British Elitism and Imperialism in “She” and “Robinson Crusoe”

by Brittany W

Daniel Defoe’s “Robinson Crusoe” and H. Rider Haggard’s “She” are not simply comparable in their elaborate tales of adventure, but also in their underlying themes of English imperialism and racial superiority.   Published in… Continue reading →

Christina Rossetti’s Outlook on Prostitution and Redemption in the Victorian Era

by Brittany W

Prostitution is typically not the first thought that arises when one thinks of Victorian England. It is indeed a period marked by substantial innovations including transportation, industrialism, and literature. Nevertheless, this era was… Continue reading →

Triumph of the Serpent

by Brittany W

In Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s poem “Christabel,” the conniving and sensual Geraldine is introduced as a foil to the innocent Christabel. Throughout the poem, Christabel’s kind consideration for Geraldine and her ignorance of Geraldine’s… Continue reading →

Mary Prince: From a Female Perspective

by Brittany W

Published in 1831, when slavery was still heavily practiced in the West Indies, “The History of Mary Prince, a West Indian Slave,” written by Prince herself, painted a never before seen picture of… Continue reading →

Mary Wollstonecraft: The Struggles of a Revolutionary

by Brittany W

In the eighteenth century, a time of revolution and political reformation, many writers occupied themselves with producing political pamphlets and opinionated essays. Mary Wollstonecraft is no exception to this circle of revolutionary theorists,… Continue reading →

The Use of Irony and Exaggeration in Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal”

by Brittany W

Jonathan Swift is undoubtedly one, if not the most, prominent satirical writers of the eighteenth century. In his writings he presents a blatant social criticism mocking the political, social, and religious norms of… Continue reading →