The Arc
1) Nostromo
Originally published in 1904, Nostromo is considered by many to be Conrad's supreme achievement. Set in the imaginary South American republic of Costaguana, the novel reveals the effects of unbridled greed and imperialist interests on many different lives. Although each character's potential for good is ultimately corrupted, Nostromo underscores Conrad's...
North and South draws on Gaskell's own experiences of the poverty and hardship of life in the industrial north of England. Her heroine, Margaret Hale, is taken from the wealthy south by her nonconformist minister father, to live in a fictional northern town. The stark differences are explored through Margaret's abrupt change in circumstance, and her sympathetic reaction to the plight of the northerners. She comes into conflict with a local
...3) UFO! Roswell
Thomas Hardy's final novel Jude the Obscure explores notions of class, religion, marriage and modernization through its protagonist Jude Fawley, a working-class man who dreams of being a scholar. Provocative and daring for its day, the book was burnt publicly by the Bishop of Wakefield when it was published in 1895.
“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.”
The Bennets are a family of five daughters, and with no male heir, the Bennet estate must someday pass to their priggish cousin Mr. Collins. Therefore, with no fortune or security of their...
The Taming of the Shrew is perhaps one of Shakespeare's most controversial plays by modern standards. Hinging on the courtship between the arrogant Petruchio and the "shrew" of the title Katherina, it is unclear whether Shakespeare's blatantly misogynistic themes were in earnest or tongue in cheek. The charming and tender Bianca is forbidden to marry until her elder sister, Katherine is spoken for. Bianca's suitors enlist Petruchio to woo
...12) Hamlet
Dive into the tragedy that many critics regard not only as Shakespeare's finest play, but also as one of the best literary works ever produced. Set in Denmark, Hamlet recounts the events that transpire after the King is murdered by his brother Claudius, who then marries his brother's widow. Prince Hamlet uncovers the true nature of his father's death and feigns madness to create a trap. A must-read for fans of classic literature.
E. M. Forster's 1924 masterpiece, A Passage to India, is a novel that tackles the thorny notions of preconceptions and misconceptions through characters' desire to overcome the barrier that divides East and West in colonial India. Here we see the limits of liberal tolerance, good intentions, and good will as we try to sort through the common problems that exist between two very different cultures. But Forster's India is a country where the English
...14) The Tempest
The Tempest is thought by many to be Shakespeare's greatest and most perfect play. When the magician Prospero deliberately summons a storm to overcome his enemy King Alonso of Naples ship the passengers are washed ashore on a fantastical island. Prospero manipulates the king, his entourage, apparitions and fiends as he schemes revenge on the hapless Alonso. Prospero's daughter and the King's son Ferdinand fall in love and their fraught lover
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