When I Have Fears That I May Cease to Be - Essay Example

Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poem titled “England in 1819” follows the form of the Italian sonnet, except that it is inverted. In the typical Italian sonnet, there is a division between the lines and what is being talked about in the poem. Usually, the first eight lines are about a problem, while the concluding six lines are about a solution to the same problem discussed earlier. While Shelley’s poem is thematically divided into six and eight lines each, the division is not entirely identical to that of the Italian sonnet. The poem is about the lost glory of England, and by using a form that loosely resembles the Italian sonnet, but is deviant to it in many ways, Shelley creates an image of the chaotic semblance England has of its past. The first six lines paint a picture of the miserable kings and rulers of England, while the final eight lines speak of the condemnable, impoverished state of the people of England. The rhyme scheme of an Italian sonnet is typically ABBAABBA CDECDE, however, Shelley inverts the rhyme scheme in his poem making it ABABAB CDCDCCDD.
Answer 2: The importance of being earnest is a story of a comedy of errors that gives out one of the most pivotal lessons of social life. As the title of the story suggests, the importance of being earnest and sincere in a society that is laced with hypocrisy is central to one’s happiness and fulfillment in life. A satire on the Victorian era, Wilde portrays situations where the hypocrisy comes into direct conflict with sincerity. Moreover, the fact that the man named Earnest is so desirable by all takes the reader deeper into the complexity of the clash between sincerity and insincere attitudes. Both women, Cecily and Gwendolen feel that the name Earnest “inspires absolute confidence” (Wilde, 1990), and therefore, wish to marry him without knowing the man himself. The interest in one’s superficial credentials and not in the inner quality a person possesses is the defining feature of insincerity that Wilde highlights within his story. Lady Bracknell, the symbolic representation of the insincere Victorian society’s attitudes interrogates Cecily’s uncle Jack in order to see whether she is worthy of marriage for Algernon. However, what catches Lady Bracknell’s eye is not the girl’s own qualities, but the fact that she is heir to a large fortune. The sincerity of Lady Bracknell’s intentions comes into question who attempts to judge the compatibility of a relationship – meant to be based on nothing but true affections – on the basis of how worthy one is financial. Thus, Wilde’s exploration of the theme of sincerity is multi-layered.
Answer 3: Hamlet, from Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet” is a quintessential example of what Aristotle calls the tragic hero. Hamlet not only shares the characteristics of a tragic hero but also suffers pain and eventually death at the hands of fate. Hamlet is a man of noble birth, who is morally blameless, just like the tragic hero Aristotle envisioned. However, the murder of his father by his uncle and Hamlet’s mother’s subsequent marriage to the same uncle shortly afterward puts Hamlet in a position where he is left to struggle between his own choice and what fate has destined for him. Despite having potential for greatness, the doom of Hamlet makes him a typical tragic hero. On the other hand, Edward Cullen from the Twilight Saga can be categorized as the Byronic hero, since his character embodies its essential characteristics. Not only is Edward, a vampire treated as a social outcast, but a mysterious aura surrounds his character, which makes him sexually appealing for Bella Swan, the female protagonist of the story. Arrogant, cynical and intelligent, Edward’s character is constantly struggling to maintain its integrity. For instance, the group of vampires that Edward is a part of does not feed on human blood, therefore, despite the intensity of the attraction he feels towards Bella’s blood, Edward fights with his inner self to control his urge to attack her. Read More