An essay by Sara Capanna For Prof. Feenstra’s course entitled Drama Tragedy is a genre of theater that has existed for thousands of years. Like the name suggests, happiness is not a prominent feature in these productions. The protagonists of these plays are known as tragic heroes. But what constitutes a tragic hero? In the words of Joseph Kelly, a tragic hero is defined as follows: Someone who begins in a state of prosperity, comes into contact with a force…
An essay by Joanie Papillon for Prof. Shalon Noble’s course entitled Lyrical Ballads Poetry has continuously evolved and developed since the Classical period. Since then, an enormous variety of styles and genres have appeared in the vast poetry world. The ballad, for instance, was born in the medieval period, around the 13th century. The lyrical genre came much later, during the romantic period, with the publication of The Lyrical Ballads in 1798. In fact, this very collection generates a distinct…
A personal essay by Olivia Auclair For Prof. Jeffrey Gandell’s course entitled Nonfiction Writing Nine months ago, I became a vegetarian. It all began on the seventh floor of Dawson College with my teacher, Carl Saucier-Bouffard. We discussed world views towards human interaction with nature, including Christianity, Buddhism, and Darwinism, which are all very fascinating, but worthless to the flustered brain of an eighteen-year-old college student. I gained sudden interest in his class the day he introduced the Animal…
An essay by Jason Da Silva Castanheira For Prof. Louise Slater’s course entitled Nature, Humanity, Technology Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Rappaccini’s Daughter” and Michael Pollan’s “The Farm”, from his book The Omnivore’s Dilemma, explore the consequences of science. “Rappaccini’s Daughter” tells the story of a mad scientist who will sacrifice anything for scientific progress, even to the point of placing his daughter at risk. “The Farm,” in contrast, is centered on the genetically modified cornfield of today and the advancements, along…
An essay by Evangelos Nikitopoulos For Prof. Liana Bellon’s course entitled Introduction to College English Greek and Roman mythology, with its colorful setting and vivid characters, constitutes a fascinating realm of imagination, mystery and morality that has entertained and educated for millennia. Ovid’s Metamorphoses, written in 1 C.E., is a compilation of some of the most popular of these stories and has exerted a lasting influence in Western culture. Recently, it has been maintained by the writer Ted Hughes,…
An essay by Karl-Edouard Pilet For Prof. John Brad. Macdonald’s course entitled Literary Themes The deindustrialization of America fostered a deviation from certain values of manliness, such as men having the role of main financial providers of the family, having physical strength and having more importance than women in the workplace. Although men often adopted new gender roles, the characteristics of a man being productive, dispassionate and risk-taking were ideals emphasized in industrializing America. The Case of…
An essay by Beatrice Glickman For Prof. Liana Bellon’s course entitled Introduction to College English Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray and Ovid’s “Echo and Narcissus” both explore the theme of self-obsession. Narcissus and Dorian both become obsessed with their beauty: Narcissus with his reflection and Dorian with his portrait. However, Dorian’s self-obsession becomes deeper than that of Narcissus because he sees the painting as an external expression of his conscience (class notes). Furthermore, Narcissus’ fate is predetermined by…