In the poem ‘To a Skylark’ Shelley addresses a skylark that soars up at a great height and sings so sweetly that the world is enchanted and bewitched by its sweetness. The skylark symbolizes many things. The skylark is Shelley’s greatest natural metaphor for pure poetic expression, the “harmonious madness”Continue Reading
The central thematic concerns of Shelley’s poetry are largely the same themes that defined Romanticism, especially among the younger English poets of Shelley’s era: beauty, the passions, nature, political liberty, creativity, and the sanctity of the imagination. What makes Shelley’s treatment of these themes unique is his philosophical relationship toContinue Reading
Percy Bysshe Shelley was an English Romantic poet who rebelled against conservative politics and values. He drew no essential distinction between poetry and politics, and his work reflected the radical ideas and revolutionary optimism of the era. In spite of the failure of the French Revolution, unlike Wordsworth or Coleridge,Continue Reading
“Ode to the West Wind” is a fine example of Shelley’s mytho-poetic imagination at work. The west wind is a spirit, as is the skylark. It possesses great powers and for this very reason Shelley can pray to it for what he feels he is deeply in need of. ShelleyContinue Reading
Candida, a comedy by playwright George Bernard Shaw, was written in 1894 and first published in 1898, as part of his Plays Pleasant. The play’s title is named after the central female character of a middle-aged housewife. The naming indicates Candida’s singular importance in the play and since Shaw, in aContinue Reading
Shaw’s ‘problem play’, Candida, deals with ‘The Woman Question’ in so far as it is a play about the issue of freedom of a domestic woman who is at the centre of the dramatic discourse. Candida is a very beautiful and seductive woman. She can charm men and usually gets what sheContinue Reading
George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) was an Irish playwright, critic, and polemicist known for his wit, sharp social commentary, and significant contributions to modern drama. Born in Dublin, Shaw moved to London in 1876, where he initially struggled as a writer. He gained recognition through his critical essays, particularly in music,Continue Reading
Saleem Sinai is born at the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947, the very moment of India’s independence. Greeted by fireworks displays, cheering crowds, and Prime Minister Nehru himself, Saleem grows up to learn the ominous consequences of this coincidence. His every act is mirrored and magnified in eventsContinue Reading
Salman Rushdie is a renowned British-Indian novelist, best known for his rich prose, magical realism, and exploration of cultural and political themes. Born on June 19, 1947, in Bombay (now Mumbai), India, he studied at King’s College, Cambridge, and began his literary career with the novel Grimus (1975), though itContinue Reading
Adrienne Rich (1929–2012) was an influential American poet, essayist, and feminist theorist whose work profoundly shaped 20th-century literature and social thought. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, she was a precocious student and published her first collection, A Change of World (1951), while still in college. Initially praised for her formal style,Continue Reading
