Year: 2025
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The Palace of Truth — W. S. Gilbert
Ferrick Gray — This is a very charming and humorous play which can be easily read from the page, but it has also appeared on stage numerous times since its first performance in 1870. The playwright is none other than W. S. Gilbert of Gilbert and Sullivan fame, and this was one of his most…
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Believability and Understandability in Poetry
Ferrick Gray — Success of a poem can rarely be gauged by the poet themselves. Mostly it is the reader who determines the success or failure of a poem. There are two factors to be considered, these being believability and understandability.
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The Rondel
Ferrick Gray — The rondel originated from French lyrical poetry and consists of two rimes in three stanzas. The repetition and its manner of reading gives it a very pleasant and musical quality.
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The Naming of Cats (Metrical Analysis)
Ferrick Gray — This metrical analysis of Eliot’s The Naming of Cats demonstrates his keenness for traditional meter, but stepping away from the stricter iambic pentameter. We must also realize that this and other poems were written for children, so it is expected that the meter will reflect the mood of the poem.
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The Dunciad—Book I—Verses 59, 81, 87, 91 & 121
Ferrick Gray — Volume 2, Issue 1 of Working with Pope continues with the metrical analysis of The Dunciad. This issue looks at verses 59, 81, 87, 91 and 121 from Book I.
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Robert Frost: Regret and Disappointment – The Road Not Taken
Ferrick Gray — Eliot certainly showed he was a worthy recipient of Pound’s promotion with Prufrock. Perhaps Frost was disappointed with the gusto by which he helped Eliot’s poetry become widely known. Was Frost really so indignant to write such a piece in response to this experience?
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Review of “The Intellectual Design of John Dryden’s Heroic Plays”
Ferrick Gray — John Dryden was a prominent poet, dramatist and critic of the late seventeenth century. Today, it is likely that very few have heard of him. Libraries would have pushed his work into the back shelves, if indeed you are able to find them at all. Hence, a breath of fresh air to…
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Critic? Or—No Critic
Ferrick Gray — We may marvel at the critic, or we may curse them. Not everyone can or will appreciate the role of the critic. As a result, we ask two simple questions. Is the critic necessary?, and if yes: What makes a good critic?
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Deceptive Expectation
Ferrick Gray — The myth of Padora’s Box has changed many times depending on who has told it. Box was introduced later and is a mistranslation of large storage jar. There is also debate as to who actually opened the jar and released the woes upon the world. It seems that Pandora gets the blame.…
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A Letter to James Smith from T. S. Eliot
Ferrick Gray — This essay, or at least these comments, contain extracts from a very short letter from Eliot to James Smith. The letter is dated 21 June 1926 and sent from London.