Art, Immortality, Religion and Spirituality in W.B. Yeats' Sailing to Byzantium

The numerous analyses of Yeats's "Sailing to Byzantium" seem to fall into two main groups:Firstly, a minority of critics like John Crowe Ransom feel that the poem is "more magical than religious . . . and its magnificence a little bit forced."Secondly, a great majority of critics that praise it for its perfect structure and its magnificent exaltation of art. Typical of this second group are Louis

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Main Themes in W.B. Yeats’ Sailing to Byzantium

Sailing to Byzantium is indeed one of the best known lyrics of W.B. Yeats. Written in 1926, it appeared in Yeats's 1928 collection The Tower. Ever since its publication, Sailing to Byzantium has evoked immense interest among readers and critics alike.Most of the critics have perceived Byzantium in variety of ways; as a representation of the imagination, the imaginative act, the soul, vision, and

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Geronimo and the End of the Apache Wars

Geronimo was a dare-devil apache warrior who fought pitched battles against the Mexican and American soldiers. He was a godly figure for his people who looked up to him for inspiration and protection. His ability to put up stiff resistance against the occupiers with a just handful of men raised his stature to a mythical level. For his people, he was a "Shaman of War returned from the past." He

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Willy Loman’s Suicide: Act of Defiance or Acceptance of Failure?

Willy's suicide has been variously interpreted by various critics. While some call it cowardice, some look at it as an act of martyrdom. I neither see it as an act of cowardice nor martyrdom. I don't see any defiance either in Willy's ignoble exit from this world.I feel that Willy's suicide is indeed an acceptance of his failure. The protagonist's persistence in his follies far exceeds the point

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Law: Deterrence in the Juvenile Justice System

Although, there are common grounds to share, the juvenile justice system is different from regular criminal justice system. Its chief aim is reformation of the juvenile offenders and their rehabilitation, apart from the general safety of the citizens. These juvenile courts were formed by law makers to prevent the juveniles from turning into delinquents or hardened criminals. Juvenile courts try

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Is J.D. Salinger’s ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ Moral or Immoral?

A lot of criticism has been heaped upon J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye for being 'cheap' and 'vulgar'. "The Catcher in the Rye" is basically the classic story of a teenager's quest for maturity but It has been dubbed 'obscene' by some for the use of the four-lettered words.Not only this, the novel has also been called 'blasphemous' over the boy's caustic comments about religious

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The Psychological Structure of ‘The Catcher in the Rye’

In the next chapter Holden and Phoebe seem to be acting out a mock romance, much the way Seymour Glass does with the little girl in "A Perfect Day for Bananafish." The episode is at once movingly tender and ominous. Holden finds Phoebe "sitting smack in the middle of the bed, outside the covers, with her legs folded like one of those Yogi guys"- an image Strauch interprets as making her an emblem

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Eminent Domain Law

The unbridled power of Eminent Domain law is a threat indeed to the liberty and freedom of the common man in America. It hangs like a sword of Damocles on many a heads who do not know who exactly would be its next victim.The psychological fear of ‘now you own it now you don’t’ can leave many emotionally and economically shattered. This uncertainty robs the property of its charm and the owner of

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Themes, Motifs & Symbols in “The Catcher of the Rye”

Themes Alienation as a Form of Self-ProtectionThroughout the novel, Holden seems to be excluded from and victimized by the world around him. As he says to Mr. Spencer, he feels trapped on "the other side" of life, and he continually attempts to find his way in a world in which he feels he doesn't belong.As the novel progresses, we begin to perceive that Holden's alienation is his way of

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Nature in Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein"

The natural imagery in "Frankenstein" is comparable to the best in the Romantic literature. Mary Shelley paints Nature and its divine grandeur with some rare strokes of a masterful hand. She deliberately juxtaposes the exalted vision of Mother Nature with the horrendous spectacle of a man-made monster and his ghastly deeds. This steep contrast sets reader thinking about the wisdom of departing

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Symbolism in W. B. Yeats’ “Byzantium”

One of the most captivating things about W.B. Yeats' poetry in general and "Byzantium" in particular is its rich symbolism. Symbols are essentially words which are not merely connotative but also suggestive, evocative and emotive. Symbols conjure before the mind's eye a host of images attached to them. Things that are difficult to explain or are inexpressible can be conveyed through symbols. "

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The Use of Language in “The Catcher in the Rye”

Apart from literary interest, J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye can also be justified on the basis of its linguistic significance. 'The Catcher in the Rye' has been compared by many critics with 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' on various counts. Just as 'Huckleberry' is not only as a great work of literary art, but also a valuable study in 1884 dialect. In coming decades, The Catcher in

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Free Essays and Term Papers on variety of Topics and Subjects

Thousands have already benefited, it is now your turn to make most of this golden opportunity.Top quality essays are available on the following and hundreds of other topics totally FREE of cost in all popular citation styles. Please feel free to request for the essays you need. Do leave a short description in your request /comment that what exactly do you need so that you can be helped at the

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Greek Models in T. S. Eliot's 'The Family Reunion'

With the demise of T. S. Eliot, the world of English literature lost a staunch and resolute advocate of the Greek tradition in modern literature. The precise interaction between this tradition in which the poet believed so firmly and his own five verse dramas proves it amply. Murder in the Cathedral, written for the Canterbury Festival of 1935 and The Family Reunion are case in point. No wonder,

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Does Holden Finally Succeed in his Dream of Becoming a Catcher in the Rye?

J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye leaves most wondering whether Holden Caulfield finally succeeds in his dream of becoming a "catcher in the rye" or not i.e. a savior and defender of the innocent. Critics have provided both affirmative and negative responses to the question, but due attention has not yet been paid to how his seemingly odd behavior toward Jane-a girl in whom he expresses

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Odyssean Wanderings in J. D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye"

From the time of its original publication, many critics have acknowledged the Odyssean nature of Holden Caulfield's wanderings in J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. In addition, much has been made of the importance of Holden's younger sister Phoebe, who serves him as, among other things, an ideal of innocence and honesty in contrast to the corruption and phoniness of the adult world. In one

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Design in T. S. Eliot's 'The Family Reunion'

The work of art is by its very name a single construct. However intricate or complicated in detail, it is essentially one thing. A valid criticism of a work is to say that its form is obscure or contradictory. It is fair to demand of the writer, "Explain this form. What did you mean by it?"And the only acceptable answer from the writer (or the critic who ventures to speak in his stead) is that

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Plot Summary of "The Catcher in the Rye"

The Catcher in the Rye is set around the 1950s and is narrated by a young man named Holden Caulfield. Holden is not specific about his location while he's telling the story, but he makes it clear that he is undergoing treatment in a mental hospital or sanatorium. The events he narrates take place in the few days between the end of the fall school term and Christmas, when Holden is sixteen years

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Historical Background of "The Catcher in the Rye"

Holden Caulfield's America was a nation of contrasts. World War II was over, and the boys had come home, but to what? Financially, life had improved significantly for the average worker since the Great Depression of the 1930s, but inflation presented new problems.The political scene generally moved toward conservatism near the end of the 1940s and into the 1950s (the time period of the novel),

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Biography and Introduction to J.D. Salinger

Jerome David (J.D.) Salinger, whose nickname as a child was "Sonny," was born on New Year's Day 1919, in New York, New York, the second and last child of Sol and Marie (Miriam) Jillich Salinger. He had a sister, Doris, eight years older. Salinger's father, a successful importer of meats and cheeses, was Jewish, his mother Scotch-Irish. Like most of Salinger's central characters, the family lived

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