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Thomas Mann's Use of Myth
The subject of Mann's early fiction is a very modern one, dealing almost exclusively with the problems of the artist in bourgeois society. His work can be divided generally into two parts: the early writings, which examine the different aspects of the dilemma of the artist and the search for a unifying myth, and the later works, which explore the "lived myth" as a way to life and art.
Browning's The Ring and the Book in Twentieth-century Criticism
Proceeding from the general judgment that The Ring and the Book is, indeed, Browning's greatest achievement, and that it, more than any other of his works, was responsible for establishing him in an extraordinary position of public acceptance and esteem, I propose, in this study, to examine the four features of The Ring and the Book which have most frequently attracted critical attention and to which the greater portion of analysis and review of The Ring and the Book have been devoted.
The Gothic Elements in Shelley's Writings
The purpose of this thesis is to give a basic understanding of Percy Shelley's introduction to Gothicism and to explore the Gothic elements found within his writings.
A Study of the Diction in The Glass Menagerie
The purpose of this thesis is to make a close analysis of the diction in The Glass Menagerie. To discover an explanation for the poetic overtones and lyricism, achievement of the fluid quality of the dialogue, speech of Southern women, effective use of "strong language", use of symbols, and what degree language contributes to the success of the play.
First-Person Narration in Edgar Allan Poe's Tales
For the purpose of this study, Poe's tales were read and considered carefully in chronological order, the idea being to discover growth and development. Poe's literary career was relatively brief (1832-1849), and there are no dramatic or definite breaks or periods. Though his production shows growth in sophistication and artistry, it has been deemed more instructive to group Poets first-person narrators according to the part they play in the story, that is, (1) main actor or protagonist, (2) minor character, (3) observers and (4) combinations of the foregoing three. An attempt will be made to note both variation and pattern, and hence artistic skill, in Poe Is handling of each particular type of narrator.
The Image of Germany in the Novels of Günter Grass
This thesis will attempt to scrutinize Günter Grass's message to his people and show his concern for the spiritual health of his country. Each of his three novels bears directly upon political, religious, and moral issues vital to Germany and to the world. The examination is based upon the assumption that Grass as an author is more concerned that Germans see themselves as they are and as they have been than he is concerned with the image of Germany which his novels present to the world. It is, paradoxically, this very special and sincere concern which gives his work universal appeal.
Woman, the Root of Man's Self-Destruction in four Shakespearean Plays
This thesis examines four plays by Shakespeare to illustrate the theme of men's downfall as caused by the women they love. One play from each type of relationship was chosen: Coriolanus for mothers who exert disastrous influence on their sons; King Lear for daughters responsible for their fathers' downfall; Cymbeline for the injurious effect of a wife on her husband, and is significant because the moral dissolution comes through her great virtue rather than through her character faults; and Troilus and Cressida for lovers who are not bound either by blood or legal ties.
Christian Orthodoxy in the English Novel 1930-1950
This thesis discusses Christian orthodoxy in the English novel during the time period from 1930 to 1950.
Mark Twain's Views on Formal Education
The purpose of this study is to discuss Twain's role as a critic of the educational system of his day and to explore his views concerning the purposes, methodology, and value of formal education below the college level.
The Literary Theory of Ayn Rand
The author believes that Ayn Rand presents a systematic approach to aesthetics and that her work presents an interesting and significant approach to aesthetic problems. The author will attempt to present Ayn Rand's basic aesthetic concepts that throw light on her literary theory. The author will also present her views on literary schools and of individual authors.
Four Adolescents and the Problem of Evil : Redburn, Huck Finn, Nick Adams and Holden Caulfield
The real purpose of this study has been to learn something of the nature of evil as perceived by these adolescents, and to discover something of the American reaction to it as perceived by their creators.
Mystical Elements in Emerson's Thought
It is the main purpose of this thesis to ascertain just to what extent Emerson's writing do contain mystical elements.
Romantic Elements in Five Novels of Frank Norris
The purpose of this thesis is to point out the romantic elements in five of Frank Norris's novels.
Theatrical Criticism in "The Tatler" and "The Spectator"
This paper discusses the publications of the Tatler and the Spectator and their influences and criticisms of local theater, actors and audiences.
Dominant Themes in the Novels of Ernest Hemingway
This thesis proposes to show that Hemingway's novels reveal a change of attitude which culminates in an increased faith in the ultimate goodness and dignity of man.
A Language Arts Program for Ninth-Grade Slow Learning Pupils
The problem with which this investigation is concerned is that of discerning the traits of a group of pupils who have low levels of learning and developing for them a more appropriate "differentiated program" of instruction in language arts.
The Devil in Legend and Literature
The purpose of this paper is to trace some of the accepted characteristics of the devil to their origins through a study of folklore and ancient religions. The characteristics include the principal form taken by each devil and trace its beginnings through folklore; the animals connected with these devils; powers allotted to these devils; and purposes served by these devils.
Metamorphosis: William Faulkner's Incorporation of Short Stories into Longer Narratives
This study analyzes these stories in their original and later forms, both to discover the types of changes Faulkner made and to determine whether or not he followed any pattern in the revisions.
The Novels of Shirley Jackson: A Critical-Analytical Study
This study will discuss each of Shirley Jackson's six novels. The discussions will concentrate on plot, setting, theme, characterization, and style.
A Comparison of Christopher Marlowe's Edward II and William Shakespeare's Richard II
This study purports to examine several areas of similarity between the chronicle history plays by Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare. Edward II and Richard II are alike in many ways, most strikingly in the similarity of the stories themselves. But this is a superficial likeness, for there are many other likenesses--in purpose, in artistry, in language--which demonstrate more clearly than the parallel events of history the remarkable degree to which these plays resemble each other.
The Concept of the Ennobling Power of Love in Shakespeare's Love Tragedies
This study proposes to demonstrate that the Platonic doctrine of the ennobling power of love is of paramount importance in a number of Shakespeare's plays. This study has been limited to the three love tragedies because in them the ennobling power of love is a major theme, affecting both the characters and the plot structure. The plays to be studied are Romeo and Juliet, Troilus and Cressida, and Antony and Cleopatra.
The Artist in Durrell's Alexandria Quartet
Self-knowledge serves as the basis for further insight into other themes and ideas. The investigation proceeds, then, from the search for self to the somewhat higher plane of the role of the artist in society; it is completed with an analysis of the motivations which lead the artist into an attainment of complete artistic fulfillment.
Spasmodic Poetry : its Nature and Historical Context.
The emphasis of this thesis is to describe the Spasmodic poets of the Victorian period, to define "Spasmodism", to familiarize the reader with the major Spasmodics and their works, and to show the role that the Spasmodics filled during the Victorian period in English literature.
Teaching Standard English as a Second Language at V. L. Williams Elementary School
For some time, teaching Standard English has been a problem of major proportion at Versia L. Williams Elementary School, Fort Worth, Texas. Even casual observation shows that pupils do not grasp much of the classroom English teaching, nor do they transfer that which they do learn to other school work or daily use. The instructional program in English at the Williams Elementary School, therefore, must be supplemented to the extent that the pupils may be given the kinds of experiences in the classroom that will ultimately result in their learning Standard English in a manner that will enable them to relate the "book talk" to their own idiolects, which according to Giddings (2) everyone has. They bring to school a well-established set of habits which they will continue to use in spite of the classroom instruction, because they hold on to the teaching of their first teachers--their mothers.
A Decade of Grammatical Liberalism
Against the background of conservatism, liberalism, and counter-reaction among linguists, this study will survey the degrees of liberality shown by the writers of a group of present-day handbooks and grammars toward six disputable issues.
The Fugitive Kind in the Major Plays of Tennessee Williams
What basic similarities are found in all the fugitives? First of all, they are fugitives in the sense that they are wanderers. While not necessarily running to or from some specific thing, the fugitives nonetheless are men who travel; they are men who only face their conflicts directly when they attempt to stop traveling either by changing themselves so that they will fit in (Val in Orpheus Descending and Chance), by changing their environment so that it will accept them (Val in Battle of Angels and Shannon), or by searching for something that is permanently lost (Kilroy).
The Satirical Elements in the Works of Sir John Vanbrugh
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate through an examination of the satirical elements in Sir John Vanbrugh's eight complete plays and his fragmentary last play that his central motivating force was a desire to entertain London society and divert them from "their wives and taxes."
Establishing an Integrated Language Arts Program in the Primary Grades
This thesis had its inception in the mind of the writer when, disturbed by third grade children's lack of interest and low level of linguistic achievement, she endeavored to find both a more effective means of encouraging children to acquire the tools of language and a more effective method of teaching children the fundamentals of language arts. The writer determined, therefore, to investigate an integrated language arts program in the hope that it would prove to be a more effective method of teaching.
The Role of History in Kenneth Roberts' Novels
The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate Kenneth Roberts' transmutation of American history into living literature. This examination will cover the following novels: Arundel (1929), The Lively Lady (1931), Rabble in Arms (1933), Captain Caution (1934), Northwest Passage (1937), Oliver Wiswell (1940), and Lydia Bailey (1947).
Shakespeare's Shylock : A Re-evaluation
This paper will be a study designed to clarify Shylock's position by seeing him in the proper historical perspective. It will examine briefly the role of the Jew in history and in literature prior to Shakespeare.
Utopia : An Idea-centered Activity for Accelerated Twelfth Grade Students
Through the ages dissatisfaction with his environment has provoked man to envision the ideal or "utopian" setting which would be more to his liking. The discontent of today's youth with the world it has inherited echoes the complaints of past generations and yet is of particular significance and relevance to the twelfth grade student soon to enter the college community where protests are becoming increasingly more articulate and effective. Established institutions and behavior codes are challenged with impunity although critics charge that such dissent is irresponsible and unsupported by positive, alternative proposals for improvement.
North American Indian Mythology and Folklore for Secondary School Students
Through a study of North American Indian folklore and mythology, the non-Indian can at last begin to know the Indian with whom he has shared a continent and to find out something of his religion, traditions, history, humor, and tribal peculiarities. The approach to this study through motifs, already familiar to the students from other literature, offers a practical approach and one that can be adapted to classroom use, perhaps either in the study of myth, the study of literary types, the study of literature per se, or perhaps in the study of cultural differences.
Dostoevsky and the Irresistible Idea
The primary goal of this paper is to investigate the phenomenon of a dream, a desire, or an idea transpiring in the thoughts of an individual, growing in importance to the individual, and finally becoming an idée fixe, or irresistible idea, which cannot be suppressed by the individual. The investigation will be concerned with the two of Dostoevsky's heroes who best exemplify the phenomenon.
The Quest Motif in American Literature, 1945-1970
The last one hundred years of American literature have witnessed the development of three elemental movements: naturalism, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, represented by such authors as Stephen Crane and Theodore Dreiser; nihilism, predominant in the 1920's and 1930's, represented best by Ernest Hemmingway; and the post-World War II literature which will be called literature of the quest, represented by such authors as Saul Bellow, William Styron, Philip Roth, John Updike, and others. The first chapter will show briefly the historical development of these three movements in American literature, their distinctive features, and their relationship to American moral and social values. Chapters Two through Four will analyze in detail the three distinctive aspects of this emerging literary form--the literature of the quest. The last chapter will focus on one novel, Letting Go, by Philip Roth, as an example of this literature.
Thomas Wolfe's Romantic Affinity for Germany
This thesis explores the politics and views of Thomas Wolfe's romantic affinity for Germany.
Lord Byron's Attitude Toward Napoleon
This thesis is significant for the knowledge it offers concerning the influence of Napoleon Bonaparte's personality and career upon the character and the work of Lord Byron. It is significant because of the light it throws on both Napoleon and the culture of Europe during his era. This study is significant in the insight it indirectly gives into the psychological phenomenon of hero-worship, to which it gives a more universal application through the medium of Byron's attitude toward Napoleon.
The South in Faulkner's Novels: Myth and History
The purpose of this paper is to view Faulkner's use of history from a different perspective by examining in detail the myths and historical facts with which Faulkner dealt. First, several of the prevailing myths about the Old South and the Civil War will be examined. Second, the actual historical facts will be compared and contrasted with legendary tradition. Third, and most important, several of Faulkner's works will be examined to show how he uses both the myths and historical facts to create his own "legend" of the South. Finally, Faulkner's view of the New South will be examined.
Shakespeare's Monarchical Views
The purpose of this study is to treat one aspect of Shakespeare's political views, his views on monarchy as found in the two great English history tetralogies, and to compare them to the monarchical views of his age.
Southern Protestantism in the Fiction of Flannery O'Connor
The main body of the thesis concerns itself with the beliefs and characteristics of Southern Protestantism as they appear in the fiction of Flannery O'Connor.
Two Controversial Novels in the High School
This thesis describes critically two famous controversial novels, one by an English author, the other by an American, in such a manner that an emotionally and intellectually secure teacher will be able to draw from these findings in order to teach either of these literary works confidently.
A Study of the Stylistic Technique of Nathaniel Hawthorne in the Creation of Romance
For convenience and for control, the analysis of Nathaniel Hawthorne's style presented here is limited to a selection of his short stories. The short story form will serve better to illustrate the thesis of this paper, that Hawthorne's style is used deliberately to create, in part, the neutral territory he desired. The shorter form has been chosen, additionally, because it requires of its author a certain discipline--superfluous elements of style must be abandoned so that the story can get on about its business. Hawthorne's short fiction, moreover, contains nearly all the stylistic techniques which he later used in his novels.
A Course of Study in the Use of the Dictionary
Teachers sometimes assume that their students are more skillful in the use of the dictionary than they actually are. Today's student needs thorough, formal training that is cumulative over his school years and that is based on the same linguistic principles that have raised the art of lexicography to its present high level. It is the purpose of this thesis to provide a plan for attaining these ends.
Frustration and Quest in the Poems and Plays of T. S. Eliot
A careful examination of the creative writing of T. S. Eliot reveals that his poetry can be divided for purposed of consideration into two phases. The first phase refers to those poems written up to and including "The Hollow Men". These early poems can best be grouped together and characterized by the term frustration. The poetry of the second phase, written after "The Hollow Man," is dominated by and best considered in regard to a quest for the ideal.
Source Book for a Semester's Study of Language in Twelfth Grade English
While most of the current concepts about language may serve as the underlying principles of language study in all English classes, there appears to be a need in the high school curriculum for opportunity to study in concentrated manner the background and the development of the English language, as a subject of intrinsic interest and lifelong appreciation. A logical place for this type of study, offered on an elective basis, would be in one semester of the twelfth grade. Because of the scope and the depth of the study it would be considered an accelerated course. In the following chapters an attempt will be made to write a guide for such a curriculum.
The Personality of John Keats as Revealed in His Letters
Through a careful and thorough analysis of Keats's observations, thoughts and feelings as expressed in his letters, the reader can gain an understanding of the poet's hopes, his fears, his ambitions, his true personality.
Social Criticism in the Works of John Steinbeck
This thesis is a study of John Steinbeck's observations and opinions during twenty-eight years of writing about the relationships between people of difference economics and social classes.
The Drama of George Farquhar.
This thesis explores the characters, themes, and comic devices used in the drama of George Farquhar.
Nine Women in the Fiction of Joseph Conrad
The purpose of this study is to show that many of Conrad's women characters were not merely passive factors and that their inclusion in his fiction was more functional than incidental.
Differences in Katherine Mansfield and Anton Chekhov as Short Story Writers
The purpose of this study is to examine the extent of Katherine Mansfield's literary indebtedness to Anton Chekhov. Throughout the critical writing about Mansfield there are many suggestions that her work is similar to that of Chekhov, but, these allusions are, for the most part, vague in pointing out specific likenesses.
Lamb's Self-Revelations as "Elia"
The purpose of this thesis is to determine the nature of Charles Lamb as revealed in his Elia essays. To this end, these essays form the major portion of the text. The general procedure for ascertaining what these excerpts indicate is as follows: first, the characteristics of Charles Lamb are determined from a study of the Elia essays; second, these characteristics are considered in relation to information derived from biographies. Careful attention is given to significant discrepancies between the essays and other sources.
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