The setting is Scotland, where Macbeth, the tragic hero of the play, changes from a brave general in the army, who heroically defeats the Norwegians, to a bloodthirsty tyrant. Back from the battlefield, three witches put temptation in his way, prophesying his future access to the Scottish throne, and Lady Macbeth fuels his blind ambition…

Ever since its publication in 1603, William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet has been one of the greatest and most influential artistic works. Even today, the quote from the famous soliloquy “To be, or not to be: that is the question” is memorised by many learners of English worldwide. As a classical tragedy, the play tells the…

The Great Gatsby is a novel that portrays the extravagant life of Jay Gatsby, a selfmade man who quickly changes from poverty to opulence and takes to extravagant parties in his sumptuous mansion. This life of merrymaking and hedonism raises questions over illicit liquor selling and consumption. Meanwhile, Gatsby’s main obsession is to win Daisy…

Written in 1949, George Orwell’s dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four portrays a dreadful futuristic human condition under a repressive regime. The setting is Oceania, where individual free thought is banned. “Big Brother Is Watching You” becomes the moto of dictatorial policies that aim at controlling not only people’s behaviour but also their unorthodox thoughts.
Winston Smith, the protagonist of the story, works for the Ministry of Truth, and his mission consists in revising the country’s history by rewriting newspaper articles to manipulate the population and further repress individual liberties. However, Winston later engages in writing a secret diary in which he starts expressing his desires and yearning for freedom. This punishable “thoughtcrime” leads him to Room 101, where he endures severe “re-education” to readjust his seditious thoughts in such a way that his love for Julia turns into loyalty to Big Brother.