Essays and Research Papers on (All) Literature

A 3 page essay that points out that Chaucer used the characters of the Prioress and the Wife of Bath to say a great many things about how medieval society viewed women. The writer demonstrates how Chaucer contrasted the character of the chaste Prioress against that of the lusty Wife to satirize the Church's characterization ...

An 8 page comparison of these two stories from Chaucer's 'Canterbury Tales', in terms of the respective storyteller's views on marriage. The paper argues that the tales chosen by each storyteller perfectly embody their own situations in regard to marriage; and both deviate substantially from the cultural norm of the times. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

A 5 page paper which compares the relations between man and woman depicted in Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse and Geoffrey Chaucer's 'Wife of Bath's Tale' from The Canterbury Tales. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

In 5 pages the author discusses a portrait of two of the pilgrims from Chaucer's 'The Canterbury Tales.' In Chaucer's 'The Canterbury Tales' the Parson and the Plowman are related. They have many things in common, such as religion, poverty, honesty, contentedness with their lot in life, diligence in their professions, plainness, and simplicity. ...

A 10 page research paper that examines two of the narratives in Chaucer's masterpiece The Canterbury Tales. While both tales appear on the surface to deal with religious issues, it is also possible to see alternative meanings within both stories. Some critics have speculated that Chaucer couched subtle criticism of both the church ...

An 8 page paper looking at these two vignettes from the Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer in terms of their use of irony. The paper shows that the irony developed in the Nun's Priest's Tale is light and fun because of its subject matter and treatment, while in the Pardoner's Tale the irony is darkened ...

A 5 page overview of the various tales with descriptive analysis of Chaucer's characterization and his depiction of society. Writer uses various critical sources to support ideas; Bibliography lists two collective entries.

A 6 page discussion of setting, theme, and characterization in several of the tales. No Bibliography.

A 5 page paper analyzing the characteristics of the author of this fourteenth-century work, using a combination of historical records and an intuitive reading of his most well-known book. Seven sources cited.

In this 6 page essay, the writer describes how we can infer much about an author's society & era from the stories they wrote and the way they were presented. The two examples cited are 'The Pardoner's Tale' from Chaucer's 'Canterbury Tales' and 'Every man' by Malory. Issues concerning wealth, social class, etc;-- are discussed ...

An 8 page paper analyzing the way evil is portrayed in The Canterbury Tales and The Divine Comedy. The paper concludes that whereas Dante sees evil as being a catastrophic impediment toward man's attainment of the divine -- and thus something to be taken very, very seriously -- Chaucer sees its human manifestations in what ...

An 8 page paper examining the way women are portrayed in Shakespeare's and Chaucer's works. The paper concludes that both these authors treat women with singular well-roundedness, exhibiting a deep understanding of the female psyche. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

A 6 page paper which explores the emotions of man, as represented in the title character of Joseph Conrad's novel, Lord Jim. Bibliography lists 10 sources.

A 5 page essay discussing the relationship between Leggatt and the Young Captain in Conrad's mariner tale. The writer posits that the characterization and supporting symbolism all point to the theme of growth—by overcoming fear.

Medieval Europe in the 1500's was a bastion of Christian incipience. The times were such that the rewriting of pagan tales to include the Christian thought of the day were common, even unconscious. Geoffrey Chaucer's tragic poem 'Troilus and Criseyde' is no exception, though written with more subtlety and understanding of human interaction with divine ...

A 6 page paper on the protagonist of this little-known work by Geoffrey Chaucer. The paper observes that not only is the work a gentle parody of Dante's Divine Comedy, but Chaucer also parodies himself through the persona of the egotistical narrator Geffrey. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

A 12 page paper on the motivations behind the behavior of the title character in Joseph Conrad's novel. It concludes that Jim's act of cowardice is at such odds with Jim's concept of himself that he spends the rest of the novel running, not from the direct consequences of his deed, but from other people's ...

A complete, 7 page overview & discussion of Joseph Conrad's 'Lord Jim'-- in which the writer examines defining moments and the character of Marlow. Marlow is regarded as being just as significantly important to the action of the story as is Jim. Some parallels are also drawn between Marlow and Conrad himself. Bibliography lists 3 ...

A 5 page book report which provides an overview of Joseph Conrad's 1903 novel, 'Typhoon.' Bibliography lists 2 sources.

A 10 page research paper which discusses Carroll's political commentary in 'Wonderland' in the areas of business, poverty, education for women, and other feminist issues. The writer posits that Carroll's commentary on these subjects represent a reading of women authors and other 'radical' philosophers and authors of the period. Bibliography lists 12 sources.

5 pages in length. More than just a light-hearted children's story, Lewis Carroll's 'Alice in Wonderland' delves deep into the issues of alienation and connection as a means by which to demonstrate how people adapt to otherwise uncomfortable situations. The author, himself, was a self-proclaimed misfit of sorts when it came to fitting into ...

A 5 page paper looking at Lewis Carroll's novel in terms of its interpretation as a quest for personal identity. The paper concludes that Alice matures by not only hanging on firmly to her self-concept , but by allowing it to grow -- not disintegrate -- in the face of the challenges presented by the ...

A 5 page evaluation of the character, Alice, in the book 'Alice Through the Looking Glass' by Lewis Carroll. The aspect examined involves the advice given to Alice by all of the adult characters she encounters in her adventure. do these adults give her useful, valuable, productive information? Or are they just there to illustrate ...

A 10 page analysis of Jane Eyre with special attention to the symbolism of red/fire and white/ice. Some resolution is shown as the colors show opposite sides that clash and must be resolved for the characters to be truly 'happy.' Bibliography lists 6 sources.

A 9 page paper examining mother-daughter relationships in Charlotte Bronte's most famous novel. The writer delves deeply into the way motherhood was perceived in the 19th century, and then shows Bronte's deviation from this tradition. Bibliography lists 7 sources.