Proserpine is a verse drama written for children by the Romantic
writers Mary Shelley and Percy Bysshe Shelley. Mary wrote the blank
verse drama and Percy contributed two lyric poems. Composed in 1820
while the Shelleys were living in Italy, it is often considered a
partner to the Shelleys' play Midas. Proserpine was first published in
the London periodical The Winter's Wreath in 1832. The drama is based
on Ovid's tale of the abduction of Proserpine by Pluto, which itself
was based on the Greek myth of Demeter and Persephone. Mary Shelley's
version focuses on the female characters. In a largely feminist
retelling from Ceres's point of view, Shelley emphasises the separation
of mother and daughter and the strength offered by a community of
women. Ceres represents life and love, and Pluto represents death and
violence. The genres of the text also reflect gender debates of the
time. Proserpine is part of a female literary tradition which, as
feminist literary critic Susan Gubar describes it, has used the story
of Ceres and Proserpine to "re-define, to re-affirm and to celebrate
female consciousness itself". However, the play has been both neglected
and marginalised by critics.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proserpine_%28play%29>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1775:
American Revolution: Patrick Henry made his "Give me liberty or give
me death" speech to the Virginia House of Burgesses, urging the
legislature to take military action against the British Empire.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Give_me_liberty_or_give_me_death>
1868:
Governor of California Henry Huntly Haight signed a law establishing
the University of California, today a public university system that is
considered a model for public institutions across the United States.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_California>
1933:
The German Reichstag passed the Enabling Act, essentially giving German
Chancellor Adolf Hitler dictatorial powers by granting him and the
Cabinet the authority to enact laws without the participation of the
Reichstag.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enabling_Act_of_1933>
1940:
Pakistan Movement: During its three-day general session, the Muslim
League drafted the Lahore Resolution, calling for greater autonomy in
British India.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lahore_Resolution>
1996:
Lee Teng-hui was elected President of the Republic of China in the
first direct presidential election in Taiwan.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Teng-hui>
2007:
Iranian military personnel seized 15 British Royal Navy personnel from
HMS Cornwall, claiming that the British ship sailed into Iran's
territorial waters.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Iranian_seizure_of_Royal_Navy_personnel>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
furlough (n):
(US) A leave of absence or vacation, especially one granted to a member
of the armed forces, or to a prisoner
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/furlough>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour,
and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them
that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which
despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of
your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the
evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even
the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye
more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore
perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
--Jesus
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Jesus>
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