The Battle of the Books by Jonathan Swift
An Introduction The Genesis of “The Battle of the Books” The Battle of the Books is a satirical work which Swift wrote with a definite purpose. His purpose was to lend support to his patron,…
She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith
INTRODUCTION MAIN TITLE SUB-TITLE HIS MISTAKES CHARACTERS “She Stoops to Conquer” features a colorful cast of characters, each contributing to the play’s humor, wit, and social commentary.Kate Hardcastle: The intelligent and spirited daughter of Mr.…
The Progress of Poesy by Thomas Gray
INTRODUCTION I.1. Lines 1-12Awake, Æolian lyre, awake,And give to rapture all thy trembling strings.From Helicon’s harmonious springsA thousand rills their mazy progress take:The laughing flowers, that round them blow,Drink life and fragrance as they flow.Now…
Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard by Thomas Gray
The curfew tolls the knell of parting day,The lowing herd wind slowly o’er the lea,The plowman homeward plods his weary way,And leaves the world to darkness and to me. Now fades the glimm’ring landscape on…
The Passions. An Ode to Music by William Collins
The underlying idea in this poem is that music has the power to arouse and stir in the human heart all those feelings and passions which it is capable of experiencing. The principal feelings, which…
Ode to Simplicity by William Collins
STANZA 1 O thou, by Nature taught To breathe her genuine thought In numbers warmly pure, and sweetly strong; Who first on mountains wild, In Fancy, loveliest child, Thy…