A Critical Commentary Of Le Cygne

In late 19th century Paris, cafés-concerts (best described as “glorified beer halls” (Clark 206)) were a very popular destination for the people of Paris. Cafés-concerts became an integral part of Parisian social life, as they were visited by hundreds of people each night, regardless of class. A bar at the Folies Bergère became the topic of Edouard Manet’s last painting, as Manet tried to portray the new, “modern” Paris, and the introduction of mass production during this time. A Marxist art historian, T.J. Clark finds this particular painting important because it revealed a lot about the new, modern Paris, and Manet’s intentions with the painting. Clark focuses more on the emergence of the new social class during this time, and how this affected the role of women in Paris. The painting, A bar at Folies Bergère, has historical significance because of how it depicts modernity in the context of the emergence of a new social class (the petite bourgeoisie), the introduction of mass production, and the changing role of women.

The narrative of Davis’s monograph and Vigne’s movie has similarities and differences as well. For example, the return of Martin Guerre after eight years to the court in the neck of time is basically the same in both works, but the starting point is different in terms of time and place. The book starts with a detailed background of Martin’s family, their journey from the Basque region to Artigat, and how they adopt the life of the new place by changing their names, changing their customs, and learning the language so that they become like the villagers. On the other hand, the film begins with villages of Artigat and soon with the marriage of Martin and Bertrande in order to capture audience’s attention to be engaged in watching the film. However, the movie’s director ignores all the background of the Martin’s family.

“The Roman Baths of Nimes” is written by Henri Cole as a way to express his desire to break free of conformity and social norms established by his environment. Furthermore, it can be regarded as a way to put an end to an internal battle by coming to terms with his true identity. A close reading of the poem helps expose the true message the poet attempts to convey to his reader.

A critical analysis of “Merciles Beautee” as compared with “To Rosemounde, Hale sterne superne, hale in eterne and Of my lady wel me rejoise I may.”

Pitted against the other-worldly forces of gods and fate, Andromache demonstrates a desperate struggle to subvert the inevitable loss of Hector and the fall of Troy. Her role as the wife of Hector places her within the supposed safety of Troy’s walls as her husband fights on the front lines. Her role predominantly as the wife of Hector, renowned warrior and prince of Troy, creates a sense of constant worry and urgent anxiety in each of her three main dialogues. Each of these dialogues occur in accordance to the life of Hector- one being before his death, one shortly after his death, and the last at Hector’s funeral. The placement of each of these dialogues demonstrate the importance of the relationship between the two and, furthermore, emphasizes the potential effects of Hector’s loss. The most moving interaction that epitomizes the tragedy of Andromache’s battle between action vs. fate can be observed in her plea to Hector to leave the front lines. She appeals to his role as a family man- the provider to his beloved wife and father to his son (Ill 6.427-490). However, the tragedy in this interaction is that the more Andromache attempts to persuade Hector, the more decisive Hector becomes

The narrator of the poem, which could very well be Baca himself, wants to be able to give his love the world, but is not able to due to his lack of wealth. He says that they only thing he has on his side is poetry, so he wrote this poem to give to her. This particular piece might have been written when the author was in prison and when he genuinely did have nothing left to offer. Creating those words for his love could have been an escape for Baca from the walls that confined him in prison and a way to channel his emotions (Sanchez-Flavian). Using his best form of approach, this was Baca’s only way of expressing his true feelings and giving all that he could give to the woman he loved. The love and devotion that he shows for her is astounding as he attempts to give her all she needs to survive throughout the course of the

Great: He allied his army and the Franks with the Pope of the Church, a very powerful force at that time. If he didn't do this, the empire/dynasty wouldn't have been nearly as stable. Also, if Charlemagne didn't have the positive views, meaning followers that thought well of him, he wouldn't have been able to accomplish some of the goals he had in mind for his reigning.

In this paragraph, the poem switches from the idea of companionship to urban life, modernity, desire, politics, and economics. Baudelaire uses symbolism, strong imagery, and descriptive words in the next paragraph about the cafe that the narrator and companion are sitting at. Baudelaire claims the cafe was a sight to behold by claiming, “the cafe was sparkled. Even the gaslight displayed all the ardor of an opening night. “ While reading the poem, I also got the sense that Baudelaire was symbolizing the cafe as the wealthy in society. The cafe seems to embody the gluttony of people who have money to spend. Baudelaire expresses his idea of the cafe being a showcase of gluttony by stating, “Hebes and Ganymedes offering small amphoras of Bavarian cream or varicolored cones of mixed ices; all history and mythology in the service of gluttony.” The first time I read this sentence, I was confused as to why there was greek mythology in the poem. I then thought about how the mythology may be a metaphor for something related to the gluttony of the

exhibition of his longing for the familiarity of Paris and the sanctity of his past, a

In Charles Rearick’s book, Paris Dreams, Paris Memories, he describes the various ways in which Paris is “represented” through various images he identifies as the City of Light, Old Paris, the Capital of Pleasures, and Paname. Rearick further writes how and why these images of Paris came of importance and how they shaped the geographical layout of the city we know today. All of these images together have likewise produced the city of Paris while also providing the framework of Parisian events and experiences.

The novel seems to focus more on the problems caused by the department store. Furthermore, the novel depicts the transitioning state of Paris, mainly discussing the social realm. The

In a corner of the city, inside a tall, narrow house at Number 4 rue Vauborel, on the sixth and highest floor, a sightless sixteen-year-old named Marie-Laure LeBlanc kneels over a low table covered entirely with a model. The model is a miniature of the city she kneels within, and contains scale replicas of the hundreds of houses and shops and hotels within its walls. There’s the cathedral with its perforated spire, and the bulky old Château de SaintMalo, and row after row of seaside mansions studded with chimneys. A slender wooden jetty arcs out from a beach called the Plage du Môle; a delicate, reticulated atrium vaults over the seafood market; minute benches, the smallest no larger than apple seeds, dot the tiny public squares.

Charles Baudelaire’s poetry is a great example of when two seemingly opposing styles of writing, romanticism and realism, meet. The two intertwine in this work to form a masterpiece of natural beauty and painful realism. His use of nature to drive many of his deeper contemplations gives this work an air of romanticism. He contrast this beauty by discussing topics that a writer of strict romanticism would typically stray away from, such as the strongly negative reality of human behavior. However, the combination of these two styles that appear to stand in opposition of one another is part of the unique and haunting beauty that Baudelaire offers in his poetry.

In his novel, Les Miserables, Victor Hugo identifies the principle social evils of French society through the actions and qualities of his characters. By depicting each of his characters’ struggles through destitute and oppressed measures, Hugo is able to identify the social errors of 19th century France. The fact that characters such as Valjean, Javert, Fantine, and Cosette, attempt to rise above poverty and redeem themselves indicate that such inequalities did, and still do, exist to this day. Through the use of feminist ideals and the criminal injustice system, Hugo attacks the principle social evils that each of his characters face in Les Miserables.

Marcel Proust was a twentieth century French writer best known for his novel In Search of Lost Time (À la recherche du temps perdu) and at over 3000 pages, it is one of the longest novels ever written. This book is difficult to summarize but essentially the work is about learning to appreciate life and existence, rather than focusing on the superficial aspects of the mundane. These ideas are portrayed through Marcel, who is the narrator and the principal character of the novel and by the secondary characters he meets during his life. This work was published in the nineteenth century but Proust’s ideas are reflected in Claude Lorrain’s Pastoral Landscape with the Ponte Molle and in Hyacinthe Rigaud’s Portrait of Louis XIV. Even though these