The Bookworm: a poem

‘She is too fond of books, and it has turned her brain’ - Louisa May Alcott

When Shakespeare meets Bollywood

Anyone who's ever had the misfortune to be in my English class will have heard the words "well, in the Bollywood version..." Shakespeare's plays have been adapted the world over; in India, Othello becomes Omkara, Hamlet is Haider, and Romeo and Juliet are Ram-Leela.  While the East has its own versions of the tragic love story, most notably Layla and...

Red Riding Hood and Marxist Literary Theory

Once upon a time, there was a communist. And her name wasn't Little RED Riding Hood for nothing...

Twilight and Terrorism: Exploring the Gothic

Why are dolls used in horror movies? What makes a Gothic novel? And to what extent is 9/11 responsible for the Twilight franchise's popularity? With Halloween just around the corner, I thought it was time to delve into the sordid history of Gothic novels (which, incidentally, has nothing to do with the lip piercings and...

Interviewing Shrabani Basu, author of ‘Victoria and Abdul’

'Victoria and Abdul', which has been adapted into a film starring Judi Dench, tells the true story of Queen Victoria’s friendship with an Indian servant, Abdul Karim. He became the queen's ‘munshi’, her teacher, teaching her Urdu and the Qur'an to the chagrin of her English staff. I contacted the author, Shrabani Basu, who kindly agreed...

Bad Dating Advice According to Classic Literature

Like every year, the 14th of February saw lovelorn lads and ladies flinging their pennies at saccharine greeting cards. Meanwhile, World Book Day saw Sixth Formers at my school adorning themselves with fairy wings and glitter in a celebration of true literature (i.e the Rainbow Magic series from our childhoods). With the two holidays almost...

Women In Frankenstein: A Sexist Portrayal?

Is 'Frankenstein' sexist? It’s interesting to note that the narrative in its entirely is viewed through a male lens, with the female characters being reported through Frankenstein and then Walton. This could explain why many of the female characters within the book (*ahem* Elizabeth) are presented as paragons of virtue and purity, uncomplicated and sweet....