Coleridge deals with the supernatural aspects of life and nature, and to do so, he has made extensive use of symbolism in his poems, and “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” is one of them. The greatness of a poet chiefly lies in his use of symbolism and imagery. Romantic poets have used different symbols … Read more
Belinda portrays the time of aristocratic and fashionable ladies. She is equally beautiful and charming. Early in the poem, the author compares her with the sun (also at the beginning of Canto II). It is as though the sun’s brightness wanes at the sight of her radiant beauty. The poet invests her almost with divine … Read more
Despite being a Swedish epic, Beowulf, a long-tailed and major Anglo-Saxon literary work, is oft-recognized as a national epic of England. The Independent, November 10, 2007. Beowulf is one of the earliest Old English epic poems in English literature and is repeatedly claimed as an English national epic despite belonging to a Swedish epic root. Although regarded as … Read more
We must agree that any artist, however talented, cannot altogether avoid the influence of his age. He is to take into account the characteristics of his age. In other words, having his root in contemporary times, he is to express the thoughts and feelings of his mind. So is the case with both the epics The … Read more
Virgil presented Dido in the opening book of the Aeneid with all her majestic charm and beauty. She is compared to Goddess Diana, though her sad predicament makes everyone sad. The composition of the Dido episode in the Aeneid is a remarkable aspect of this epic poem series, revealing Virgil’s originality in depicting this central woman character. Virgil is … Read more
The conflict between the Trojan hero and leader Aeneas, and the Rutulian Prince and the leader Turnus, of all Italian forces against the invaders, carries an epic conclusion. It is, therefore, very much significant in the whole scheme of the epic. The Aeneid is not a personal epic about Aeneas, but a national epic, a … Read more
Virgil has described Aeneas’ visit to the underworld in Book VI of The Aeneid. It has been considered the most outstanding achievement of Virgil’s imaginative and poetic prowess. The episode is the keystone of the whole of The Aeneid. Without this episode, the poem would break apart into two separate incomplete and incoherent short epics. In fact, … Read more
