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Showing posts from February 28, 2025

Literary device- Allegory

Allegory is a literary device that conveys a deeper meaning through symbolic characters, events, or settings. It is used to express moral, political, or philosophical ideas in an indirect manner. Writers use allegory to communicate complex messages in a simple and engaging way. One of the most famous allegorical works is The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan. This story represents the journey of a man who faces struggles and temptations on his way to spiritual salvation. Each character and event in the story symbolises different aspects of human life. Similarly, George Orwell’s Animal Farm is an allegory of political corruption and the misuse of power. The animals in the story represent different sections of society, and their struggles mirror real-world political events. In Indian literature, allegory plays an important role. The Bhagavad Gita can be seen as an allegory of human struggle and duty. The battlefield in the story symbolises life, and the conversation between Krishna...

The Aesthetic Movement

The Aesthetic Movement The Aesthetic Movement was an artistic and literary movement that developed in the nineteenth century. It promoted the idea that art should focus only on beauty and should not serve any moral, political, or social purpose. The movement became popular in Britain and other parts of Europe. It influenced art, literature, and design in different parts of the world, including India. The movement rejected the growing industrial culture that encouraged mass production and mechanical designs. Artists and writers who supported the movement believed that art should bring joy and pleasure through its visual and emotional appeal. Origins of the Aesthetic Movement The Aesthetic Movement started in Britain during the late Victorian era. It developed as a reaction against the serious and moralistic themes that dominated art and literature during that time. Writers such as Walter Pater and Oscar Wilde, and artists such as James McNeill Whistler and Dante Gabriel Rossetti, suppor...

Black Comedy or Black Humour

Black comedy is also known as black humor (black humour in British English). It is a form of comedy that finds humor in dark, morbid, or taboo subjects such as death, war, crime, and existential despair. It blends tragedy with comedy, using irony, satire, and absurdity to challenge societal norms and make audiences laugh at uncomfortable realities. Origins: The concept of black comedy dates back to ancient Greek theater, where playwrights like Aristophanes used satire to mock serious topics. The term "black humor" was later popularized by French surrealist André Breton in 1935. In literature, authors like Jonathan Swift, Franz Kafka, and Joseph Heller (Catch-22) used dark humor to critique war, politics, and bureaucracy. characteristics of black comedy : Irony and satire – Highlighting hypocrisy and absurdity. Morbid themes – Treating death and suffering humorously. Absurdism – Depicting life as meaningless or exaggerated to the point of ridicule. Shock value – Provoking disc...