Name: Benedict M.

Guades Subject: Literary Criticism

Course/Yr/Block: BSED III-C Prof: Maria Bernarda Trinidad
Date: October 14, 2024

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is a classic novel that tells the story of Elizabeth Bennet, a smart and
independent young woman, and her complicated relationship with the wealthy and reserved Mr. Darcy.

The novel is set in early 19th-century England, where social class and marriage play a huge role in people’s lives.
Elizabeth comes from a family of five sisters, and her mother is desperate to marry them off to wealthy men to
secure their futures. When a wealthy bachelor, Mr. Bingley, moves into the neighborhood, Elizabeth’s sister Jane
catches his eye, and they quickly form a romantic attachment.

At the same time, Mr. Darcy, a close friend of Mr. Bingley, seems proud and aloof. He clashes with Elizabeth, who
finds him arrogant. Darcy initially dismisses Elizabeth because of her lower social standing, but over time, he begins
to admire her intelligence and wit. Meanwhile, Elizabeth meets a charming officer named Mr. Wickham, who
shares a negative story about Mr. Darcy, making Elizabeth dislike him even more.

As the story unfolds, Elizabeth’s first impressions of both Mr. Darcy and Mr. Wickham are challenged. Darcy
eventually confesses his love for Elizabeth, but she rejects him because of his pride and his role in separating Jane
and Bingley. However, Darcy shows his true character by secretly helping Elizabeth’s family during a scandal
involving her youngest sister, Lydia, who runs away with Mr. Wickham.

In the end, Elizabeth realizes that Darcy is not the cold, proud man she thought he was, and they both recognize
their faults—Elizabeth’s prejudice and Darcy’s pride. They marry, and Jane and Bingley are reunited and marry as
well. The novel ends with both couples finding happiness, showing that true love can overcome class differences and
misunderstandings.

Major Themes : Love and Marriage, Pride and Prejudice, Social Class, Reputation and Individual vs. Society

Main Characters : Elizabeth Bennet, Fitzwilliam Darcy, Jane Bennet, Charles Bingley, Mr. Wickham, Lydia
Bennet,
Mr. Bennet, Mrs. Bennet, Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Charlotte Lucas

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is set in the 1920s and tells the story of Jay Gatsby, a wealthy man who is
deeply in love with Daisy Buchanan, a woman he met and fell in love with years before but who is now married to
another man.

The novel is narrated by Nick Carraway, a young man who moves to Long Island, New York, and lives next door to
Gatsby. Nick becomes friends with Gatsby, who throws lavish parties every weekend in the hopes of seeing Daisy
again. Gatsby grew up poor but became rich through mysterious means, all to win back Daisy, who marriepd Tom
Buchanan, a wealthy but arrogant man.

Gatsby asks Nick to arrange a meeting between him and Daisy. When they finally meet, Gatsby and Daisy rekindle
their romance, and it seems like Gatsby’s dream of being with her might come true. However, Tom finds out about
their affair and confronts Gatsby in front of Daisy. Tom exposes Gatsby’s shady business dealings and insists that
Daisy could never truly leave him for Gatsby.
In the end, Daisy chooses to stay with Tom, even though she had feelings for Gatsby. After this confrontation,
Gatsby is heartbroken but still believes that Daisy will come back to him. Tragically, Gatsby’s hopes are crushed
when Tom’s mistress, Myrtle Wilson, is killed in a car accident involving Daisy. Myrtle’s husband, George, believes
Gatsby was responsible, and in revenge, he shoots Gatsby before killing himself.

Major Themes : The American Dream, Love and Desire, Wealth and Class, Illusion vs. Reality, and Morality
and Corruption

Main Characters : Jay Gatsby, Nick Carraway, Daisy Buchanan, Tom Buchanan, Jordan Baker, Myrtle Wilson,
and George Wilson

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is set in the 1930s in a small Southern town in the U.S. It follows the
childhood experiences of Scout Finch, a young girl, and her older brother Jem, as they grow up under the care of
their widowed father, Atticus Finch, a kind and moral lawyer.

The story is told from Scout’s point of view as she recounts significant events during her childhood, especially
focusing on a trial that deeply affects her family and town. Atticus is appointed to defend Tom Robinson, a black
man falsely accused of raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell. Even though Atticus proves that Tom is innocent and
that Mayella’s father, Bob Ewell, is the real aggressor, the all-white jury convicts Tom because of racial prejudice.

As this trial unfolds, Scout and Jem witness the deep racism and injustice in their community. They also face
harassment because their father is defending Tom, but Atticus teaches them the importance of doing what’s right,
even when it’s unpopular. Tom Robinson is eventually killed while trying to escape from prison.

Meanwhile, the children are also fascinated by their reclusive neighbor, Boo Radley, who never leaves his house.
Scout, Jem, and their friend Dill make up stories about Boo, thinking he is some kind of monster. But, in the end,
Boo reveals himself as a quiet and caring person when he saves Scout and Jem from Bob Ewell, who tries to harm
them in revenge for his humiliation during the trial.

The novel ends with Scout understanding that Boo is not the frightening figure she imagined but a compassionate
person who had been watching over them. She also learns a valuable lesson about empathy and the importance of
seeing things from another person’s perspective.

Major Themes : Racism and Injustice, Moral Growth, Good and Evil, Social Inequality and Courage and
Compassion

Main Characters : Scout Finch, Atticus Finch, Jem Finch, Tom Robinson, Boo Radley, Calpurnia, Dill Harris,
Bob Ewell, Mayella Ewell and Miss Maudie

Hamlet by William Shakespeare

Hamlet by William Shakespeare is a tragedy about Prince Hamlet of Denmark and his quest for revenge against his
uncle, Claudius, who has murdered Hamlet’s father to seize the throne.

The play begins with the ghost of Hamlet’s father appearing to Hamlet and telling him that Claudius, his own
brother, poisoned him to become king and marry Hamlet’s mother, Queen Gertrude. The ghost urges Hamlet to
take revenge.

Hamlet is deeply troubled by this revelation but struggles with how to act. He pretends to be mad to buy time while
he figures out what to do. As Hamlet’s behavior becomes more erratic, Claudius becomes suspicious of him and tries
to find out what Hamlet knows.
Meanwhile, Hamlet’s love interest, Ophelia, is caught in the middle of the tension. Her father, Polonius, works for
the king and believes Hamlet’s madness is due to his love for Ophelia. Polonius spies on Hamlet for Claudius but
ends up being killed by Hamlet, who mistakes him for Claudius while hiding behind a curtain.

This murder causes Ophelia to go mad with grief, and she eventually drowns. Her brother, Laertes, returns to
Denmark, angry over his father’s death and Ophelia’s fate. Laertes teams up with Claudius to kill Hamlet.

Claudius arranges a fencing match between Hamlet and Laertes, planning to have Hamlet killed either by a
poisoned sword or poisoned wine. However, the plan goes wrong. During the match, both Hamlet and Laertes are
wounded with the poisoned sword, Queen Gertrude accidentally drinks the poisoned wine and dies, and Hamlet,
realizing the truth, finally kills Claudius before he dies himself.

The play ends with almost everyone dead. Hamlet’s friend Horatio survives to tell the story, and Fortinbras, the
prince of Norway, arrives to take control of Denmark.

Major Themes : Revenge, Madness (Real vs. Feigned), Corruption and Decay, Death and Mortality,
Appearance vs. Reality, and Action vs. Inaction

Main Characters : Hamlet, Claudius, Gertrude, Polonius, Ophelia, Laertes, Horatio, The Ghost (King Hamlet),
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and Fortinbras

A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen:

A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen is a play about a woman named Nora Helmer, who begins to realize that her life
and marriage are based on illusions and societal expectations.

Nora is married to Torvald Helmer, a man who is controlling but believes he is taking care of her. He treats her
more like a child or a possession than as an equal partner in their marriage. At the beginning of the play, Torvald is
about to start a new job at a bank, which will provide their family with financial security.

Nora has a secret. Years ago, when Torvald was sick, she secretly borrowed money to save his life by taking him on
a trip. At that time, women were not allowed to take loans without their husband’s permission, so Nora forged her
father’s signature on the loan. She has been slowly paying back the money, but now the man she borrowed from,
Nils Krogstad, threatens to reveal her secret unless she convinces Torvald not to fire him from the bank.

Nora tries to keep the situation hidden, but things get worse when Krogstad sends a letter to Torvald, exposing her
forgery. Nora hopes that Torvald will understand and support her, but instead, he is furious, blaming her for ruining
his reputation. He calls her childish and irresponsible, showing that his love for her is conditional and based on
maintaining his image.

Eventually, Krogstad has a change of heart and sends back the incriminating letter, but by this point, Nora has seen
Torvald’s true nature. She realizes that she has been living in a “doll’s house” — a life where she is controlled and
not allowed to be herself. She decides to leave Torvald and their children to find independence and figure out who
she really is, which was a shocking and revolutionary decision for a woman in the 19th century.

The play ends with Nora walking out of the house, leaving behind the traditional roles of wife and mother, and
stepping into an uncertain future.

Major Themes : Gender Roles, Individual vs. Society, Marriage and Relationships, Deception and Truth, Self-
Discovery, and Sacrifice and Duty

Main Characters : Nora Helmer, Torvald Helmer, Kristine Linde, Nils Krogstad, Dr. Rank, Ivar Helmer, Bob
Helmer and Emmy Helmer
Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare:

Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare is a poem that defines the nature of true love. The speaker begins by asserting
that true love is constant and does not change over time or in the face of challenges. He emphasizes that genuine love
is unwavering and remains strong, even when difficulties arise. Love is described as a guiding star for sailors,
symbolizing its reliability and ability to provide direction amidst life’s uncertainties. The speaker insists that if true
love can be altered or diminished, then he has never truly loved, and no one has ever loved at all. This bold statement
underscores his belief in the ideal and eternal qualities of true love. Overall, the sonnet celebrates love as a steadfast
and unchanging force, making it one of Shakespeare’s most memorable reflections on the subject.

Major Themes : True Love, Constancy, Time, Change, Idealism vs. Realism, Nature of Relationships, and
Immutability of Love

Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman

Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman is a collection of poems that celebrates nature, individuality, and the human
experience. First published in 1855 and expanded in later editions, the book expresses Whitman’s belief in the
connection between all people and the beauty of the world around us. The poems are written in free verse, which
allows Whitman to convey his thoughts in a flowing and natural style.

Whitman also delves into the spiritual aspects of life, suggesting that the divine can be found in nature and everyday
experiences. He champions democracy and equality, believing that all individuals are valuable and deserving of
respect.

Throughout Leaves of Grass, Whitman’s passionate voice invites readers to embrace their individuality, appreciate
the world around them, and recognize the shared experiences that unite humanity. The collection ultimately serves
as a tribute to life, love, and the interconnectedness of all living things.

Major Themes : Nature, Individuality, Democracy and Equality, Love and Friendship, Spirituality,
Transcendentalism, The Human Experience and The Body and Physicality