According to Socrates, a commitment to moral reasoning is an essential condition of a well-lived life. An individual should base his actions upon the outcomes of such internal dialogues. The exercise of self-examination and introspection as a way of arriving at moral truths is of paramount importance to Socrates. So much so that he unequivocally…
Category: Classics
Compare and Contrast the characters Hanna and Michael from the book “The Reader” by Bernhard Schlink and the movie of the same name
The novel ‘The Reader’ written by Bernhard Schlink as well as its movie adaptation starring Kate Winslet as Hanna received critical acclaim. The movie version got several nominations in the Academy Awards. But, as is the case with motion pictures based on works of literature, certain aspects of the written work tends to manifest itself…
Why Does Iago Hate Othello?
Iago’s hatred of Othello emerges from a variety of reasons. At the outset, Iago is Othello’s servant and there is bound to be a systemic hatred against one’s masters. Then there is Desdemona, the most gracious and virtuous wife of Othello. The intimate and exemplary nature of their mutual love and devotion inspires envy and…
Important Scenes in King Lear
King Lear is widely acknowledged as one of William Shakespeare’s great tragedies. This essay will identify and analyze a couple of key scenes from the play which makes a significant contribution to the overall development of plot, its character and the theme. Act 1 Scene 1 The very first scene from the first act is…
A socio-historical critique of Scott Fitzgerald’s ‘Winter Dreams’
Scott Fitzgerald’s well-crafted short story ‘Winter Dreams’ is set in the 1920s, which is also referred to as the Jazz Age in American history. Following the lull and chaos of the First World War, American society was primed to embrace a liberal and materialistic culture. The conventional structure of society was shaken up and new…
Who, according to Han dignitaries and the Bhagavad-Gita, made a good ruler and what qualities did he/she need to possess?
The Bhagavad Gita, which is part of the classic Indian epic the Mahabaratha, records the dialogue between Arjuna, the Pandava warrior prince and Lord Krishna who is also his chariot driver. When faced with the prospect of fighting his own cousins in the field of battle, Arjuna is despaired and aggrieved. He communicates his moral…
Catch-22: Orr Character Report
By being the tent companion of the lead protagonist Yossarian, the character of Orr is crucial to the narrative of the novel. Orr is a bomber pilot, who undertakes highly risky bombing operations for his squadron. In his personal exchanges, he comes across as light-hearted, comical and even at times eccentric. And his habitual crash…
Summary of Epicurus’ Letter to Menoeceus
1. What does Epicurus means by saying that pleasure is our ‘primary native good? When Epicurus writes that pleasure is our “primary native good”, he is implying that what is pleasurable is also ultimately a good thing. Epicurus is referring to pleasure as a state of well-being and not as a temporary state of excitement…
Steinbeck’s depiction of the struggle of Agricultural workers during the Depression, his role as a social commentator, and its impact upon his work:
John Steinbeck is arguably the most prominent littérateur of his generation to have adopted the cause of working class America that was struggling to survive the harsh realities of the Great Depression. His most famous work The Grapes of Wrath depicts the everyday travails of a westward migrating white American family in search of better…
Isabel Allende’s The House of the Spirits and Gabriel Garcia Marquez’ Chronicles of a Death Foretold
World Literature Essay: “In what ways is the behavior of Transito Soto in Isabel Allende’s « The House of the Spirits » and Angela Vicario in Gabriel Garcia Marquez « Chronicles of a Death Foretold », significant to the development and outcome of the story ?” The character of Angela Vicario in Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s…