Tutor profile: Karel W.

Shakespeare creates inner dialogue in many of his plays including "Macbeth," "A Midnight Summer's Dream," and "Othello." The most famous dialogue is that of Hamlet's in "Hamlet." What is this type of inner dialogue called that Hamlet does throughout the play and more specifically, in Act III, Scene i? What is the purpose of this dramatic writing style?

Soliloquy. The purpose of a soliloquy is to show readers a glimpse into the minds of the character. It gives them a chance for them to tell readers how they feel about how the story is going while also advancing the plot.

Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Margaret Fuller are key writers and speakers in nineteenth century American literature. Each wrote with an iron fist and used language that exceeded the standard of their time. What American movement were they involved in and what are the key elements of that movement? Name one essay from Emerson, Thoreau, and Fuller that highlights these ideas.

Emerson, Thoreau, and Fuller were the leaders in the Transcendentalist Movement in nineteenth century America. This movement involved a new way of thinking by ridding themselves with the teachings of old and moving into a contemporary way of thinking. Transcendentalist thinkers relied on nature to support their ideas by arguing that every source of information can be learned by examining nature. Other key elements include relying on ones self to succeed in the world, breaking away from organized religion, and developing a new perspective. Works include Emerson's "Nature" and "Self-Reliance," Thoreau's "Walden" and "Civil Disobedience," and Fuller's "Women in the Nineteenth Century."

I bought a pear, a banana, and an orange at the store. What is the last comma in the sentence called?

The Oxford comma. It is the comma used in a serial list before the last item in the list.