Mital Helaiya

This blog is written as a task given by Prof. and Dr. Dilip Barad Sir, Head of the Department of English (MKBU). Introduction Thomas Hardy’s Jude the Obscure (1895) is one of the most unsettling and deeply thought-provoking novels in English literature. Hardy gives us not just a story of a stonemason who dreams of becoming a scholar but also a philosophical meditation on law, desire, religion, and the human search for meaning. The epigraphs with which Hardy frames his novel are crucial to unlocking these themes. They connect Jude’s personal struggles with broader cultural, biblical, and even mythological frameworks. Activity 1: “The letter killeth” Hardy’s striking epigraph, “The letter killeth” (2 Corinthians 3:6), sets the stage for the novel’s critique of rigid institutions. In its biblical context, Paul contrasts “the letter” (the written law) with “the spirit” that gives life. Hardy uses this idea to dramatize the suffocating effects of Victorian laws and dogmas on human freedom. ...

This Blog task was assigned by prakruti Ma'am (Department of English, MKBU) For further Details Click here Introduction Jonathan Swift’s A Tale of a Tub is one of the more challenging—and rewarding—works in early eighteenth-century English prose. It is dense, digressive, full of irony, parody, and shifting personae. But at its core the work brings together three overlapping aims: a religious allegory, a critique of contemporary writers and critics, and a satirical assault on the reading habits of his audience. In what follows I examine how Swift accomplishes those aims, and then reflect on his style, particularly in light of the remark: “There is no contemporary who impresses one more by his marked sincerity and concentrated passion (than Swift).” 1. A Tale of a Tub as Religious Allegory At the heart of A Tale of a Tub lies an allegory: the story of three brothers, Peter, Martin, and Jack, who inherit coats from their father and a Will that instructs them never to alter the coats. ...

This Blog task was assigned by Megha Ma'am (Department of English, MKBU) Introduction   Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is more than just a horror story. It is a novel full of questions about life, science, morality, and human nature. Written in 1818, it is still important today because the themes of ambition, responsibility, and compassion are timeless. Many people only know Frankenstein through movies, but the original novel is very different. In this blog, I will explore some important questions: How do the novel and movies differ? Who is the real monster? Is knowledge dangerous? Was the creature evil by nature? And finally, should there be limits on science? Let’s look at these one by one. 1. Major Differences Between the Movie and the Novel Most people first meet Frankenstein through movies, not Mary Shelley’s book. However, the novel and the films are very different. In the novel, Victor Frankenstein is a serious young scientist who spends years studying natural philosophy, chemi...

This blog is written as a task given by Prof. and Dr. Dilip Barad Sir, Head of the Department of English (MKBU). For background reading, you can check his blogs: click here . What is a Poet? Wordsworth’s Vision William Wordsworth, one of the main poets of the Romantic Age, wanted to change how people understood poetry. In his essay Preface to Lyrical Ballads, he explained his ideas about poetry, language, and the role of the poet. He believed poetry should be simple, emotional, and close to nature. His thoughts about what poetry is, and who a poet is, are still very important in literature today. Why Did Wordsworth Ask What is a Poet? Wordsworth does not ask “Who is a poet?” but “What is a poet?” because he is not interested in just the identity of a person. Instead, he wants to understand the true nature of a poet. For him, a poet is not simply someone who writes verses but a person with a special role in society—someone who can feel deeply, express emotions, and reveal truths about l...

This blog is written as a task assigned by the head of the Department of English (MKBU), Prof. and Dr. Dilip Barad Sir. Click here On the question: “Write your critical comment on the views of F. R. Leavis and J. B. Priestley on Dickens’ Hard Times. With whom do you agree? Why?” Answer A (10 Marks – 370 words) Introduction Charles Dickens’ Hard Times (1854) has attracted varied critical opinions. Two of the most influential critics, F. R. Leavis and J. B. Priestley, have taken almost opposing views. Leavis regarded Hard Times as Dickens’s one serious novel of ideas, while Priestley found it one of Dickens’s least successful works. A balanced evaluation of their views allows us to assess the novel’s significance in the literary canon. Leavis’s View In The Great Tradition (1948), F. R. Leavis praises Hard Times for its sharp critique of utilitarianism, industrialism, and the dehumanising effects of a fact-driven education. According to him, Dickens, usually celebrated for his storytellin...

This Blog task was assigned by Megha Ma'am (Department of English, MKBU) Introduction The Romantic Age in English literature (late 18th and early 19th century) was a period that celebrated feelings, imagination, and the beauty of nature. It was a reaction against the Enlightenment’s emphasis on reason, science, and logic. Instead of mechanical order, Romantic poets valued freedom of expression, the power of dreams, and the depth of emotions. Among the poets of this period—Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Shelley—John Keats (1795–1821) occupies a unique position. Although his life was tragically short, his contribution to poetry was extraordinary. He wrote with an intensity that captured the essence of Romanticism: love for beauty, deep imagination, sensuousness, and a touch of melancholy. Keats is often described as the “Poet of Beauty” and “Poet of Sensuousness.” His works reflect a pure devotion to art and beauty, untouched by politics or social reform. This essay critically explore...

The task, as assigned by Prof. Dilip Barad Sir, is to analyze John Dryden's 'Absalom and Achitophel' based on the worksheet. Click here Introduction The late seventeenth century in England was an age of political turbulence, religious controversy, and artistic brilliance. At the center of this cultural whirlwind stood John Dryden, the most influential poet, critic, and playwright of the Restoration era. Among his many works, Absalom and Achitophel (1681) shines as a masterpiece of political satire. Written in heroic couplets, the poem cleverly merges biblical allegory with the political struggles of its time, particularly the Exclusion Crisis. Far more than a pamphlet in verse, it is an enduring exploration of ambition, loyalty, power, and the divine right of kings. Basic Information: Author, Genre, and Publication John Dryden (1631–1700), often referred to as the “father of English criticism,” was also the first official Poet Laureate of England. His mastery of the heroic...