Mital Helaiya

This Blog task was assigned by Megha Ma'am (Department of English, MKBU). Introduction    Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice continues to capture readers and audiences alike through its timeless themes of love, class, family, and societal expectations. Both the novel and its numerous adaptations—especially film versions—offer unique ways of presenting Austen’s story. In this blog, I will explore three dimensions of Austen’s masterpiece: the narrative strategies in novel and film, the illustration of society in Austen’s time, and some speculative alternative endings. 1. Narrative Strategy: Novel vs. Movie The novel relies on Austen’s characteristic narrative voice—witty, ironic, and observant. Her third-person omniscient narration gives us deep insights into characters’ inner thoughts, especially Elizabeth Bennet’s. Free indirect discourse allows Austen to blend the narrator’s commentary with Elizabeth’s perspective, helping readers understand both her prejudices and gradual tra...

This blog is written as part of a task given by the Head of the Department of English (MKBU), Prof. Dr. Dilip Barad Sir. Click here Introduction Thomas Hardy’s Jude the Obscure is often labeled as one of the most tragic and controversial novels of the late Victorian period. Known for its bleak portrayal of class struggle, failed aspirations, and moral hypocrisies, the novel is as much the story of Jude Fawley as it is of Sue Bridehead. Through Jude, Hardy explores the futility of ambition in a rigidly class-bound society, but through Sue, he delves into the psychological and spiritual costs of Victorian morality, particularly for women. This blog attempts to explore the novel’s structure, major critical interpretations, and most importantly, the complex character of Sue Bridehead. Structure of the Novel Hardy divides the novel into distinct “phases,” mapping Jude’s journey from his childhood in Marygreen to his ultimate decline in Christminster. This structure loosely mirrors the Bildu...

This blog is written as part of a task given by the Head of the Department of English (MKBU), Prof. Dr. Dilip Barad Sir. Click here Activity 1: FAQ of Hard Times 1. How did Utilitarianism influence society? Answer: Utilitarianism was the belief in doing things for “the greatest good of the greatest number.” In practice, this meant society gave importance only to facts, statistics, and measurable results. Schools followed this to—children were taught only “facts” and not encouraged to imagine, feel, or think creatively. As a result, education produced mechanical minds instead of thoughtful human beings. 2. What is the role of Thomas Gradgrind in the novel? Answer: Thomas Gradgrind represents Utilitarianism. He raises his children, Louisa and Tom, only on facts and reason, suppressing their emotions. Dickens uses him to show how such an education system harms human growth. Gradgrind is proof of how too much dependence on facts can destroy imagination, love, and joy in life. 3. What centr...

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...