Final answer:
The subject of this question is English, and it pertains to the description of characters living grim existences. The passages provided describe the hardships and sufferings experienced by individuals in different literary works.
Step-by-step explanation:
The subject of the question is English as it pertains to the description of characters living a grim existence. The excerpts provided describe the hardships and sufferings experienced by individuals in various literary works. These passages illustrate the bleak lives led by people in different historical and fictional settings, emphasizing their struggles, hardships, and deprivation. Examples include references to soul-starvation, poverty, disease, and a sense of hopelessness.