Classics
A:
"To Kill a Mockingbird," from Harper Lee's novel of the same name, is a metaphor that means "to hurt someone who has done no wrong." It references a comment in the novel by character Atticus Finch to his daughter Scout.
-
Q: What Does "slow and Steady Wins the Race" Mean?
A: The phrase "slow and steady wins the race," comes from the internationally recognised Aesop's Fable "The Tortoise and the Hare." It is a story of two unequal partners who have a race. The story is used to illustrate that consistency and perseverance outweigh speed. -
Q: What Is the Theme of "The Snowstorm" by Ralph Waldo Emerson?
A: Ralph Waldo Emerson’s poem “The Snowstorm” is about the power of nature, objectified by the storm, to create great beauty and do harm with indifference. Although the storm isolates and hides, when seen in the sunlight, the drifts and ice create great beauty. This allows people to transcend the physical through the philosophical to the beauty of the universe, which is that of Nature and the Soul. -
Q: What Is a Classic Tragedy?
A: A classical tragedy is the story of a hero (or heroine) who experiences a reversal of fortune set in motion by the gods as a result of hubris. Oedipus is one example of a classical tragedy. -
Q: Why Did Charles Dickens Write "A Christmas Carol"?
A: There were two significant reasons why Charles Dickens wrote "A Christmas Carol." The first was the fact that his latest book was not selling and led him into serious financial trouble. The second was a visit to the industrial city of Manchester in 1843, where he saw the plight of the poor and felt the need to comment on the wide gap between them and the rich. -
Q: What Were Shakespeare's Occupations?
A: In addition to being an actor, playwright, and entrepreneur, it is thought that Shakespeare may have also worked as a horse attendant and assistant schoolmaster. There are several years of Shakespeare's life for which there is no existing account, and scholars merely speculate on his occupation during those years, notes Biograph.com. -
Q: How Did Shakespeare Become Famous?
A: Within two years of writing his first play, "Henry VI, Part One," which put him on London's theatrical map, Williams Shakespeare was so famous that established playwright Robert Greene referred to him as an "upstart crow" in a critique of his work. Shakespeare wrote "Henry VI, Part One" while still living in his native Stratford. Shortly thereafter, he moved to London to continue writing plays as well as acting. -
Q: What Is Voltaire Famous For?
A: Voltaire, born François-Marie Arouet, was one of the most famous of French enlightenment thinkers or philosophers. As an author, Voltaire worked in a variety of different media, including novels, short stories, plays, essays, poetry and pamphlets. His most famous work is likely the scathing satire, "Candide," subtitled "Optimism." -
Q: What Is the Name of the Boat in "Moby Dick"?
A: The name of the boat in "Moby Dick" is the Pequod, which is also the name of a Native American tribe that lived in the northeastern United States. -
Q: What Is a Brief Summary of "Hamlet"?
A: The play "Hamlet," written by William Shakespeare, follows the journey of Prince Hamlet of Denmark as he seeks revenge on his deceased uncle, Claudius. "Hamlet," which is also called "The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark," was written by Shakespeare between the years 1599 and 1602. This play is among Shakespeare's most powerful and popular works. -
Q: How Did Hercules Die?
A: Though the stories of Hercules' death have varying details, all recount that the Greek hero suffered the effects of an intense poison and ultimately died on a funeral pyre. His immortal spirit ascended to Olympus to stay with the gods. -
Q: What Is an Example of Dramatic Irony in "Julius Caesar"?
A: An example of dramatic irony in "Julius Caesar" by William Shakespeare is when Caesar is warned about the Ides of March by the soothsayer. Dramatic irony occurs when the audience knows something that the character does not know. In this scene, the audience recognizes that the Ides of March is the day Caesar dies, but Caesar himself does not know this and ignores the warning, which results in his death. -
Q: What Is "In Another Country" by Ernest Hemingway?
A: "In Another Country" is a short story written by Ernest Hemingway. It was published in 1927 as part of his "Nick Adams" series. The story revolves around the character of Nick as he recuperates in a Milan hospital during World War I. -
Q: What Were the Rules of Courtship in Othello?
A: The rules of courtship in Othello involved keeping a relationship secret, using others to communicate between lovers, giving small gifts as tokens of affection, and giving a more special gift as a secret symbol of engagement. Many of the courtship rules in the time in which Othello was written were offshoots of older medieval traditions. -
Q: Why Does Gatsby Call Nick "old Sport?"
A: In F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby," Gatsby calls Nick "old sport" as a term of endearment. The phrase also references Gatsby's manufactured affectations and his transition from poor James Gatz to rich Jay Gatsby. -
Q: What Are Some Important Globe Theatre Facts?
A: The Globe Theatre was a large, round and open-air theater made famous by its connection with the playwright William Shakespeare, who owned a 12.5 percent share in the theater. It was built by Richard Burbage in 1599 on the south bank of the River Thames in London. The Globe Theatre lasted 85 years, burning down once, before it was turned into tenement housing after the Puritans suppressed all stage plays. -
Q: In "Julius Caesar," Why Does Calpurnia Want Caesar to Stay Home?
A: In William Shakespeare's play "Julius Caesar," Caesar's wife, Calpurnia, begs him to stay home because she dreamed of his murder. At this point in the play, Act 2, Scene 2, Brutus and other Roman senators have decided to murder Caesar when he comes to the Capitol. -
Q: What Are the Seven Deadly Sins of Dante's "Inferno"?
A: The seven deadly sins of Dante's "Inferno" are lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy and pride. Dante crossed paths with souls condemned to eternal damnation as he journeyed through the Inferno, gaining deeper understanding as he studied their plight. The sinners that Dante encountered were being punished for the specific deadly sin which they were most guilty of in life. -
Q: What Are Some Examples of Romanticism in "Frankenstein"?
A: The novel "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley contains several romanticist themes, including the enthusiastic and almost surreal characterization of nature. Additionally, Shelley's characters are driven by larger-than-life emotions, another staple component of romanticist fiction. Finally, there is the call for humans to press the boundaries of their own existence and understanding. -
Q: What Happens at the End of Macbeth?
A: At the end of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth commits suicide, Macduff kills Macbeth and Malcolm is hailed King of Scotland. Throughout the 11 scenes in Act V, Macbeth and his wife show that their sanity has been compromised while Macduff, Malcolm and an English-Scottish coalition prepare to war against the castle. Macbeth exceedingly relies on the Weird Sisters' predictions regarding his future, and Lady Macbeth begins sleepwalking as guilt torments her. -
Q: How Many Books Has C.S. Lewis Written?
A: Writer Clive Staples (C.S.) Lewis composed 74 books, including several essay collections published after his death. Lewis is best known for his fictional work, particularly "The Chronicles of Narnia," though most of Lewis' books are nonfiction works. -
Q: Why Do We Need to Study Philippine Literature?
A: While most Philippine literature was written under the significant influence of the occupying Spanish powers during the 1800s, there is also a viable body of work written in the 20th and 21st centuries that makes an important contribution to world literature, which makes it a worthwhile culture to analyze. Philippine literature includes poetry, metrical romances, educational and religious prose, religious and secular drama and modern nationalist literature.