Paper topics for English Lit

Mercutio · 10-31-2004, 04:43 PM

Any ideas? I need a topic for my term paper in English (British) Literature. I like things that are religious in some way...but that's not a must.

My brother wrote on imagery in some of T.S. Eliot's poetry back when he took this class.

I was thinking about comparing Dorothy Sayer's and Agatha Christie's writing styles in their murder mysteries (the Lord Peter and Poirot ones). They both lived and published at the same time. Their style's are pretty different, I think. Could I find enough info for this topic? I am kind of at a loss for other ideas right now. My mom suggested Pilgrim's Progress: not the basic blatant imagery, but how it ties in with the ideas of the Protestant Reformation and such.

Btw, last year (in American Lit) I wrote about the treatment of the church in Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.

inked · 10-31-2004, 11:37 PM

Dorothy L. Sayers is an excellent choice for British literature. If you have read her novels and Agatha Christie's, you could make the comparison in the specific realms of characterization, settings, and relationships. But you might prefer to stick to one and not try all. There are some excellent web sites if you search under her name. Do NOT forget that she produced an excellent translation of Dante's DIVINE COMEDY. She was also one of the first women to graduate OXFORD.

Beren3000 · 11-01-2004, 06:48 AM

How about comparing the Sil. (modern english "mythology") to Beowulf?

Mercutio · 11-01-2004, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by inked

Dorothy L. Sayers is an excellent choice for British literature. If you have read her novels and Agatha Christie's, you could make the comparison in the specific realms of characterization, settings, and relationships. But you might prefer to stick to one and not try all. There are some excellent web sites if you search under her name. Do NOT forget that she produced an excellent translation of Dante's DIVINE COMEDY. She was also one of the first women to graduate OXFORD.

not Shrewsbury, was it?

Yeppers. I've read all of Sayer's novels and short stories (many times

) and some of Christie's.
It seems like Christie's are just who-dun-its. Sayers has much more character development, underlying themes, etc. The mystery itself sometimes becomes merely a backdrop for everything else.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beren3000

How about comparing the Sil. (modern english "mythology") to Beowulf?

Hmm...I hadn't thought of anything like that...Oh wait: on a list of possible topics my teacher had Tolkien's use Beowulf. Thanks Beren.

p.s. yes I know that Shrewsbury doesn't actually exist, lol

inked · 11-01-2004, 06:53 PM

Ah, Mercutio, a true Sayers afficianado! I am most delighted. Then you could consider the role of the Church of E in the novels and see how DLS depicts clergymen as a topic. Since her Father was a priest in CoE, her comportment in that literary department would be instructive and entertaining I think! If you should do DLS as a topic I should like to read it, if you would not mind!

Mercutio · 11-01-2004, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by inked

Ah, Mercutio, a true Sayers afficianado! I am most delighted. Then you could consider the role of the Church of E in the novels and see how DLS depicts clergymen as a topic. Since her Father was a priest in CoE, her comportment in that literary department would be instructive and entertaining I think! If you should do DLS as a topic I should like to read it, if you would not mind!

Brings to mind "The Nine Tailors," and Fenchurch St. Paul (I believe?--I haven't read that one in a while). I think it was one of the best. 3 of her books are based on a lot of info from her life: Murder Must Advertise (she worked in an ad agency for a spell), Nine Tailors (life growing up where her father was a vicar) and Gaudy Night (women's college at Oxford).

I'm looking up books on the university website right now about Sayers/Christie.

Forkbeard · 11-04-2004, 01:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercutio

Brings to mind "The Nine Tailors," and Fenchurch St. Paul (I believe?--I haven't read that one in a while). I think it was one of the best. 3 of her books are based on a lot of info from her life: Murder Must Advertise (she worked in an ad agency for a spell), Nine Tailors (life growing up where her father was a vicar) and Gaudy Night (women's college at Oxford).

I'm looking up books on the university website right now about Sayers/Christie.

YOu could do a history of the genre, from Doyle and Wilkie Collins to the heyday of CHristie, Sayers, and Allingham.

Forkbeard · 11-04-2004, 01:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by inked

Ah, Mercutio, a true Sayers afficianado! I am most delighted. Then you could consider the role of the Church of E in the novels and see how DLS depicts clergymen as a topic. Since her Father was a priest in CoE, her comportment in that literary department would be instructive and entertaining I think! If you should do DLS as a topic I should like to read it, if you would not mind!

AH, THe Nine Tailors!! Remains one of my fav Whimsey novels!

Forkbeard · 11-04-2004, 01:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercutio

not Shrewsbury, was it?

Hmm...I hadn't thought of anything like that...Oh wait: on a list of possible topics my teacher had Tolkien's use Beowulf. Thanks Beren.

What a good teacher you must have!

Mercutio · 11-04-2004, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Forkbeard

What a good teacher you must have!

Yep he's wonderful.

One of my friends is doing his paper on Tolkien & Beowulf.

Mercutio · 12-20-2004, 11:00 PM

Inked/Forkbeard--interested in reading my paper? It's in the final stages of revision right now

. I'll post it later tonight (probably). Any suggestions you'd have would be helpful.

Last Child of Ungoliant · 01-30-2005, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercutio

not Shrewsbury, was it?

Yeppers. I've read all of Sayer's novels and short stories (many times

) and some of Christie's.
It seems like Christie's are just who-dun-its. Sayers has much more character development, underlying themes, etc. The mystery itself sometimes becomes merely a backdrop for everything else.

Hmm...I hadn't thought of anything like that...Oh wait: on a list of possible topics my teacher had Tolkien's use Beowulf. Thanks Beren.

p.s. yes I know that Shrewsbury doesn't actually exist, lol

I hate to throw a spanner in the workings of your good self,
but Shrewsbury most certainly does exist!
it is a town in Shropshire, which is a county in england, between
staffordshire and wales

Mercutio · 01-30-2005, 10:53 PM

Shrewsbury's Ladies College at Oxford, that is.

Last Child of Ungoliant · 01-30-2005, 11:00 PM

oops!

sorry
<clonks head on table repeatedly>

10-31-2004, 04:43 PM	#1
Mercutio Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Narnia Posts: 1,656	Paper topics for English Lit Any ideas? I need a topic for my term paper in English (British) Literature. I like things that are religious in some way...but that's not a must. My brother wrote on imagery in some of T.S. Eliot's poetry back when he took this class. I was thinking about comparing Dorothy Sayer's and Agatha Christie's writing styles in their murder mysteries (the Lord Peter and Poirot ones). They both lived and published at the same time. Their style's are pretty different, I think. Could I find enough info for this topic? I am kind of at a loss for other ideas right now. My mom suggested Pilgrim's Progress: not the basic blatant imagery, but how it ties in with the ideas of the Protestant Reformation and such. Btw, last year (in American Lit) I wrote about the treatment of the church in Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. __________________ Mike nodded. A sombre nod. The nod Napoleon might have given if somebody had met him in 1812 and said, "So, you're back from Moscow, eh?". Interested in C.S. Lewis? Visit the forum dedicated to one of Tolkien's greatest contemporaries.

10-31-2004, 11:37 PM	#2
inked Elf Lord Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: sikeston, MO, usa, earth, sol Posts: 3,114	Dorothy L. Sayers is an excellent choice for British literature. If you have read her novels and Agatha Christie's, you could make the comparison in the specific realms of characterization, settings, and relationships. But you might prefer to stick to one and not try all. There are some excellent web sites if you search under her name. Do NOT forget that she produced an excellent translation of Dante's DIVINE COMEDY. She was also one of the first women to graduate OXFORD. __________________ Inked "Aslan is not a tame lion." CSL/LWW "The new school [acts] as if it required...courage to say a blasphemy. There is only one thing that requires real courage to say, and that is a truism." GK Chesterton "And there is always the danger of allowing people to suppose that our modern times are so wholly unlike any other times that the fundamental facts about man's nature have wholly changed with changing circumstances." Dorothy L. Sayers, 1 Sept. 1941

11-01-2004, 06:53 PM	#5
inked Elf Lord Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: sikeston, MO, usa, earth, sol Posts: 3,114	Ah, Mercutio, a true Sayers afficianado! I am most delighted. Then you could consider the role of the Church of E in the novels and see how DLS depicts clergymen as a topic. Since her Father was a priest in CoE, her comportment in that literary department would be instructive and entertaining I think! If you should do DLS as a topic I should like to read it, if you would not mind! __________________ Inked "Aslan is not a tame lion." CSL/LWW "The new school [acts] as if it required...courage to say a blasphemy. There is only one thing that requires real courage to say, and that is a truism." GK Chesterton "And there is always the danger of allowing people to suppose that our modern times are so wholly unlike any other times that the fundamental facts about man's nature have wholly changed with changing circumstances." Dorothy L. Sayers, 1 Sept. 1941

12-20-2004, 11:00 PM	#11
Mercutio Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Narnia Posts: 1,656	Inked/Forkbeard--interested in reading my paper? It's in the final stages of revision right now . I'll post it later tonight (probably). Any suggestions you'd have would be helpful. __________________ Mike nodded. A sombre nod. The nod Napoleon might have given if somebody had met him in 1812 and said, "So, you're back from Moscow, eh?". Interested in C.S. Lewis? Visit the forum dedicated to one of Tolkien's greatest contemporaries.

01-30-2005, 10:53 PM	#13
Mercutio Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Narnia Posts: 1,656	Shrewsbury's Ladies College at Oxford, that is. __________________ Mike nodded. A sombre nod. The nod Napoleon might have given if somebody had met him in 1812 and said, "So, you're back from Moscow, eh?". Interested in C.S. Lewis? Visit the forum dedicated to one of Tolkien's greatest contemporaries.

11-01-2004, 06:48 AM	#3
Beren3000 Fëanorophobic Join Date: May 2004 Location: Between the pages of a book Posts: 1,417	How about comparing the Sil. (modern english "mythology") to Beowulf?

01-30-2005, 11:00 PM	#14
Last Child of Ungoliant The Intermittent One Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: here and there Posts: 4,671	oops! sorry <clonks head on table repeatedly>

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