Essays and Research Papers on (All) Literature

A 5 page paper which examines the various tests experienced by Sir Gawain in "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight." The tests are examined and then discussed as whether or not Sir Gawain remains chivalrous and succeeds. No additional sources cited.

This 5 page paper looks at how women are portrayed in fiction as well as the difference between male and female fiction writers. Nina Baym's work is used as a springboard for discussion. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

This 5 page report discusses Voltaire’s famous work “Candide” ad addresses how experience repeatedly proves itself to be the greatest of teachers. Candide discovers that fact time and time again. Voltaire is constantly showing his readers, through the adventures and misfortunes of Candide, the good and the evil of the world, the compassionate and the cruel. Bibliography lists only the primary ...

A 5 page essay that offers a synopsis and analysis of Chinua Achebe's novel Anthills of the Savannah (1987). The writer also discusses the major themes. No additional sources cited.

A 6 page paper which examines this relationship between mistress and maid with particular emphasis on the children. No additional sources are used.

A five page paper which looks at the life and works of the English novelist George Eliot, in terms of the influence which her upbringing and personal relationships had on her work and her effective use of descriptive techniques, the authorial voice and social observation in her novels. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

A 5 page paper which describes differences between specific characters in "The Man of Mode" by Sir George Etherege. The characters discussed are Lady Loveit, Bellinda, and Lady Harriet, and Dorimant, Sir Fopling and Medley. No additional sources cited.

A 5 page paper which discusses connections between "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by Joanne Rowling and "Beowulf" as they involve literature and historical connections. The paper also discusses the similarities between the character of Harry Potter and that of Beowulf. Bibliography lists 2 additional sources.

This 5 page report discusses the idea that American writers of the 18th and 19th centuries can be classified as either "Redskins" or "Pale Faces." The Redskins reflect more closely with the American Experience while the Palefaces reflect a far more European influence. Walt Whitman and Mark Twain are used as examples of “redskins,” while Henry James and Henry Wadsworth ...

This 7 page paper argues that novel, The Picture Of Dorian Gray and the play, The Importance Of Earnest are two of his works that reflect how Wilde felt about being a homosexual during the Victorian era. Bibliography lists 7 sources.

A 7 page research paper that investigates whether or not the Pardoner can be seen as a Christian. Some critics say that the end of the Pardoner's Tale constitutes an indication that the Pardoner has mended his sinful ways. The write presents arguments pro and con and then argues that the Pardoner is as corrupt ...

5 pages. This paper discusses some of the religious themes that are to be found within Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, and whether those themes are relevant in today's world. While this book is a look at the future and might be labeled science fiction by some, it is nonetheless based on some ...

A 6 page essay that examines the manner in which Toni Morrison dramatizes the effects that cultural standards of beauty have on the psyches of an African American family in the 1930s. The writer draws on the definition of "misnaming" given by Hortense Spillers, but bibliographical data for this reference was unavailable. No additional sources ...

A 5 page essay that critically analyzes Aristophanes' comedy Lysistrata as a pro-feminist work. The writer points to such elements of the play as the strong characterization of the women, and the emphasis that Aristophanes put on their intelligence, insight, and perseverance. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

A 7 page paper which discusses aspects of the narrators in Chaucer's "The Book of the Duchess" and "Troilus and Criseyde." The paper examines how the narrator presents the reader with a moral universe in one way or another, and then uses that to influence how the reader sees the story which unfolds. No additional sources.

A 5 page essay that analyzes the relationship of Achilles and Patroclus in Homer's Iliad. The writer argues that this friendship, first of all, aids Homer in characterization and also provides the impetus for action. No additional sources cited.

This 5 page paper uses the alternate paragraph method to compare and contrast two points of views regarding happiness in Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. Do provisions in this future world render humans dull and flat or would they simply be free to pursue artistic and creative endeavors? No additional sources cited.

A 5 page essay that contrasts and compares the stories from James C. Gardner's novel Grendel and Charlotte P. Gilman's short story The Yellow Wallpaper. The writer argues that there is a large area of commonality between the two works, which pertains to the basic position of each protagonist in regards to the society of ...

This 5 page report discusses “The Adventures of Beowulf” and how it presents characters of epic and heroic proportions. Heroism such as that presented by Beowulf have shaped human ideals throughout the centuries regarding what it means to be a hero and how heroic action is personified. Beowulf is all that could be asked for in a good ...

A 5 page paper which discusses the literary archetypes of the trickster, the mentor and the hero presented in the story. No additional sources are used.

A 5 page paper which synthesizes four of Hawthorne’s best-known short stories. Bibliography lists 7 sources.

A 5 page paper which analyzes aspects of Homer's "The Iliad." No additional sources cited.

Kurt Lohbeck's Holy War, Unholy Victory: Eyewitness To The CIA's Secret War In Afghanistan is, first and foremost, a personal narrative. This 7 page paper provides a review of his book, focusing on the role of the CIA and Islam in his understanding of the Afghan reality. No additional sources are listed.

A nine page paper which looks at three stories from the Maoist period in China, in terms of the way that they use metaphorical narratives to criticise the flaws in the regime, such as the way in which women were treated within the community and the difficulties faced by those who tried to improve their ...

This 5 page report discusses and analyzes the character of the blind man, Robert, in Carver’s short story “Cathedral.” Carver creates a realm in which the readers are essentially blind to what is about to take place, the characters are blind to what actually is taking place in their lives, and Robert, a character in “Cathedral” is simply . . . ...