What Are Literary Essays and Why Are They Needed?

Quite often, college assignments require the writer to base their writing on a work of literature, such as a novel, play, poem, or something similar. Professors use these written assignments to assess how well students can analyze and evaluate a literary text. Literary essays mostly apply to students studying humanitarian subjects, but some technical disciplines can involve literature analysis or writing on the history of art. Moreover, students are expected to complete these assignments even if they do not possess very good writing skills or have not previously written essay of this type.

However, what are literary essays, and what type of analysis do they entail? In its basic form, the definition of a literary essay suggests it is a written piece of approximately 250 to 300 words (although your tutor or professor may specify a different length, so it is best to double-check requirements), and its purpose is to analyze a literary piece. This analysis may cover all or just some aspects, for instance, of a poem or novel in terms of its style and its general contribution to the field of literature. It usually also reflects on the techniques and instruments used by an author e.g. the book’s plot, the language, and other elements. Alternatively, such an essay might focus on just some of the above-mentioned elements. The purpose of this type of essay is quite similar to that of an article or book critique even in the way it is written. But the subject being critically analyzed will be a work of literature rather than an article.

The Best Way to Approach a Literary Essay

Prior to beginning to write, it will be necessary to read the work that needs analyzing. It may be that you read a shorter or condensed version of the work, one that is specially designed to enable students to complete the task in a shorter timeframe. Choose particular characters or sections from the plot that you feel are important and read, for example, an overview of the writing style and literary form of the text, e.g., whether it is a drama, prose, or poetic piece. These types all have distinct features, and it is possible you will need to analyze them from a global perspective if you are to complete your essay in the best way possible. At all times, keep in mind that a literary work should be examined and analyzed from many different angles and sides. It is also advisable to select suitable quotes from the work as you read it to be able to mention or refer to these throughout your essay, and even include direct quotes. n any case, it is likely you will have to return repeatedly to the poem or novel you are analyzing during the writing process, as the direction of your writing may alter and/or need adjustment as you go along.

Every person undergoes the inevitable processes of change and aging. However, human culture has created many symbolic images of supernatural beings that personify some unchangeable phenomena. Pai Hsien-Yung, in “The Eternal Snow Beauty,” creates the image of a woman who constantly finds herself in the center of elite men’s attention. The story tells us about […]

The story “Hills like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway The story “Hills like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway depicts a meaningful narrative based on the relationship between a young woman and a man who clearly does not feel any true love to her. The author does not give precise explanations regarding their life, but it […]

The Feast of the Goat by Mario Vargas Llosa The Feast of the Goat is a novel written by Mario Vargas Llosa. This writer is a Nobel Prize winner in literature. The book is set in the Dominican Republic and portrays the assassination as well as the aftermaths of the killing of Rafael Trujillo, the […]

Play Othello Shakespeare William Shakespeare is a prominent playwright and poet whose creative works are well-known all around the world. He is widely considered not only the greatest English dramatist but also one of the most famous writers in the world literature. Moreover, Shakespeare reached great success in mastering the art of writing and managed […]

For many years in the history of the American society, it could be noted how the black Americans actually tried their best to establish their own position in the society. With the aim of making a name in a White-ruled society, the black Americans were strongly oppressed not only because of their skin color but […]

The First Day is a short story done by Edward Jones. It describes the unfolding of events surrounding one loving mother’s efforts to introduce her daughter to school. The narrator who is being introduced to elementary school tells the story with much clarity. Fine details of what transpired are revealed by the narrator. This short […]

The poem “Dedication” by Gustavo Perez Firmat is imbued with a lot of irony. The first irony is the poet stating that he does not belong to English; this is ironic given the fact that he is writing the poem in English. Don’t belong to English Though I belong nowhere else, If no here, In […]

One of the major characters in Shakespeare’s play “twelfth night”, Malvolio, is branded ‘puritan’ (Charles, 1997, pg.123). During Shakespeare’s time, puritans in England were members of English national church and they emphasized on the values of the bible. They hoped to eliminate catholic Episcopal hierarchy. The hierarchy focused on church traditions, sacraments and liturgy. Puritan’s […]

Blindness is both a physical disability and a mental inability. The former is so obvious and cannot be mistaken. However, the latter is a more relative psychological state in which one tails to recognize the significant personality of another one. The victim in this case takes for granted other people’s talents and abilities and is […]

Chinua Achebe in his novel No Longer at Ease mirrors a society deep rooted in conservative traditions, and scourge of corruption that tears down the contemporary Nigerian society. The protagonist, Obi Okonkwo is engulfed in events that moulds his destiny and succumbs to decision of vulnerability.obi is raised of Ibo tribe, Umuofia village by a […]