Unit 7 AP Euro Lit Summaries

Charge of the Light Brigade by Lord Alfred Tennyson

A patriotic poem written by Britain’s leading poet during the years of the Crimean War. The author wanted to celebrate and honor the courage of the British soldier, but also expose the incompetence of the British military leadership that wasted the lives of its fighting men.

White Man’s Burden by Rudyard Kipling

A politically motivated poem written by the most popular poet and author in

Britain. He was a dedicated imperialist who loved the British Empire and

believed that the British had a duty to civilize the colonial people of the

Empire. He wrote the poem after the American victory in the Spanish-

American War encouraging the US to seize control over the Philippines. The

poem is associated with the idea of racial superiority and paternalism.

Origin of Species by Charles Darwin

This controversial scientific text was written by a British naturalist, based on

research he conducted during a two-year voyage around the world. His

careful observations of plant and animal life led to his notion that all life is in a

constant state of change (evolution) and the strongest thrive (survival of the

fittest.

Interpretation of Dreams by Sigmund Freud

This masterpiece of psychological theory is considered the foundation of

psychoanalysis. He believed that every experience and thought in the

mind is preserved in the memory and that unlocking these memories can

serve as a tool to treat mental illness.

J’Accuse! by Emil Zola

This angry essay was written by a French journalist who was furious with the

anti-Semitic injustice of the Dreyfus Affair in 1890’s France. He accused the

French Army leadership of knowingly convicting an innocent man of treason

rather than acknowledge their error. It led to the full pardon of Dreyfus.

The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels

One of the most influential political works ever written. It is the foundation of

the theory of communism and would inspire generations of revolutionaries all

over the world. It demanded an end to private property, violent revolution,

and class struggle.