Thomas Carlyle was a Scottish historian and writer who in 1843 published his very influential historical and social criticism book “Past and Present”. There, he joins medieval history with criticism of 19th-century British society. In the chapter “Gospel of Mammonism”, Carlyle examines the materialism of his Victorian society. He argues that a society’s imagery of... Continue Reading →
Close Reading of “The Tyger”
William Blake’s “The Tyger” poem is arguably his most famous work in this form of literature and in all of English. It is about a person who wonders how a tiger is created, but it is not merely a fun poem. “The Tyger” is a discourse on duality, with a speaker who is shocked at... Continue Reading →