How One King Turned Writers into Celebrities If there was ever a monarch who understood the power of PR, it was Louis XIV. Known as the “Sun King,” he didn’t just bathe Versailles in golden light—he turned French literature into a dazzling spectacle. Under his reign (1643–1715), France experienced a literary golden age, one where…
Emily Brontë vs. Charlotte Brontë: Battle of the Brooding Romantics When it comes to English literature’s reigning queens of 19th-century angst, few rival the Brontë sisters, Emily and Charlotte. These two literary powerhouses gifted the world with brooding heroes, windswept moors, and enough emotional turmoil to keep readers sighing for centuries. But who takes the…
Corneille vs. Racine: The Great Tragedy Showdown If 17th-century French drama were a boxing match, Pierre Corneille and Jean Racine would be in opposing corners, gloved up and ready to duel—though, being classicists, they’d probably just write scathing alexandrines about each other instead. These two literary heavyweights dominated the tragic stage during the reign of…
Oscar Wilde’s Wit: 10 Quotes That Will Make You Smirk If literary sass were an Olympic sport, Oscar Wilde would have taken home gold every time. The Irish playwright, poet, and all-around literary troublemaker was famous for his razor-sharp wit, flamboyant personality, and scathing social critiques wrapped in humor so clever it could cut glass….
Molière’s Genius: How He Used Comedy to Expose Society’s Flaws Few playwrights have had the audacity to turn society’s absurdities into theatrical gold quite like Molière. The 17th-century French dramatist mastered the art of satire, skewering hypocrisy, vanity, and moral pretension with such wit that his plays remain as sharp and relevant today as they…
Mary Shelley: The Teen Who Invented Science Fiction If you think your teenage years were dramatic, wait until you hear about Mary Shelley. While most of us were navigating bad haircuts and questionable life choices, she was busy redefining literature and accidentally creating an entirely new genre. Who Was Mary Shelley? Born in 1797 to…
Medieval Women Writers: The Works of Christine de Pizan In a time when the literary world was dominated by men, Christine de Pizan strutted into the medieval scene, metaphorical quill in hand, and essentially said, “Step aside, gentlemen.” A poet, philosopher, and one of the earliest recorded feminists, de Pizan carved a space for women…
Shakespeare’s 5 Most Savage Insults (and How to Use Them) If William Shakespeare were alive today, he’d be running a wildly successful Twitter account dedicated to devastating comebacks. The Bard had a way with words, and his insults were absolute works of art. Whether you need a witty comeback for an online debate or just…
Who Was Geoffrey Chaucer, Really? If you’ve ever taken an English lit class, you’ve probably heard of Geoffrey Chaucer—the so-called “Father of English Literature.” But let’s be honest: unless you’re a medieval lit enthusiast, Chaucer’s name might conjure up vague memories of high school textbooks, confusing Middle English, and something about a bunch of pilgrims…
The Forgotten Plays Beyond Molière When you think of French drama, one name probably dominates the conversation: Molière. And sure, the guy was a genius—his biting comedies about pompous doctors, hypocritical aristocrats, and general human absurdity are still some of the funniest things ever put on stage. But French Renaissance drama didn’t begin and end…
