1,089 Answered Questions for the topic literature

04/16/19

Why does Anne call Richard a Hedgehog in Act I, Scene II of Richard III?
This is probably an easy question, but why does Anne call Richard a Hedgehog in Act I, Scene II of Richard III: > Dost grant me, hedgehog? then, God grant me too Thou mayst be damned for... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •1

04/15/19

What do the "mirror" and the "lake" represent in "Mirror" by Sylvia Plath?
In ["Mirror" by Sylvia Plath](https://allpoetry.com/poem/8498499-Mirror-by-Sylvia-Plath), the speaker in the poem says, > Now I am a lake. But, also at times implies that the speaker is a... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •2

04/15/19

How many of Shakespeare's words in his plays were new?
William Shakespeare is famous for using many words in his plays which were new introductions to the English language. According to [Shakespeare... more
Follows • 2
Expert Answers •2

04/15/19

How do Hamlet's thoughts and doubts about the afterlife affect him?
In _Hamlet_, there are many references to the afterlife, god, and what the consequences of his actions are. ###My question is this: _Did Hamlet's pre-conceptions about the afterlife ultimately... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •2
Literature English

04/15/19

Are the words interesting and interested related or different please choose from one of the three answers below

A)Yes, they're related. They're both participles of the verb "to interest.""Interested" is the past participle of the verb "to interest" and is often used as an adjective."Interesting" is the... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •1
Literature Poetry Meter

04/15/19

Analysis of a self-written stanza in terms of meter?
A long time ago I used to write poetry, and there was one particular stanza that has always stuck with me and seemed inherently rhythmic, but I’m not familiar with the relevant terminology and so... more
Follows • 2
Expert Answers •1

04/14/19

Who chained the albatross to the mariner's neck?
In the long poem by Samuel Coleridge, _The Rime of the Ancient Mariner_, the mariner talks about an albatross being chained to his neck: > Instead of the cross, the albatross > About my... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •1

04/13/19

Looking for a poem about the (fictionalized) writing of The Canterbury Tales Prologue?
A friend of mine used to quote a poem that told the fictionalized story of Chaucer writing the first lines of the Prologue of *The Canterbury Tales*: > "Whan that Aprill with his ... ". When... more
Follows • 3
Expert Answers •2

04/12/19

What reference is Shakespeare making in Act 2 Scene 2 of Macbeth?
In Act 2 Scene 2 of *Macbeth* there is this line. > What hands are here? Ha! They pluck out mine eyes. Someone two days ago told me this is a reference to a different piece of literature. I... more
Follows • 2
Expert Answers •1
Literature English Latin Writing

04/12/19

What is the origin of the word 'companion'?
The origin of words is often the most fascinating thing about language!
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •1

04/12/19

Was Rand al'Thor supposed to be a symbol for Jesus?
Rand al'Thor has several moments that could be considered "biblical", including (spoilers): >!"redeeming" mankind by cleansing Saidin", Dying to save the world, and being reborn after death,... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •1

04/12/19

What is "Protean Ubiquity" in Proust's "Swann's Way"?
I have started reading Proust's Swann's way. On page 66, after providing a very vivid description of aunt Leonie's house and its atmosphere, describes her state. She has gradually left the outside... more
Follows • 2
Expert Answers •1

04/12/19

What is the significance/symbolism of the hexagon in "The Library of Babel"?
In *The Library of Babel* by Jorge Luis Borges, the speaker describes the Library, as the universe, as > The universe (which others call the Library) is composed of an indefinite and perhaps... more
Follows • 2
Expert Answers •1

04/12/19

Why did Shakespeare write in iambic pentameter?
Shakespeare is incredibly famous for writing a lot in iambic pentameter. But why did he choose to write in this specific style of having ten beats and 5 stressed syllables per line? Considering... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •2

04/11/19

What is the deeper meaning of "The Tyger"?
William Blake's poem ["The Tyger"](https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43687/the-tyger) is part of his collection [*Songs of Innocence and of... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •2
Literature English

04/11/19

AP Literature Open Essay Prompt from 1994 (submitted by a tutor to show sample English essay)
In some works of literature, a character who appears briefly, or does not appear at all, is a significant presence. Choose a novel or play of literary merit and write an essay in which you show how... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •2
Literature

04/09/19

Grammer and literature
How do I refer to the past? If 'used' means i've worked with said tool, then how do I refer to the past of my life? EX:I _______ to do something... please help.Sincerely, a confused costumer.
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •1

04/08/19

Confused about the meter and rhythm of Ulysses by Tennyson?
Ulysses is written in iambic pentameter. There are a few spondees and trochees thrown in for good measure, but I'm confused in some places, like here: > I cannot rest from travel: I will drink... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •1
Literature Music Meter

04/08/19

How can prose be musical?
Prof. Brooks Landon, U. Iowa, [Ph.D. U. Texas at Austin](https://english.uiowa.edu/people/brooks-landon). *Building Great Sentences: How to Write the Kinds of Sentences You Love to Read* (Great... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •1

04/08/19

In Anne Frank's Diary, what does this quote mean? "Who besides me will ever read these letters? From whom but myself shall I get comfort?..."?
Full quote: > *Who besides me will ever read these letters? From whom but myself > shall I get comfort? As I need comforting often, I frequently feel > weak, and dissatisfied with myself;... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •1

04/07/19

Name of Shakespeare play in which a woman both saves and punishes a man?
I'm trying to remember a quote I read from a Shakespeare book, but it has been at least 10 years so my memory of it is quite low. The little I remember is a man that is trying to hide enters a... more
Follows • 2
Expert Answers •1

04/06/19

What did Lorca mean by ‘crocodiles’ in his poem ‘The King of Harlem’?
The poet Federico García Lorca, when he was studying at Colombia University visited Harlem with a friend of his, Nella Larsen, a black novelist. It made a tremendous impression upon him and its... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •1

04/06/19

What does the line “Excellent, i' faith, of the chameleon's dish. I eat the air, promise-crammed. You cannot feed capons so.” mean, from Hamlet?
> “Excellent, i' faith, of the chameleon's dish. I eat the air, promise-crammed. You cannot feed capons so.” *Hamlet*, act 3, scene 2 What does this sentence mean? What are the chameleon, air... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •2
Literature Poetry

04/05/19

I need help identifying poetic devices

To tell the truth, those brick Housing Authority buildingsFor whose loveliness no soul had planned,Like random dominoes stood, worn out and facing each other,Creating the enclosure that was our... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •1

04/05/19

Is Deeper Magic something more than God (the Emperor beyond the Sea) in Narnia?
When Aslan is asked why he has to die in the *The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe*, he answers something in the sense that there is a "deeper magic" that he has to obey. What exactly is this... more
Follows • 3
Expert Answers •1

Still looking for help? Get the right answer, fast.

Ask a question for free

Get a free answer to a quick problem.
Most questions answered within 4 hours.

OR

Find an Online Tutor Now

Choose an expert and meet online. No packages or subscriptions, pay only for the time you need.