Madness : Henry Miller 's Odyssey

To begin his tale, the Miller interjects after the Knight, interrupting the Monk. The Miller then apologizes in advance for what he is about to say; he is very drunk and may say some inappropriate things. After his short prologue, the Miller tells the story of a wild love affair between a woman named Alisoun and three men pining after her. The three men, Alisoun’s carpenter husband named John, a scholar name Nicholas, and a parish clerk called Absolon all take an almost obsessive interest in this eighteen-year-old woman. Although Alisoun is married to the carpenter, she quickly becomes secretly devoted to Nicholas after a short

The pilgrimage is indeed an amazing phenomenon, which brings people together at a common goal, which is believed to be the essence or starting point of life and the ‘door’ to the afterlife. As we will discover, pilgrimages require great sacrifice, both financially and physically. Pilgrimages may give the impression of an act that is traditional and not ‘fit’ for our modern world. However, one who has not walked the pilgrimage may never see the insight that the pilgrims themselves see. One fact is certain and striking. The numbers of pilgrims at the world’s major shrines are still increasing.

First, the themes of Folly, Temptation and Death are essential to freshmen in understanding everyday life. Folly contributes to the reckless behavior evident in men; temptation makes one lose focus on their objective, in this case, Odysseus’s homecoming (Byrant, 1872, p.237, line 79). The folly in Odysseus’s crew make them ignore the warning from the captain consequently losing their shipmates, and the suitors despise the eagles’ warning on the return of Odysseus hence meeting their

It is presumed that journeys are uplifting experiences, with the implication that new knowledge and greater insight allow travelers to gain wisdom and solidify a coherent view of the world. Yet, experiences through journeys can result in new knowledge clashing with preconceived beliefs, potentially disabling the traveler’s epistemology. Furthermore, a traveler cannot ignore this conflicting knowledge and return to his prior self at the conclusion of his journey. These themes are explored in Robert Gray’s poems

Even though Miller makes assumptions in his writing, he does keep the reader’s attention with a face-paced tone and long sentences with similes. For example, when Miller says “The notion that the principal, or only, purpose of going to college is to win a ticket of admission to the great upper middle

The traditional pilgrim is someone who surrenders the life they once knew to make a journey of devotion to a sacred site. It’s not necessarily the destination, but their growing faith along their journey that they seek. They set off with hands empty, free of expectation, carrying only a willingness to be guided, to bear

Miller writes the story in a very unique way. He gives his readers a chance to explore the words written on his pages, with the hope that the reader is able to draw their own conclusions from his work. His unparalleled approach to the essay forces the reader to use critical thinking in order to make since of the essay. Miller’s feelings about reading, writing and the

Jackie French’s novel ‘Walking the boundaries’, depicts the story of a young boy named Martin, who in exchange for his great grandfather’s farm, has to walk the boundaries of his property. French uses many explicit language techniques throughout the novel, to keep the reader engaged in the story she is trying to convey. Some of these techniques she uses are descriptive language, figurative language, characterisation and an obvious plot. Her goal is to portray that Martin has not only gone on a physical journey, but a spiritual journey as well. She is painting a picture in the reader’s mind by using these techniques. One of her main techniques is an obvious plot, which shows that Martin was originally a mediocre city boy who wanted to sell the farm once he took possession of it, but by the time he had walked the boundaries, he realised that the land had more potential that he had given it credit for.

“I believe that the common man is as apt a subject for tragedy in its highest sense as kings were” ( Tragedy and the Common Man). Arthur Miller follows his Millerian conventions of tragedy in the writing of The Crucible. Often literature uses tragedy to display a depressing theme represented by the tragic hero.

“There is something in the human spirit that will survive and prevail, there is a tiny and brilliant light burning in the heart of man that will not go out no matter how dark the world becomes.” The Odyssey and The Long Walk both exemplify the characteristic of humanity which Leo Tolstoy was referring to within this quote. The main characters of both works, Odysseus and Slavomir, go on journeys that, while physically challenging, tests the strength of their will. The determination and the overwhelming desire to return home of both men is what drives these characters to overcome immeasurable odds. Multiple parallels can be drawn between the two books, from the obstacles the characters face to the symbolism that can be found in Slavomir’s and Odysseus’s journeys. The Long Walk shows how Grecian Epics, such as The Odyssey, are still applicable in the modern day as representations of Humanities’ predominant and all-consuming desire to survive, and the specific desire to not only survive but to do so in the place one calls home.

When does he get a medal for that?” (Miller 41). In the same fashion of the quote from page forty, Arthur Miller tries

The Miller is a very big-boned broad man. He was chunky, but very strong. His massive physical features and his red beard give of a serious connotation and reflect his rebelling attitude. He poetized “mostly all sin and ribaldries” and stole corn from where he worked.

The Miller's searching through their neighbor's apartment is symbolic of their search for meaning in their own lives. Because they are not satisfied with the way they live, they project the Stones life onto their own, to the extent of pretending to live in their apartment, if only for one moment.

Alfieri opens Miller’s play. He enters as the Narrator and functions as the greek chorus throughout the play. Alfieri delivers a monologue that quickly establishes where the audience currently are in the play. Alfieri sets the narrative of the play in a series of flashbacks and soliloquies. We are introduced to the moral situation in this part of the city and that camaraderie plays an integral part in holding together this immigrant community.

Noted earlier, the Miller’s tale is enjoyable due to its qualities of both entertainment and the idea of learning a lesson. In the prologue, the miller is defined as a filterless, rowdy drunk who speaks whatever comes to his mind. Because of this, he is portrayed as very vulgar and a nuisance since he easily offends others. The Reeve introduces the Miller at the beginning of the story as a drunk, impulsive, bully as he