Works

Paradise Lost (epic poem by John Milton) Paradise Lost Paradise Lost is John Milton's 17th-century epic in blank verse about the Fall of Man. It combines classical epic form with Christian themes and has had deep influence on English l…

Paradiso: meanings and cultural uses in literature, music, venues, and popular culture Paradiso Overview of "Paradiso": its meaning as "paradise" in Romance languages and its use in literature (including Dante), music, venues, brands and popular culture, with cultural and sym…

PaRappa the Rapper 1996 rhythm video game by NanaOn-Sha and artist Rodney Greenblat. Known for its call-and-response mechanics, cutout-style art, English-language vocals, and the catchphrase “I gotta…

Parental advisory (content warning label) Parental advisory A voluntary label placed on recordings and publications to indicate material that may be unsuitable for children; widely used in music and sometimes in comics, with a contested his…

Parsifal (Wagner) Parsifal Parsifal is Richard Wagner’s last completed music-drama, a three-act ‘stage-consecrating’ work drawn from medieval Grail legend and premiered at Bayreuth in 1882.

Patriot Games (1992 film) Patriot Games 1992 action-thriller film adaptation of Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan story, starring Harrison Ford and Sean Bean; notable entry in the Jack Ryan series and precursor to Clear and Present…

Paul Stanley (1978 solo album) Paul Stanley (album) Self-titled solo album by Kiss guitarist Paul Stanley, released September 18, 1978 as one of four simultaneous solo records; a blend of rock and melodic songs, featuring the single…

PAX AM Days (EP) — Fall Out Boy's raw punk return PAX AM Days PAX AM Days is a short, high-energy EP by Fall Out Boy, released Oct 15, 2013. It emphasizes an old‑school punk sound and was recorded in a focused studio session as a deliberate c…

Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? — Megadeth's 1986 breakthrough Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? Second studio album by Megadeth (1986). A landmark thrash record noted for its political themes, distinctive cover art, lineup turmoil during recording and lasting influence on hea…

Peachtree Road (Elton John album) Peachtree Road Peachtree Road is Elton John's twenty-eighth studio album, released November 9, 2004. A restrained, adult‑oriented record, it drew mixed-to-positive reviews and earned a gold certi…

Peanuts: Charles M. Schulz’s Long-Running Comic Strip and Its Legacy Peanuts Overview of Peanuts, its characters, style, history (1950–2000), notable adaptations, cultural impact and preservation of Charles M. Schulz’s work.

Peer Gynt — Ibsen's dramatic poem, music by Grieg, and cultural legacy Peer Gynt Peer Gynt is Henrik Ibsen's 1867 dramatic poem inspired by Norwegian folktales. Adapted for the stage with music by Edvard Grieg, it critiques romantic nationalism and remains infl…

Penny Arcade Penny Arcade is a long-running video-game webcomic by Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik (since 1998). It grew into a website hosting other comics, plus the PAX conventions and the Ch…

Pentamerone (Lo cunto de li cunti): Basile's Seventeenth‑Century Tale Collection Pentamerone A seventeenth-century Neapolitan collection of 49 fairy tales by Giambattista Basile, framed as stories told over five days; an early literary source for many familiar folktale typ…

Perfect Dark (2000 video game) Perfect Dark Perfect Dark (2000) is a first-person shooter for Nintendo 64 by Rare, starring agent Joanna Dark. Noted for cinematic, objective-based missions, advanced AI and a robust split-scr…

Perfectly Imperfect (Elle Varner album) Perfectly Imperfect Debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Elle Varner, released August 7, 2012 by RCA Records; a blend of R&B, soul and pop with hip‑hop touches and notable collaborators.

Perry Rhodan — long‑running German science fiction series Perry Rhodan Perry Rhodan is a long-running German space‑opera series created in 1961. It spans serialized weekly novellas, novels and spin-offs, exploring utopian futures, alien contact and Co…

Pest Pest — a word with medical, biological, cultural and geographic meanings, from historic pestilence to agricultural pests, a sports role, a business tool, and the district of Budape…

Pet Sounds (album) Pet Sounds Pet Sounds is the 1966 studio album by the Beach Boys, produced chiefly by Brian Wilson; praised for its sophisticated arrangements, introspective lyrics and lasting influence on s…

Peter and the Wolf — Prokofiev’s musical tale for children Peter and the Wolf A concise guide to Sergei Prokofiev's 1936 orchestral story, its characters and instruments, origins as an educational piece, adaptations (notably Disney) and why it remains widely…

Peter Criss (1978 solo album) Peter Criss (album) Peter Criss is the self-titled 1978 solo album by Kiss drummer Peter Criss, one of four simultaneous solo releases. It showcases his R&B and pop influences and received mixed revie…

Peter Grimes — opera by Benjamin Britten Peter Grimes A 1945 opera by Benjamin Britten set in an East Anglian fishing village. It explores social ostracism, guilt and ambiguity. Famous for the Four Sea Interludes and a title role writ…

Peter Pan: character, origins, themes, and cultural legacy Peter Pan Peter Pan is J. M. Barrie’s boy who refuses to grow up. This article summarizes the character, setting, creation, major themes, principal figures, and enduring adaptations and infl…

Peter's Friends (1992 film) Peter's Friends 1992 British comedy-drama about university friends reuniting for a New Year gathering. Ensemble cast led by Emma Thompson; directed by Kenneth Branagh. Praised for performances and…

Petrushka — Stravinsky's 1911 ballet of puppets, love and tragedy Petrushka Petrushka is a four-scene ballet created by Igor Stravinsky and Alexandre Benois for Diaghilev's Ballets Russes. It mixes music, mime and design to tell the tragic story of three e…

Phffft! (1954 film) Phffft! 1954 American romantic comedy directed by Mark Robson, starring Judy Holliday and Jack Lemmon. Based on George Axelrod's play, it follows a separated couple who explore single life…

Physical Graffiti (Led Zeppelin album) Physical Graffiti Physical Graffiti is Led Zeppelin's sixth studio album, released Feb 24, 1975. A double album mixing older outtakes and new material, it features 'Kashmir' and became a critical an…

Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 ('Pathétique') Piano Sonata No. 8 (Beethoven) Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13, known as the 'Pathétique' (1797–1798), is a three-movement work prized for its dramatic introduction, lyrical Adagio and fiery ro…

Pikmin (video game series) Pikmin Pikmin is a real-time strategy action-puzzle series by Nintendo. Players control captains who command small plant-like creatures to collect items, solve environmental puzzles, and…

Pikmin (video game series) Pikmin (series) Pikmin is a Nintendo strategy-adventure franchise created by Shigeru Miyamoto. Players command swarms of plant-like creatures to solve environmental puzzles, gather resources, and…

Pikmin 2 — GameCube real-time strategy sequel Pikmin 2 Pikmin 2 is a real-time strategy game for the Nintendo GameCube. Players command plant-like creatures to retrieve treasure, solve puzzles and fight hazards while exploring surface…

Pikmin 3 Pikmin 3 — a real-time strategy adventure by Nintendo for the Wii U. Overview of gameplay, Pikmin types, controls, development history, and its place in the Pikmin series.

Pilgrim of Eternity (Star Trek Continues) Pilgrim of Eternity A 2013 fan-produced episode that launches the web series Star Trek Continues — a faithful, noncommercial continuation of The Original Series, serving as a direct sequel to “Who Mou…

Pink Friday (debut studio album by Nicki Minaj) Pink Friday Pink Friday is the 2010 debut studio album by rapper Nicki Minaj. Blending hip hop and pop, it launched her mainstream career, produced the hit "Super Bass" and featured prominent…

Pinocchio: the Wooden Puppet and His Tale Pinocchio Pinocchio is a fictional wooden puppet created by Carlo Collodi in The Adventures of Pinocchio (1883). His nose-growing lie motif and coming-of-age story became an enduring cultura…

Pirelli Calendar: history, format, notable contributors and cultural impact Pirelli calendar An exclusive annual photographic calendar produced by Pirelli, known for high-fashion imagery, limited distribution to VIPs, and notable photographers and models; a blend of advert…

Planet of Exile Planet of Exile is a 1966 science-fiction novel by Ursula K. Le Guin in her Hainish Cycle, exploring exile, cross-cultural contact, and survival on a harsh planet; first published…

Plastic Man (Patrick 'Eel' O'Brian) Plastic Man Fictional comic-book hero created by Jack Cole in 1941, famous for near-limitless elastic shapeshifting, comic tone, Golden Age origins, and later appearances under DC Comics.

Plastic Surgery Disasters Second studio album by American hardcore punk band Dead Kennedys, released November 1982. Noted for abrasive political satire, surf‑tinged guitar, provocative cover art and later r…

Plate block (philately) Plate block A plate block is a group of postage stamps that preserves the printing plate number in the sheet margin; it helps identify printing details and is a distinct area of stamp collecti…

Player character (PC) Player character A player character (PC) is a fictional persona that a game player controls in tabletop or video games, serving as the player's in-game embodiment, with attributes, choices, and pro…

Playing for Pizza — John Grisham's sports novel Playing for Pizza John Grisham's 2007 short novel about a washed-up American quarterback who restarts his life by joining the Parma Panthers in Italy; a light, culture-driven departure from his lega…

PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale A 2012 crossover fighting game for PlayStation systems, featuring iconic Sony characters in arena battles that use a 'super' scoring system rather than traditional health bars.

Po (Kung Fu Panda) — fictional protagonist and the Dragon Warrior Po (Kung Fu Panda) Po is the central character of the Kung Fu Panda franchise: a food-loving giant panda who becomes the Dragon Warrior and grows from an unlikely recruit into a skilled kung fu hero.

Pocket God (mobile game) Pocket God Pocket God is a mobile sandbox game first released for iOS that lets the player manipulate a small island and its inhabitants through physics-driven interactions, episodic updates,…

Poems by Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell A compact history and analysis of the 1846 joint poetry volume by the Brontë sisters—published under male pseudonyms—its themes, publication, reception, and later significance.

Poison (Rita Ora song) Poison is a 2015 single by British singer Rita Ora combining pop, dubstep and R&B elements; it reached number three on the UK Singles Chart and marked her return after a 2014 solo…

Poison Ivy (comics) Poison Ivy (Dr. Pamela Isley) is a DC Comics character: a botanist-turned-villain often portrayed as an eco-terrorist with plant control, toxins and pheromones; frequent ally or pa…