Search

A literary criticism is presented of the 1924 English fictional book "Parade's End," by Ford Madox Ford. Particular focus is given to the book's depiction of social class, including class conflict and class struggles during World War I. An overview of the portrayal of British coal miners' strikes within the novel is provided.

The article examines the pastoral theme of chance encounters between king and commoner in early modern balladry. The author explains how the king-commoner motif was used in British drama at the end of the 16th century. The use of the motif in three plays by dramatist William Shakespeare is addressed. The author talks about how these ballads presented a commoner's perspective that contrasted with the aristocratic tone of the literary pastoral tradition. The rural environment that kings encountered in these ballads is explored. The article also discusses how Shakespeare's version of the pastoral can be seen as a part of a greater popular tradition that satirizes and subverts conventional assumptions about social class distinctions.