... from children to adults, we become submissive to these guidelines that society has placed upon us. For women, these pressures seem more intense because of the many parts we play in society. After reading Jane Austen's novel, Persuasion, I became fascinated by the societal pressures placed on women ... is wearing a certain article of clothing or behaving a certain way in public, we all have participated in this invisible barrier that we call normal behavior. Like Anne, we have sacrificed our happiness in order to be accepted or liked. In the play, The Merchant of Venice, Portia is not all...

• Word Count: 695
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... regard some of the required texts as being inappropriate for this day and age. I would imagine that students agree with this assumption - I know I did when I was younger. I was of the opinion of "how can a play written 500 years ago have any relevance to me today?" Little did I know that Shakespeare's themes transcend time and are relevant even now. Take the Merchant of Venice for example ... - the themes of racial prejudice, justice, the rights of an ethnic minority in their adopted homeland are all questions we ... are grappling with today. The same could be said of Jane Austen novel...

• Word Count: 1096
• Approx Pages: 4