A Brief Look at Russian History
Russia is a country with a storied history, in part due to its unique geography; it is a large, diverse nation composed of over 180 different ethnic groups (many of which have their own...
Category: E1-Resources
Charles Lamb Index
Charles Lamb and his sister Mary Lamb wrote shorter versions of many classic tales, some of which are assigned in EIL as introductions to the full-length original classics.
Poetry by Mark Twain
Mark Twain Poetry Although Mark Twain was best known for being a satirist and a humorously creative author, he also wrote a few poems. We have referenced these six in our curriculum, including in...
Sir Agravaine by P G Wodehouse
Sir Agravaine by P G Wodehouse A Tale of King Arthur’s Round Table Some time ago, when spending a delightful week-end at the ancestral castle of my dear old friend, the Duke of Weatherstonhope...
How to Write a Popular Play by G. Bernard Shaw
How to Write a Popular Play by George Bernard Shaw This essay was originally published by George Bernard Shaw in his Preface to Three Plays by Brieux (New York: Brentano’s, 1911), pp. xxii-xxvii [which...
Pygmalion and Galatea by Thomas Bulfinch
Legend of Pygmalion and Galatea as told by Thomas Bulfinch [This version of the text comes from Bulfinch’s Mythology: The Age of Fable, by Thomas Bulfinch, revised by Rev. E. E. Hale.] Pygmalion saw...
Caliban upon Setebos by Robert Browning
CALIBAN UPON SETEBOS OR, NATURAL THEOLOGY IN THE ISLAND by Robert Browning from Browning’s Shorter Poems: Selected and Edited by Franklin Baker, Professor of English in Teachers College, Columbia University. Fourth edition, The Macmillan...
Dr. Randy Laist: Analysis of Welty’s A Worn Path
While we at EIL always encourage readers to perform their own analysis and develop their own ideas regarding our focus texts, we also believe that it can be helpful to learn from both the...
Dramatization of Eudora Welty’s A Worn Path
Eudora Welty’s short story, A Worn Path, is wonderful in text form, but sometimes it’s interesting to experience such stories in other mediums. This dramatization may help you to visualize what happens. Of course,...
Gerard Manley Hopkins Poetry
Gerard Manley Hopkins Poetry Gerard Manley Hopkins is a favorite here at EIL, as his poems are especially lovely for memorization and copywork. We will be expanding our collection of his poetry in the...
Charlotte’s Introduction to Wuthering Heights
This introduction to Wuthering Heights by Charlotte Brontë explains why she, Emily, and Anne had initially published under a pseudonym, and touchingly relates the story of her sisters’ brief lives.
Poetry by Shakespeare’s Contemporaries
In Shakespeare’s time, the fields of art and science were blossoming. Here are a few poems by Shakespeare contemporaries, including Sidney and Marlowe.
The Execution of Lady Jane Grey
The 16th Century that shaped Shakespeare’s writing wasn’t all poetry, art, and music. It was also an era that saw the execution of many for their faith. This brief excerpt from John Foxe’s Book...
The Tempest by Charles and Mary Lamb
Charles Lamb and his sister Mary Lamb wrote shorter versions of many classic tales, many of which appear in their work Tales from Shakespeare, some of which are referenced as introductions to the full-length...
A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift
This famous satirical essay by Jonathan Swift, the author of Gulliver’s Travels, was intended to mock harsh attitudes towards the poor and to critique British policies relating to the Irish. It was originally published as...
Fortunate Misfortunes: An Analysis of Verses on the Death of Dr. Swift
Fortunate Misfortunes: An Analysis of Verses on the Death of Dr. Swift by Janice Campbell (a poetry analysis from my college days).
Verses on the Death of Dr. Swift, D.S.P.D.
Verses on the Death of Dr. Swift, D.S.P.D.
BY JONATHAN SWIFT
Bernard Shaw: a Brief Biography
George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) led a long and fascinating literary life. Here is a brief biography by Cary Mazer of the University of Pennsylvania.
Stevenson by G. K. Chesterton
Stevenson (from Twelve Types [a Collection of Biographies]) A brief biography of Robert Louis Stevenson. By G. K. Chesterton A recent incident has finally convinced us that Stevenson was, as we suspected, a great...
The Gold Bug by Edgar Allan Poe
“The Gold-Bug” is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe. Hero William Legrand is bitten by a gold bug which leads to an adventure and buried treasure.
G. B. Shaw’s Reception of Don Giovanni
Scholars have long recognized the importance of structural aspects of Mozart’s music on George Bernard Shaw’s dramas. Here is the text of a talk given by Gareth Cox, a leading authority on Shaw.
Jane Eyre’s Three Paintings
Jane Eyre’s Three Paintings: Biblical Warnings & Greek Legends By Peter Bolt, English Department, North East Worchester College [England] Charlotte Brontë’s ability to use her encyclopaedic knowledge of the Bible first appears in her...
In the Year 2889 by Jules Verne
In the Year 2889 By Jules Verne Edited by Blake Linton Editor’s Notes by Blake Linton In 1885, James Gordon Bennett, Jr., owner of the New York Herald (the same man who sent Stanley...
Jules Verne at Home (1894 Interview)
Jules Verne at Home: His Own Account of His Life and Work Reported by R. H. Sherard in McClure’s Magazine, January 1894 Edited to HTML by Zvi Har’El “The great regret of my life is...
The Purloined Letter by Edgar Allan Poe
The Purloined Letter by Edgar Allan Poe NOTE: If you would like to view a dramatized version of the story, a 1952 video version of “The Purloined Letter” can be found here, courtesy of...
The Ransom of Red Chief by O. Henry
The Ransom of Red Chief by O. Henry remains one of the funniest short stories I’ve read. You will study it in Introduction to Literature, Module 1.
The Diamond Necklace by Guy de Maupassant
The Diamond Necklace by Guy de Maupassant, a classic short story with a surprise twist at the end. It is studied in module 1 of Introduction to Literature.
A White Heron by Sarah Orne Jewett
A White Heron A short story by Sarah Orne Jewett. NOTE: If you would like to listen to an audio version of the story, you will find a recording here, courtesy of EIL. I....
