A Wife Now Living

  On Dancing By Margaret After the absolute TRAUMA of the actual Oxford ELAT (English Literature Admissions Test), I thought I'd upload this practice I did a few days before. Whether it's any good or not, I don't know, but I really enjoyed writing it and it was a cute topic– Text a was a lovely extract from John Davies' poem 'Orchestra/ a poem of dancing' where Penelope's Suitor Antinous tries to convince her to dance, which I LOVED reading and writing about, and Text b was an extract from Frances Burney's 'Evelina' which I have not read, but I liked it and it was giving Jane Austen so that was fun. Obviously with the ELAT, there's no actual essay question, so I had a great time exploring a lot of ideas, especially as the topic was so girl-core. I hope you enjoy it<3   In Texts (a) and (b), Davies and Burney each present an impression of dancing, though they are very different, perhaps even opposites. While Davies’ poem glorifies dancing a...

The Prince Book Review by Margaret Niccolo Machiavelli Rating: 6/10 Date read: 24 May to 8 June The Prince was written in 1513 by Niccoló Machiavelli, an Italian diplomat and political theorist. It is intended to be an instructional guide for those in power, namely, princes. It is perhaps well known for its controversial theory that sometimes a prince would have to commit immoral, even cruel acts, in order to have a successful rule.  I read this book out of pure curiosity, and while some of the subject matter was new and interesting to me, I can’t say much of it seemed very likely. I’m no political theorist, but I do have a fair bit of common sense, and much of what Machiavelli claimed here seemed to be a bit far-fetched. Indeed, I would actually go so far as to call some of the principles suggested by Machiavelli as morally outrageous. ‘Since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than to be loved’. What would this...

Wide Sargasso Sea Book Review by Margaret Jean Rhys Rating: 5/10 Date read: 17 February to 2 April      Wide Sargasso Sea is a 1966 novel written as a prequel to Charlotte Bronte’s ‘Jane Eyre’, which serves as a postcolonial and feminist perspective on Bertha’s backstory. The novel presents themes such as ‘Victorian paternalism, sexualised racism and the complex social and political history of the West Indies’ (British Library).  The story is told from the alternating perspectives of Bertha, who is called Antoinette Cosway originally, and Rochester. It begins in Antoinette’s early childhood in her crumbling West Indian family estate and follows her life up until her imprisonment in Thornfield Hall. The story focuses on Antoinette’s relationships with those around her, particularly her mother, her maid Christophine and Rochester himself. The narrative is incredibly sensual and highly charged with anger, fear, bitterness, madness and erotica. This is enhanced by the ...

Never Let Me Go Book Review by Margaret By Kazuo Ishiguro Rating: 6.5/10 Date read: 11 February to 17 February Never Let Me Go is a 2005 dystopian science fiction novel which takes the form of a recounted narrative given by the main character, Kathy, who looks back on her life growing up at boarding school in 1990’s England with her two closest friends, Ruth and Tommy. However, throughout the story, it becomes evident that there is something sinister about the boarding school and the people involved with it. There is more to the story than Kathy immediately lets on, something which leads to desperation, regret, grief and death. It also leads the reader to question their own ideas about the value of human life and what makes us human. Never Let Me Go was recommended to me to read by two people who love the book and convinced me that I was in for a real rollercoaster of a ride. However, they were wrong. This book, while it has some ups and downs, was ultimately pointless and the ending f...

“We fly, in hope to get his glorious soul.” ( Mephostophilis )   To what extent do you agree with the view that “ Mephostophilis  is primarily responsible for Faustus’ damnation”?   By Oliver The devil M ephistophilis is a central character in Marlowe's 'Doctor Faustus'. Throughout the play he fills the role of Faustus' servant, master and a rguably even his companion. While it is clear that Mephistophilis does have a part in Faustus' downfall, is he primarily responsible for the damnation of the ' thrice-learned ' schol ar or do other factors play larger roles?   During the last act o f the play Faustus himself blames Mephistoph ilis for his descent claiming that the devil has 'robbed (him) of eternal happiness' Mephistophilis does not argue against this but takes pride in how he 'damned up' Faustus' 'Passage'. Throughout the play we can see the way i n which Mephistophilis cons Faustus into 'eter nal damnation', ...

To what extent do you agree that Penelope is portrayed as completely without fault in  The Odyssey ? By Margaret The character of Penelope in  The Odyssey  is portrayed as a woman of the highest and purest moral order. Penelope is frequently commended by other characters for her ‘loyalty’ to Odysseus and described throughout the narrative as ‘prudent’ and ‘flawless.’ Thus, it is clear that Homer  presents  Penelope as completely without fault in  The Odyssey  and that his original audience would have received her as such. However, the questions persist as to whether Penelope possesses any implicit faults which remain unmentioned simply for narrative purposes, and whether Penelope’s apparent flawlessness is also timeless. Penelope’s character in her first appearance in  The Odyssey  could easily be considered without fault. Homer describes her as ‘gracious’, entering the room with her ‘waiting-women’ and standing with her ‘shining veil ac...

 How  is Mortality Presented in Larkin's 'Ambulances '?   By Oliver 'Ambulances' offers the reader an insight into Larkin's complex views and emotions on death. In this poem the ambulances that 'thread loud noons of cities' act as a memento mori for all who see them, a morbid reminder of 'the solving emptiness // That lies just un der all we do' . Throughout the poem Larkin raises the question, what is the point of life - of 'fashions' and ' families' and 'dinners' and 'the exchange of love' - if, sooner or later , we will all be 'vis i ted ' by death?   Throughout the poem Larkin comments on the universality of death, it is the one thing that unites everyone . The idea of ambulances that will eventually visit 'all streets' and 'come to rest at any kerb' is a metaphor for how everyone will eventually die. Larkin's depiction of death is deeply impersonal, the ambulances do not retu...