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(Aristophanes). Utopian comedy in which women withhold sex from their husbands to control their behavior. Issues of women's rights, man-woman relations, sex.

Aristophanes wrote the Utopian comedy "Lysistrata" in 411 B.C. and the play deals with a humorous, yet serious theme. The time of the play is the fif... more

Aristophanes wrote the Utopian comedy "Lysistrata" in 411 B.C. and the play deals with a humorous, yet serious theme. The time of the play is the fifth century B.C. in Athens, at the time of the Second Peloponnesian War, and Lysistrata is an Athenian woman who is fed up with the men always gone and fighting with each other. She proposed a radical scheme: that the women refuse to have sex with their husbands until they stop their violent foolishness: "We can force our husbands to negotiate Peace, Ladies, by exercising steadfast Self-Control-- By Total Abstinence . . ." (360). This is of course a hard idea for all of the women to adopt, and through the course of the play there are numerous examples of the women finding excuses to go against their own plan. By simulating pregnancy, claiming fear of snakes and owls

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Analyzes tragic life of protagonist in contrast to happy endings of fairy tales.

Joseph Campbell has noted that modern literature generally deals with the tragedy of life. Since the early twentieth century, writers have emphasized... more

Joseph Campbell has noted that modern literature generally deals with the tragedy of life. Since the early twentieth century, writers have emphasized the idea that there is no God or future bliss to counteract the despair of existence. By contrast, the happy endings in fairy tales and myths provide "a transcendence of the universal tragedy of man." Although Campbell is correct that modern literature generally refuses to have happy endings, it nonetheless also tends to amplify the possibilities of a happy ending. In this way, it fulfills a deep psychic need in modern culture: to balance the "universal tragedy of man" with the "happy ending of the fairy tale, the myth and the divine comedy of the soul." Albert Camus' The Outsider is an excellent example of this. The character Meursault in The Outsider refuses to accept

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Examines medieval tale in light of Dante's moral system.

It is interesting to imagine how Dante would have read Chretien de Troyes' Yvain, or the Knight with the Lion. Because of his foolish pride, Yvain br... more

It is interesting to imagine how Dante would have read Chretien de Troyes' Yvain, or the Knight with the Lion. Because of his foolish pride, Yvain breaks a vow that he made with his wife. As a result, the knight is tortured by the loss of love and must undergo a series of trials before he can win her back. In his system of moral values outlined in The Divine Comedy, Dante makes it clear that he believes that the punishment should always fit the crime. For example, the diviners and astrologers in hell who wanted to see "too far ahead" are punished by having their heads turned backwards (Dante 251). In another example, Mahomet (Mohammad) and his soninlaw Ali, the founders of Islam, are described as "sowers of scandal and schism" who must therefore spend eternity in hell with their faces and bodies split open (349). In Yvain's case, Dante would probably have

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Compares Homer's & Dante's views of Ulysses & his legend & myth.

From the earliest surviving works of Western literature down to those of the twentieth century the myth of Ulysses has been an important source for po... more

From the earliest surviving works of Western literature down to those of the twentieth century the myth of Ulysses has been an important source for poets, playwrights, and novelists. Though the legendary hero always retained his essential characteristics of ingenuity, resourcefulness and boldness, these traits were sometimes praised and sometimes deplored. Yet, whether writers valued or abhorred Ulysses' character, there was usually some admiration mixed with the blame and some doubt behind the praise. A brief discussion of the historical and legendary origins of the myth will demonstrate how this ambiguity came about. A comparison of Homer's view of Ulysses in the Odyssey and Dante's vision of the hero in his Divine Comedy will show how Ulysses' legend could be used in very different ways. According to Homer, Ulysses (or Odysseus as Homer calls him)

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Discusses her rule over Carthrage & her depictions in Virgil's AENEID & Dante's DIVINE COMEDY & Christine de Pizon's 1405 BOOK OF THE CITY OF LADIES., which was written to rehabilitate Dido's reputation & to counteract lies about women characters.

Christine de Pizan's Book of the City of Ladies (1405) was written to counteract the lies and misrepresentations about women's character that the auth... more

Christine de Pizan's Book of the City of Ladies (1405) was written to counteract the lies and misrepresentations about women's character that the author found in literature in which all the male writers seemed to "speak from one and the same mouth" (4). She resolved, with the help and guidance of the allegorical figures of Reason, Rectitude, and Justice, to write a demonstration of the invaluable contributions of women throughout history. She intended to counteract the ridiculous claims by male writers "that the behavior of women is inclined to and full of every vice" (4). Her examples range from the mythological Amazons to the women of the Old Testament and examples from more recent history. The greatest number, however, derived from classical history and literature. One of the best known, or, as Pizan put it, the woman whose "fame has surpassed that of all

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Analysis of Dante's THE DIVINE COMEDY in relation to justice. Role of God and Christ. Purgatory section as a scene of self-realization. Inferno (Hell) section with divine justice meted out to sinners. Paradise section and love as as aspect of divine justice. Dante's complex theory related to his times.

DANTE AND DIVINE JUSTICE Justice is not a political or legal question in “The Divine Comedy. Instead, Dante takes his cue from Aristotle who sa... more

DANTE AND DIVINE JUSTICE Justice is not a political or legal question in “The Divine Comedy. Instead, Dante takes his cue from Aristotle who said that “Justice is not part of virtue, but virtue entire” (Hutchins, 1952, p.856). In Purgatory, for example, when “the shade” begins to talk. It says “Of the purity the will alone gives proof, which surprises the soul wholly free to change its company. It wills from the first indeed, but the desire- which, contrary to the will Divine Justice sets to the torment as it had been to the sin- allows it not” (Dante, 1952, p. 85). Divine Justice, therefore, is the final arbiter of sin and virtue. Divine Justice is also, so it seems, a means of starting over, of eliminating sin and desire. In fact, “The world is renewed. Justice returns, and the primeval time of man, and a new progeny descends from heaven”

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This paper compares the ambitions of Claudius in Shakespeare's Hamlet to the personal ambitions of Montaigne, as expressed in his Essays. Discusses the contrast between Montaigne's lack of ambition, and Claudius' overpowering ambition.

In William Shakespeare's Hamlet the character of Claudius Hamlet'suncle is a man utterly consumed by ambition Indeed the fact that hewould murder his ... more

In William Shakespeare's Hamlet the character of Claudius Hamlet'suncle is a man utterly consumed by ambition Indeed the fact that hewould murder his own brother so that he might become king indicates aruthlessness and determination that is almost beyond comprehension Hisambitions include a desire for increased political power winning the loveof Gertrude his brother's widow and protecting Denmark's territories Throughout the play Claudius consistently proves that he is willing to dowhatever it takes to satisfy his ambitions and as a result he

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This paper provides an analysis of the subplot relationship between Beatrice and Benedick in Shakespeare’s comedy Much Ado About Nothing. The analysis describes the qualities of the lovers, the opposition they must overcome to attain their love, and the consequential moral perspective illustrated by their relationship.

Much Ado About Nothing Introduction William Shakespeare's comedy Much Ado About Nothing illustrates theinteractions of two very different pairs of lov... more

Much Ado About Nothing Introduction William Shakespeare's comedy Much Ado About Nothing illustrates theinteractions of two very different pairs of lovers Hero and Claudio andBeatrice and Benedick While the relationship between Beatrice andBenedick is actually the subplot of the comedy the personal qualities eachpossesses make them well-matched for the merry war of wit and romance inwhich they engage Shakespeare While Hero and Claudio also haveobstacles to overcome to share their love Beatrice and Benedick are moreequipped with maturity wit and humor that

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This paper provides six two page essays. The first three essays discuss the lives, influences, and works of Anton Chekov, Henrik Ibsen, and Susan Glaspell. The second three essays discuss the characters, genres, structure and effectiveness of these playwrights’ respective plays: A Cherry Orchard, A Doll’s House, and Trifles.

Literature The Cherry Orchard The Cherry Orchard is filled with loss suffering and self-deception yet author Anton Chekov labeled the play a comedy As... more

Literature The Cherry Orchard The Cherry Orchard is filled with loss suffering and self-deception yet author Anton Chekov labeled the play a comedy As oneliterary critic maintains Chekov's view of comedy stems from the Greeknotion of comedy in which comedy is concerned with foibles in the day-to-day lives of ordinary people while tragedy deals with great souls elevated themes and the workings of fate Schmidt p Indeed the cast of characters in The Cherry Orchard is relevant tothe structure of the comedy

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Discusses Oedipus by Sophocles, Lysistrata by Aristophanes, and Hamlet by Shakespeare in terms of their dramatic genre and structure. Also discusses the biographies of these three writers.

Essays on Three Plays and Their AuthorsOedipus Sophocles' Oedipus the King is a drama specifically one ofthe greatest tragedies ever written and as ed... more

Essays on Three Plays and Their AuthorsOedipus Sophocles' Oedipus the King is a drama specifically one ofthe greatest tragedies ever written and as editor translator Robert Fagles Sophocles p put it universally recognized as the dramaticmasterpiece of the Greek theater Any play in which multiple charactersare dead or maimed at the end of the action in which grand themes centeredon life and death and ethics and morality are addressed and or in whichthe human condition is explored in moments of crisis must