¶ … Shakespeare and Blake
A prevalent issue in English literature is how social status affects individuals. Two writers that are able to explore the negative aspects of social status are William Shakespeare and William Blake. In Shakespeare's Othello, the Moor of Venice, social status plays a major role in determining who does or does not get promoted within the military; this determination, in turn, leads to rebellion on the part of Iago who is both angry and jealous after being passed up for promotion. On the other hand, Blake's poems of the same title, "The Chimney Sweeper" from Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience, highlight what children of lower social classes must endure for the benefit of their families. Through their respective works of literature, Shakespeare and Blake demonstrate the lasting impact that social striation has on individuals.
Othello, the Moor of Venice is a dramatic play that focuses on Othello's tragic fall from a position of great honor and esteem. Othello's fall is catapulted by Iago, his trusted ancient, who manipulates everyone around him in an attempt to seek uncalled for vengeance because he believes he was unfairly passed over for promotion. Instead of being promoted to the position of lieutenant, Iago is passed over for Michael Cassio, "a Florentine,/A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife;/That never set a squadron in the field,/Nor the division of a battle knows/More than a spinster; unless the bookish theoric,/Wherein the toged consuls can propose/As masterly as he: mere prattle, without practice,/is all his soldiership" (Shakespeare 1.1.20-27). Iago contends that Cassio received this promotion because of his social status and education; Iago believes that he is more qualified to take the position of lieutenant based upon his experiences on the battlefield, of which Cassio has none.
Additionally, Iago also targets Othello and contends that the only reason that he follows Othello as a military leader is because it is his duty. Iago explains, "In following [Othello], I follow but myself;/Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty,/But seeming so, for my peculiar end" (1.1.60-62). Iago continuously...
North American Literature of the 20th Century: A Literature of Alienation North American literature of the twentieth century began as a predominantly white male-dominated literature, on the heels of 19th century romantic literary expression, such as within the works of Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville, Mark Twain, William Dean Howells, Stephen Crane, and others. Similarly, in the early decades of the 20th century, American literature was dominated by the likes of William
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Courtly love your purchase. COURTLY LOVE AND MIDDLE AGES LITERATURE In this paper, we shall study the tradition of Courtly love in the Middle Ages as reflected by literary works produced in that period. The paper will first focus on what the exact nature of Courtly Love, then proceed to briefly discuss its development and finally take into account the literary works of Middle Ages that contained elements of this tradition. Courtly love
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