Allusion As would be expected from a story that alludes to Dante in its title and has a protagonist named after a Dantean character, “Dante and the Lobster” is rife with allusions. The allusions, in fact, give the story much of its meaning. The Divine Comedy, of course, is the primary text Beckett alludes to,…
Tag: Ireland
Dante and the Lobster: Themes
Dante As suggested by the title, Dante is an important presence in ‘ ‘Dante and the Lobster.” The medieval Italian poet Dante Alighieri wrote an epic poem, the Divine Comedy, in 1307-1308. It is difficult to accurately assess the importance of Dante’s accomplishment, but it is certainly not an overstatement to say that Dante brought…
Dante and the Lobster: Characters
The Aunt Belacqua’s aunt lives in Dublin. He goes and visits her, bringing her a lobster for their meal. She is a very down-to-earth and practical person, focused on the facts of everyday life. In many ways, she is the opposite of Belacqua. Mademoiselle Glain Mademoiselle Glain teaches French lessons next door to the room…
Honour v Shame in Medieval Literature
Feelings of shame and honour are intrinsic to human nature. They are also universal across cultures and eras. In the three select works of medieval literature we see expression of honour and shame in different contexts. They vary in relevance and intensity in each of the classic works. But what is common is that honour…
My Modest Proposal: A parody on Jonathan Swift’s classic essay
Ladies and Gentlemen, as you are well aware, our country is going through one of its worst economic crisis. Economists have termed it the Great Recession, next only in acuteness to the Great Depression of the early twentieth century. Unemployment has been at unprecedented levels since the 2008 Wall Street crash. And for those who…
International Business Report: A Case Study of Ireland
Introduction: Ireland, in spite of carrying several disadvantages compared to its more prosperous neighbours is finally on the ascendancy. While the European Union as whole goes through similar fortunes and the vagaries of economic development is similar across the region, Ireland seems an exception to this rule. If the Foreign Direct Investment is taken as…