Background knowledge to deeply understand 'Pygmalion' by George Bernard Shaw
The Myth of Pygmalion
Shaw's play draws its title and central premise from the ancient Greek…
Background knowledge to deeply understand 'The Wisdom of Life' by Arthur Schopenhauer
Arthur Schopenhauer's Life and Influences
Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) was a German philosopher best known for his pessimistic…
Background knowledge to deeply understand 'The Ripening Seed' by Colette
Colette's life and literary context
Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, known simply as Colette, was a prominent French novelist, short story…
Background knowledge to deeply understand 'Chéri' by Colette
The Belle Époque and its Social Context
"Chéri" is set during the Belle Époque, a period in French history that…
Background knowledge to deeply understand 'The Holy Terrors: (Les Enfants Terribles)' by Jean Cocteau
Jean Cocteau's Life and Career
Jean Cocteau (1889-1963) was a prominent French artist, writer,…
Background knowledge to deeply understand 'The Adventures of Pinocchio' by Carlo Collodi
Carlo Collodi's Life and Times
Carlo Lorenzini, better known by his pen name Carlo Collodi, was…
Background knowledge to deeply understand 'The Lost World' by Arthur Conan Doyle
Victorian Era and its Impact on the Novel
Arthur Conan Doyle wrote 'The Lost World' during…
Background knowledge to deeply understand 'The Flying Classroom' by Erich Kästner
Erich Kästner's Life and Times
Erich Kästner, born in 1899 in Dresden, Germany, lived through a period of…
Background knowledge to deeply understand 'The Postman Always Rings Twice' by James M. Cain
The Great Depression and its impact on American society
The Great Depression, which began…
Background knowledge to deeply understand 'Childhood's End' by Arthur C. Clarke
The Cold War and its influence on the novel
Published in 1953, "Childhood's End" was…
Background knowledge to deeply understand 'Murder on the Orient Express' by Agatha Christie
The historical context of the novel
Agatha Christie wrote Murder on the Orient Express in…
Background knowledge to deeply understand 'Treatise on Tolerance' by Voltaire
The Calas Affair
The "Treatise on Tolerance" was written in response to the execution of Jean…