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Taboo Themes In Lolita

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Considered a fascinating mixture of both abominable moral dimensions and a creation full of wonder, Lolita depicts in great depth and detail a story of travesty and hiding, a story of deranged criminality which takes the form of the soul wrenching confession of a pedophile, of a mad man and of a wretched soul of an artist. Through Humbert Humbert’s memoir of pain and despair, so morally tainted and predatory in its nature, Nabokov skillfully fosters and transforms the taboo theme of a pedophiliac attraction into the complex mirage of an ultimate passion with its most virile, enchanting fruits of temptation, allure, sin and obsession. This most horrific scene is morphed and distorted through its distinctive patterns and esthetically pleasing …show more content…

Can one really trust this linguistic magician, who all too subjectively –drafts out in a contradictory fashion – a story in which the seductress is merely but a child –who as he explains has willingly given herself to him only to later turn away in a cruel and disgusted matter-while he “the lumbering brute”*, the sympathetic powerless victim aches painfully under her selfish abuse? In it crucial that the reader does not turn a blind eye to this crucial statement-in order to fully understand not only the true monster of this modern fiction, but also the true essence of the novel itself. A scholar, aesthete and romantic-Humbert Humbert is a trained and skillful manipulator-and this memoir is especially crafted in order to gain from it’s reader a somewhat intimate understanding-while indiscreetly exposing the vile truth of his character through a charming, puzzling and self-mocking tone. His errors, his faults, his vices (some openly discussed while others faintly hinted or glimpsed upon-between the gaps of his aesthetic mask) are overlapped, justified and explained through and by his “crippiling” insanity and mental breakdowns-therefor despite it all, despite all struggles- he is in no control of his fate and cannot be held responsible for his obsession, for his murderous ways. Such is the furtive reality Humbert’s

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“Studying a work’s major themes helps develop understanding of an author’s intent and the quality of the work” (Beauty and the Beast 59). The author clearly portrays full understanding of the play, Cyrano de Bergerac, by studying the work’s major themes. Cyrano de Bergerac, a play by Edmond Rostand, reveals the struggles that Cyrano, the renowned poet, confronts in order to receive love from his beloved one, Roxane. Unfortunately, Cyrano’s hideous appearance discourages him from expressing his true feelings to Roxane. Charles Marowitz, the author of the literary criticism, depicts his thoughts on countless aspects of the story, from romance to uniqueness.

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Edmond Rostand’s comedic play Cyrano de Bergerac recounts the tragic heartbreak of an unsightly French poet as he aids his handsome but dull cohort Christian in capturing the heart of the beautiful Roxane. Cyrano de Bergerac, a colossal-nosed man with a masterful talent for wielding both words and sword, battles self-doubt and insecurity as he contends with his own feelings of love for Roxane. Throughout the play, Rostand reveals a stark polarity between Cyrano and Christian, illuminating the gaping disparity between the characters’ appearance and intellect while portraying the men as foils for each other. From the play’s beginning, Rostand’s audience becomes keenly aware of the divergence between Cyrano’s intellectual substance and Christian’s physical attributes. While Cuigy pronounces Christian “a charming head,” the character describes himself as “...far from bright” (Rostand 1.4-5).

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Literary Analysis of Incantation Alice Hoffman 's powerful story takes place during such a hard time; the Spanish Inquisition in which our protagonist, Estrella de Madrigal faces an arduous decision between her best friend and the Spaniards. “Estrella de Madrigal thought she knew herself: daughter, granddaughter, dearest friend. But the truth is rare in this cruel, unforgiving century in Spain.” In the novel “Incantation,” Alice Hoffman has developed a meaningful yet a ubiquitous theme of how the infamous jealousy can destroy a person in many forms uses the literary devices such as simile and personification. Hoffman 's use of simile develops the theme that jealousy can destroy a person in many forms.

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Meredith Liu Professor Ila Sheren TA: Heather Read (Section K) 28 April 2017 Paper #3 The Transformed Dream: Elusive Realities The most fascinating art is often the most perplexing. In the case of Giorgio de Chirico, his repressed consciousness manifests itself in the surreal concoction of oil paint on canvas known as The Transformed Dream. At first glance, the viewer might simply see an odd collection of objects composed into an oblong still life.

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The emotional responses to the Creature’s condition that the novel evokes are illuminated when cast in psychoanalytical light. This article traces how shame and disgust, as theorized by Silvan Tomkins, operate in the novel, and how these responses disrupt or undermine the function of sympathy, as described by Adam Smith. In doing so, the article attempts to show that ethical readings of the novel – readings which participate in both Enlightenment ideas of sympathy and Romantic ideas of the “Other” – remain problematic because of the enduring presence of shame and disgust throughout the novel. The novel remains as powerful as it is partly because of the irreconcilability of the affects of shame and disgust with the ethical operation of sympathyhttp://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10509580701844967   Works Cited Sympathy In Frankenstein. "

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Her abuse of drugs in the solitude of her white and sterile bathroom that she perceives as sanctuary provides the rare moments of deviation. Lolita’s desire to buy “her own ticket out of the country” (Hagedorn, 228), verifies her need to abscond the

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The relationship between the mother and child is shown through the authors use of connotative language in words such as “wines” “monster” and “hatred” which mirrors the persona’s frustration and shows that their relationship is often one of hatred and resentment. Through the metaphor of “the devils burning in my brain” as well as the “monster grins”, Harwood conveys a metaphorical suggestion of her internal frustration. ‘Burning Sappho’ was written under the female

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It can be quite easy to make assumptions about one’s character upon first glance or first encounter, but often these first assumptions are not a direct representation of a person’s true disposition. In the short story, “The Diary of a Madman” by Guy de Maupassant, an esteemed magistrate is being remembered for the model citizen he was, having lived a life that no one could subject to criticism. However, a notary uncovered his diary in a drawer in his home, in which he entailed his tendencies and cravings for murder that no one had expected of him. Within this text, the author uses the character of the magistrate to convey the theme that one’s true character cannot be decided from external appearance or actions. From the beginning of the text, it is made evident that this man was revered as the most well-respected judge in all of France.

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Originating in France, ‘The Necklace’ is a short story written by French writer Guy de Maupassant in the late nineteenth century, the period where literary movements realism and naturalism dominated French fiction. Maupassant played an important role in both the realist movement and the naturalist movement through his depiction of the setting as well as the character’s decision. The short story reflects upon the rigid patriarchal society during the late nineteenth century, demonstrating how the wealth of a person can lead to their generosity and greed; thus affecting their lifestyles. Through ‘The Necklace’, Maupassant aims to depict the conflicts between the upper-class and the lower class, how their inner desires vary. This essay will analyze ‘The Necklace’ and how Maupassant uses the social context, characters and literary devices in the short story to illustrate his misogynistic viewpoints towards women.

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