Skip to main content

Theme

Theme

Theme can be defined as the central idea/s, subject or topic of a work of art.

Theme runs as a thread through a work of art and holds it together.

"Theme is more usefully applied to a general concept or doctrine, whether implicit or asserted, which an imaginative work is designed to involve and make persuasive to the reader. John Milton states as the explicit theme of Paradise Lost to “assert Eternal Providence, / And justify the ways of God to men”; see didactic literature and fiction and truth. Some critics have claimed that all nontrivial works of literature, including lyric poems, involve an implicit theme which is embodied and dramatized in the evolving meanings and imagery. And archetypal critics trace such recurrent themes as that of the scapegoat, or the journey underground, through myths and social rituals, as well as literature. For a discussion of the overlapping applications of the critical terms “subject,” “theme,” and “thesis”. ." - M. H. Abrams

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Rivals - R. B. Sheridan

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Rivals, by Richard Brinsley Sheridan This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net Title: The Rivals A Comedy Author: Richard Brinsley Sheridan Release Date: March 6, 2008 [EBook #24761] Language: English Character set encoding: ASCII *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE RIVALS *** Produced by Kent Cooper The RIVALS A Comedy By Richard Brinsley Sheridan * * * * * * * PREFACE A preface to a play seems generally to be considered as a kind of closet-prologue, in which--if his piece has been successful--the author solicits that indulgence from the reader which he had before experienced from the audience: but as the scope and immediate object of a play is to please a mixed assembly in _representation_ (whose judgment in...
Post a Comment
Read more

TYBA DRAMA SYLLABUS WEF 2015 and Question Paper Format new

English General Paper - III (G-III) ENG - 351 & ENG - 361 The Study of Drama Objectives: 1. To acquaint the students with origin of drama and dramatic art. 2. To introduce the students to the aspects and genres of drama. 3. To enable the students to trace the development of English drama. 4. To inculcate amongst the students the competence to study drama systematically. 5. To acquaint the students with representative English dramatists. Semester - V    ( ENG -351) A) Drama: Origin, Definitions and Nature of Dramatic Art B) Aspects and Genres of Drama: 1) Aspects: Theme, Plot (dramatic structure: Freytag’s analysis), Characters, Setting, Dialogue and Conflict 2) Major Genres: Comedy, Tragedy, Tragi-Comedy and History (Historical Play) 3) Minor Genres: Farce and Melodrama, Opera, Pantomime, Masque and Burlesque C) Dramatic Devices: Soliloquy, Aside, Expectation and Surprise, Irony (verbal and dramatic), Stage directions and Poetic Justic...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Rivals - Synopsis

The Rivals: Synopsis Lydia Languish is pursued by many men, including Bob Acres, Sir Lucius O'Trigger, and Jack Absolute (as Ensign Beverley); she prefers the latter. Her aunt, Mrs. Malaprop, carries out an anonymous correspondence with Sir Lucius. Julia loves the neglectful Faulkland. Sir Anthony Absolute arranges for his son to marry Lydia; eventually, they are married, although Jack Absolute is supposed to fight his alter ego in the process. Faulkland and Julia are reconciled. Sir Lucius and Bob Acres renounce any claim to Lydia. Act I. Fag and Thomas, a coachman, two servants, meet by chance and discuss their employers: Thomas is employed by Sir Anthony Absolute and Fag by his son Jack, who has taken on the identity of Ensign Beverley. Jack Absolute is in love with Miss Lydia Languish, who would prefer him as a half-pay ensign than as he really is (the son of a baronet). However, her troublesome aunt is impeding the progress of their courtship. Fag teases Thomas about h...
Post a Comment
Read more