Class annotations of 'Brothers' by Andrew Forster as part of our unseen poetry preparation
Unseen Poetry: Brothers
Othello: Corruption and Prejudice
Shakespeare’s presents the world in which Othello is set as ‘a world riddled with corruption and prejudice’ however, The society of 17th century Venice depicted a hierarchy that favored the white males, such as Cassio, in the play resulting in the suppression of Othello and the female characters in the play such as Desdemona and... Continue Reading →
Streetcar Named Desire: The Secrets of Blanche and Stanley
In ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ Tennessee Williams uses the characters of Stanley and Blanche as polar opposites who present the two sides of America: ‘the Old South vs the new America’. The character of Stanley is used as a tool to expose all of Blanche’s secrets and delusions as his blunt and primal nature does... Continue Reading →
How does Adichie present Papa’s relationships in Purple Hibiscus
Eugene Achike is presented as both a despotic tyrant and a vulnerable man desperately seeking the approval that he believes lies in the Catholic religion of “absolutist purity”[1], and leads him to perpetuate the same patriarchal abusive relationships on his own family as a result. Eugene is “her [Kambili’s] personal household god” and is... Continue Reading →
How are themes of colonialism, freedom and tyranny presented in the opening chapters of ‘Purple Hibiscus’?
Chimamanda Adichie attempts to “delve into the violence, corruption, and hopelessness of Nigeria…under Generals Ibrahim Babangida and Sani Abacha”[1] through the mirroring of Kambili’s father as well as the burgeoning development of Kambili herself. Which is, indirectly, in conflict with this restrictive regime both externally as a representation of Nigeria’s post-colonial civil wars and internally,... Continue Reading →
Exemplar Essay: How does Dickens present Pip’s characterisation throughout ‘Great Expectations’?
Initially, Pip is depicted as the most vulnerable, timid and wildly imaginative characters in the serialized Bildungsroman ‘Great Expectations’. The analytical retrospective narrative of young “childish” p.4 Pip from that of his older, experienced self, offers a unique perspective into his emotions as well as acting as a quasi-autobiographical parallel to Dickens’ own experiences. Written... Continue Reading →
Race and Characterisation in Othello
‘Othello’ is a socio-critique of the flaws in Jacobean society and of the presentation of stereotypes based on race. Shakespeare presents race and the characterization of Othello through his marriage to Desdemona, how others treat him and his initially strong “reputation”. His reputability deteriorates as the play progresses leading to his downfall. Shakespeare exemplifies... Continue Reading →
How is Race and Characterisation of Othello Presented?
The characterisation of Othello was presented through the dominant ideology of the predilection, prejudice and paragon image of race. The portrayal of the eponymous character in the play was stereotypically insinuated to be savage, violent and aggressive; however, was based on falsehood in order to expose Iago’s duplicitous character and ultimately Othello’s hamartia. ... Continue Reading →
Femininity and Relationships in ‘Eat Me’ and ‘Material’
How do the poets present femininity and relationships within ‘Eat Me’ and ‘Material’? Conclusion Ultimately, Ros Barber and Patience Agbabi both illustrate the intimate relationships; natural femininity and expectations that society has of women in their presentation of a toxic romantic relationship in ‘Eat Me’ and the overwhelming desire to emulate her mother in ‘Material’.... Continue Reading →
