| Author |
De Quincey, Thomas, 1785-1859 |
| Title |
Miscellaneous Essays
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| Note |
Reading ease score: 63.2 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read.
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| Contents |
On the knocking at the gate, in Macbeth -- Murder, considered as one of the fine arts -- Second paper on murder -- Joan of Arc -- The English mail-coach -- The vision of sudden death -- Dinner, real and reputed.
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| Credits |
Produced by Charles Franks, Leonard D. Johnson, Susan Goble and PG Distributed Proofreaders
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| Summary |
"Miscellaneous Essays" by Thomas De Quincey is a collection of reflective essays written during the early 19th century. This work showcases De Quincey’s unique blend of literary analysis and philosophical inquiry, addressing a variety of topics, including literature, art, morality, and the nature of murder itself. His essays challenge readers to reconsider conventional notions of morality and aesthetics in the context of both historical figures and fictional narratives. The opening of "Miscellaneous Essays" introduces De Quincey's exploration of the significance of the "knocking at the gate" in Shakespeare's Macbeth. He reflects on his childhood perplexity regarding this moment after Duncan's murder, expressing a deep emotional response that he felt could not be rationally explained. De Quincey emphasizes the importance of intuition over mere understanding, illustrating how art can evoke profound feelings that transcend logic. He draws a compelling connection between Shakespeare's portrayal of murder and the psychological tension it generates, ultimately setting the stage for his subsequent discussions on the aesthetics of murder in literature as an art form. The tone oscillates between scholarly analysis and personal reflection, inviting readers to engage with both the emotional and intellectual dimensions of the subjects at hand. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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| Language |
English |
| LoC Class |
PR: Language and Literatures: English literature
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| Subject |
Essays
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| Category |
Text |
| EBook-No. |
10708 |
| Release Date |
Jan 1, 2004 |
| Most Recently Updated |
Dec 20, 2020 |
| Copyright Status |
Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads |
164 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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