Essays and Research Papers on Ancient Literature

A 4 page paper which compares and contrasts the two medieval considerations of love and marriage. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

A five page paper which looks at romance, realism and the picaresque form in medieval narrative, and the way in which different protagonists exemplify particular elements of idealism and the chivalric code. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

This 5 page report discusses “Everyman,” an English morality play written anonymously sometime in the late 15th century. Everyman” is a parable about death and the ultimate destiny of a human being’s soul. “Everyman” reflects both its place in history and the mindset by which medieval sensibilities were governed. “Everyman” is truly a message that was designed to convey the ...

A 5 page paper which examines how Lancelot’s status as a romantic hero has been defined by the Medieval concepts of courtly love and the chivalric code. Specifically considered is the portrayal of Lancelot in Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte D’Arthur. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

A 6 page discussion of the differences in these author’s character portrayals of the young Antigone in the classic play “Antigone”, first written by Sophocles then by French playwright Jean Anouilh. The author of this paper contends that Antigone was shaped by the characters around her, particularly Creon and that this shaping was somewhat ...

In The Odyssey, the relationship between the Goddess, Athena and the hero, Odysseus is symbiotic; that is, what Odysseus lacks, Athena provides in order for his quest to be accomplished. This 5 page paper explores the similarities between Odysseus and Athena in the story. No additional sources are listed.

A 5 page paper which examines some of the common workers of "Canterbury Tales," illustrating their social position. The tales focused on are the Miller's tale, the Merchant's tale, and the Shipman's tale, with emphasis on the Shipman's tale. In focusing on these tales we present a picture of the social class to which these individuals belonged. Bibliography lists ...

9 pages. In the Middle Ages allegory seemed to be somewhat of a precise science; this paper will explore just what allegories meant to people in tat time, as well as to people in the present day, using Chaucer's Canterbury Tales as an example. Bibliography lists 7 sources.

A 5 page comparison and contrast of Homer's Odyssey and Dante's Inferno in relationship to the theme of their journeys.

What makes something a 'classic' or something that appeals to audiences of all ages and in all eras? The answer: it speaks to different people, their experiences and reactions. This 5 page paper explores the ways that Sophicles' play, Antigone, appeals to modern audiences as well as to audiences of the past and the future. Bibliography lists ...

A 5 page paper which examines the classic tales "Inferno" by Dante and "Canterbury Tales" by Chaucer in terms of their journeys and spiritual pursuits. The paper also examines how the study of humanities, as it involves such classic tales regarding personal searching, may be incredibly beneficial, and relevant, to the 21st century. Bibliography lists 1 additional source.

This 5 page report discusses the dramatic texture that exists in ancient literature and is presented by comparing the convention of the idea of a “best buddy” for the story’s hero. For example, such a character is not part of Beowulf but is featured in The Song of Roland. The role of the “buddy” generally ...

This 6 page report discusses the style Chaucer uses through his careful use of detail. Referring to "The Knight's Tale" and "The Wife of Bath" in The Canterbury Tales, this report illustrates how he uses detail to enhance and balance or to counterbalance the effect of the story being told, as well as the attitudes ...

A 5 page paper which first compares and contrasts the Miller's tale and the Reeve's tale to the Knight's tale. The paper then discusses the role of deception in the Wife of Bath's tale and the Physician's tale. Bibliography lists 2 additional sources.

It is highly unlikely that the author of Gawain And The Green Knight meant to represent the process of nonviolence as proposed by Martin Luther King Jr. This 5 page paper asserts that the tale does, however, allow a representation of the six steps of nonviolence that King proposed. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

A 4 page paper discussing several choices of word definition and Chaucer's most likely meaning in line 4456 of the "Nun's Priest's Tale." The author of the article reviewed here provides sound argument for his own choice of word meaning for the passage, but acknowledges that others could arrive at other conclusions. The ...

A 5 page paper which examines the story of "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" and illustrates how it is truly the story of Sir Gawain's journey into manhood. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

An 8 page research paper that investigates the similarities in structure between Aeschylus' Oresteia and Eugene O'Neill's Mourning Becomes Electra. The writer also points out that there are differences between the two works and these are discussed in relation to the plays' thematic content. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

A 9 page overview of the speculated origin of those tales collectively known as Aesop’s fables. Presents the current body of knowledge regarding Aesop’s identity and occupation and evaluates the various meanings typically attributed to his stories. The author of this paper emphasizes that the authorship of these great fables can undoubtedly be ...

A 7 page paper which examines the beheading motifs in each and discusses why beheading was the means of execution in each work. Bibliography lists 7 sources.

A 5 page paper which examines how the impression that the characters are taking over telling their own story is conveyed, by considering how Don Quixote and Sancho Panza grow on each other throughout the course of the epic novel, until the point that they cannot exist without each other, and how Cervantes begins his ...

A 7 page paper which examines the allegory in "The Canterbury Tales" by discussing particular tales. Bibliography lists 9 additional sources.

A 7 page paper which discusses whether Chaucer's "Wife of Bath" helps with feminist discourse, especially in regards to official church dogma of the time period. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

A 5 page comparative analysis of the two epic heroic characters. Bibliography lists 7 sources.

A 6 page paper that examines Aristophanes' comedy "The Poet and the Women" and the writer examines the various kinds of humor used in the play, arguing that this humor still "works" after two millennia. Bibliography lists 4 sources.