decision-making at the end of her life. Her death had a major impact on the city and her family’s legacy. So, it…

Have you ever felt like something that was supposed to be the most wonderful thing, turns out to be a complete nightmare? In Reunion by John Ceever, a boy meets his father after a long time for lunch. Throughout the course of the book, the father throws around his wealth and ego, in order to impress his son. John Ceever uses symbolism, tone and revealing actions to show how the father’s actions and words resulted in ruining their relationship. John Ceever uses symbolism to show how the father’s…