LITERATURE LENS 🔍

Author: Manjula Padmanabhan Year: 1997 Genre: Futuristic Dystopian Play Pages: 92 About the Author Manjula Padmanabhan is a contemporary Indian playwright, journalist, cartoonist and has illustrated about twenty-four books for children. Her cartoon strip  SukiYaki  which appeared weekly in  The Hindu  reflected the theme gender politics ,  which was not much appreciated and consequently she gave up comedy.  Harvest,  her fifth play won the 1997 Onassis Prize for the Theatre in Greece. Her other critically acclaimed books include:  Getting There, Hot Death, Cold Soup, Three Virgins and other stories  etc. Her works explores the themes science, technology, gender and international inequalities. Harvest Harvest by Manjula Padmanabhan is an award winning futuristic dystopian play about commercialization of organ transplant in India. The play written in 1997 won the Onassis Award for Original Theatrical Drama. The play which contains three acts portrays the life of Om and his family who bec

Author: William Shakespeare Year of Publication: 1599 Genre: History Play, Tragedy Pages: 239 "Julius Caesar" by William Shakespeare is a classic tragedy that explores themes of power, ambition, and betrayal. The play follows the rise and fall of Julius Caesar, a Roman general and politician, and his assassination at the hands of his closest allies. Shakespeare's masterful storytelling brings the characters and their motives to life, showcasing their complex relationships and the political intrigue of ancient Rome. The characters are well-drawn, from the enigmatic and ambitious Caesar to the devious and calculating Cassius. The play is full of memorable lines and speeches that continue to be quoted and studied to this day. One of the most interesting aspects of the play is the exploration of the nature of power and its corrupting influence. The characters all have their own motivations for seeking power, whether it's the desire to rule, to be recognized, or to seek re

Author: Madeline Miller Year: 2011 Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Romance Novel. Pages: 416 Review "The Song of Achilles" by Madeline Miller is a retelling of the ancient Greek epic "The Iliad." The book explores the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus and has been praised for its masterful prose, bold reinterpretation of the classic story, and strong LGBTQ+ representation. The use of love as both a blinder and clarifier in the character's development was also noted as a unique and intriguing aspect of the book. Overall, readers seem to enjoy the modern take on a timeless story and appreciate the nuanced handling of the LGBTQ+ themes. Summary The Song of Achilles is a retelling of the Iliad by Madeleine Miller with a gay romance as the central focus. The author presents the characters of Achilles and Patroclus with modern emotional nuance while still preserving the classic themes of Ancient Greece. The representation of the LGBTQ+ community is well

Author: Robin Sharma Year: 1996 Genre: Novel, Fiction, self-help The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari is a self-help book by Robin Sharma. The book tells the story of Julian Mantle, a successful but unhappy lawyer who has a heart attack and decides to sell all his possessions and travel to India to seek enlightenment. Along the way, he meets a wise monk who teaches him the secrets of living a fulfilling life, including the importance of discipline, courage, and love. The book offers practical advice and inspiring wisdom on how to achieve success and happiness. Likewise, The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin Sharma is an interesting story that gives readers a unique perspective on the power of self-reflection and the importance of knowing when to take a break and rest. Sharma's writing is poetic and full of life, making the book an enjoyable read, even if some readers might find it a bit slow. Ultimately, it's an inspiring story and an enjoyable read. It focuses on the themes of se

Author: Gabriel Garcia Marquez Year: 1985 Genre: Romance Novel, Magic Realism Love in the time of cholera is a love story that will appeal to anyone who has ever had their heart broken. It is a book you can read over and over again, identifying with the main characters on every reading. The novel is set in Colombia during the 19th century. The story revolves around two young people, Fermina and Juvenal, whose parents forbid them from dating each other because of their different social classes. The couple does not give up on their love for each other but rather find creative ways to remain together despite parental disapproval. It is an intriguing read about love and its pains, betrayal, jealousy and sacrifice. It has words so beautiful as to bring tears to your eyes at times, making it one of the best books about love — old or new — that you can ever read. Love in the Time of Cholera is a book that will stay with you for the rest of your life. To start with, it is a beautifully written

Author: Emily Bronte Year: 1847 Genre: Gothic Fiction, Bildungsroman, Romance, Tragedy. I absolutely enjoyed reading Wuthering Heights. I came across many reviews that consider this book as not good because the story is depressing. I would not agree to such views since I believe literature as a reflection of life and I don't think life is fairy tale and everything happens in the way we expect them to be.   This novel was written in 1847 by Emily Bronte, under the pseudonym Ellis Bell. The initial response to Wuthering Height was extremely negative, with critics considering the book to be "too savage, too animal-like, and clumsy in construction."  The story revolves two families living in West Yorkshire moors, the Earnshaws and the Lintons and their turbulent relationship. When Mr. Earnshaw returns from a trip to Liverpool with young Heathcliff in tow, the lives of the Earnshaws are forever changed. Young Hindly Earnshaw detests Heathcliff, while his sister, Catherine, ado

Indian Women In this triple-baked continent women don’t etch angry eyebrows on mud walls. Patiently they sit like empty pitchers on the mouth of the village well pleating hope in each braid of their mississippi-long hair looking deep into the water’s mirror for the moisture in their eyes. With zodiac doodlings on the sands they guard their tattooed thighs Waiting for their men’s return till even the shadows roll up their contours and are gone beyond the hills. Author Shiv K. Kumar was an Indian English poet, playwright, novelist and short story writer. He was born in Lahore, where he recived his school and college education. He obtained his doctorate in English Literarture from the university of Cambridge. He was honoured with the Sahithya Akademi Award in 1987 for his collection of poems  Trapfalls in the Sky and also recieved Padma Bhushan in 2001 for his contributuion to Literature . Themes  Life of women in India Oppression of women suffering of women Plight of women in India, wher