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Troilus and Cressida' as a Problem Play

4 Pages 2038 Words
A problem play is a play in which the playwright portrays the social, political and economic problems of the society he lives in. The problem play is a development form of the ‘drama of ideas' (Drama of ideas is a type of discussion play in which the most acute problems of social and personal morality is revealed). It is tragic...

Blindness and Ignorance Vs Sight and the Truth in Oedipus

3 Pages 1253 Words
''We are only as blind as we want to be -Maya Angelou. There are a variety of connotations to the phrase ''blind. Some people tend to view blindness as a physical disability that resembles inferiority. Others believe that blindness defines ignorance as one is unaware of their surroundings or actions. However, the public's attitudes towards blindness are misconceptions as even...

Oedipus the King': A Critical Summary

1 Page 552 Words
In the beginning, I want to introduce the background information about this play. First, the name of this filmed performance is 'Oedipus the King' It is written by Sophocles, the most famous playwright of ancient Greece. He is one of the three tragic writers in Athens. He not only believes in the supreme power of God and destiny but also...

Coriolanus 'Asks for Voices' scene: film vs text

3 Pages 1464 Words
Despite the adaptation of a text to film benefiting from the opportunities and abilities bestowed to a director through the visual aspect of the medium, narrative complexity and depth of literary themes almost inevitably suffer a condensation. Ralph Fiennes’s adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Coriolanus is not immune to this trend, with temporal constraints forcing Fiennes to focus upon thematic elements...

Comedic Elements in Shakespeare's Hamlet

2 Pages 962 Words
Introduction William Shakespeare's Hamlet is often lauded as a quintessential tragedy that explores themes of revenge, madness, and existential despair. However, intertwined with its somber narrative are distinct elements of comedy that serve to enrich the text and provide a multifaceted reading experience. In a play where the tragic elements are dominant, the occasional humor may seem out of place,...

Resisting Social Pressure in Shakespeare and Austen's Works

4 Pages 1710 Words
French sociologist Émile Durkheim believes “Social factors are not only external to the individual but are, moreover, endowed with coercive power, by virtue of which one impose themselves upon”. However, while individuals arise from social interactions and relationships, beliefs, values, and moral obligations may appear as matters of personal will. In Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’, the star-crossed lovers are hindered...

The Dynamics of Identity in Shakespeare's 'As You Like It'

2 Pages 1072 Words
Introduction William Shakespeare's 'As You Like It' is a compelling exploration of identity, transformation, and the human experience. Set against the backdrop of the idyllic Forest of Arden, the play delves into themes of love, pastoral life, and the fluidity of human identity. Written in the late 16th century, this pastoral comedy continues to captivate audiences with its complex characters...

Comparison of Shakespeare’s Rosalind and Viola in 'As You Like It'

3 Pages 1337 Words
Rosalind and Viola are seen as a dominant and independent figure in Shakespeare’s plays. Because, each exemplifies the power and intelligence to confront other characters with their gender-based disguises. They use their disguises as a way to take control of the romantic aspects in their lives, and they engage into different roles with the ability to defy the constraints that...

The Desires Of Appearance Vs Reality

3 Pages 1347 Words
When an individual desire to achieve something, they’re willing to go to extreme measures to accomplish their goal”- Chanté Blake. In doing so, trials and tribulations may come aboard however, that doesn’t hinder them from executing their initial plans. Your strive to accomplish something can come from many sources, for example, an influence from others or your passion to accomplish...

Lovelock's Gaia Hypothesis in Shakespeare's 'As You Like It'

5 Pages 2098 Words
The term ‘Gaia’ owes its origin from James Lovelock's contention that the Earth's self-regulating system itself create a sustainable life to co-exist on the planet and it is hereby, this principle of self-regulation that decides the fate of life to exist on other planets. According to James Lovelock, Gaia constitutes “a complex entity involving the Earth’s biosphere, atmosphere, oceans, and...

Analyzing "To Be or not to Be" in Multicultural Society

2 Pages 1088 Words
To be or not to be The multicultural society denotes all the different ethnic groups that coexist in one society. Individuals in a multicultural society can often come across an overwhelming challenge, which is finding their own identity and personal individuality. Finding yourself among millions of different identities may give you superpower. Therefore, self-acceptance and self-recognition are both universal issues...

Discursive essay on Shakespearean Comedy: Analysis of As You Like It

6 Pages 2841 Words
Historical context During the time of Shakespeare, Queen Elizabeth I was ruling England. The era lasted between the years 1558 – 1603. Christianity was important in Europe. It was divided into two groups –“Catholics and Protestants – of dramatically opposing beliefs” (“Elizabethan Era”). Queen Elizabeth was a Protestant, but was allowed to also practice Catholicism. There were deep tensions between...

Shakespeare's Homicide in Titus and Juliet

6 Pages 2513 Words
William Shakespeare has written many plays, sonnets, and mostly all of them include children. Some of them mercilessly die, and some simply pay for the mistakes of their parents, but why there is not always a happy end? Why children are supposed to die? In early modern England the mortality of infant and children was very high due to many...

John Proctor and Macbeth: Comparative Analysis

2 Pages 1093 Words
John Proctor, from Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, and Macbeth, from William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, are two main characters that show obvious similarities with each other. Both characters show the negative impact of witchcraft in their lives, the reputation they have within the community, and their tragic flaws. While the similarities may be true, they contrast and show evident differences. To begin...

Manhood and Challenge of Being a Man: Analysis of Shakespeare’s Macbeth

3 Pages 1244 Words
I’m a man, Shakespeare said so Alexander Sheffield on outdated ideas of masculinity that we are taught wrong from the start. School, the so-called learning part of our lives, well why are we still being exposed to and taught wrong ideas of important concepts? In 1980, 91% of united state school were teaching Shakespeare and today they are continuing to...
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How Does Lady Macbeth Manipulate Macbeth?

1 Page 616 Words
Reviewed double_ok
How manipulation is portrayed and its role and impact to the plot. As Lady Macbeth and her husband plot to kill King Duncan, she tells him to “Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it”. Her command, though subtle, represents the recurring theme of manipulation, which can be seen throughout the play. It is explored through a...

Free Will in Oedipus Rex, Macbeth, and The Guest

3 Pages 1455 Words
Is there free will in the human life? In the short stories Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare, and “The Guest” by Albert Camus portrays how the exercise of free will leads to downfall. By the ideas of a higher superior, Oedipus, Macbeth, and the Arab in The Guest are able to independently decide their...

Oedipus Rex: Whom To Blame?

2 Pages 776 Words
The story of Oedipus introduces a king faced with a hamartia that ends up being his downfall. Throughout the story, Oedipus seemed destined for misfortune. Faced with an internal conflict; he is forced to find the truth of his past and fall from his grace. Oedipus’s pride plays a major role in his downfall. Although, the fault of his actions...

Love and Fear in Apollo/Daphne and Midsummer Night's Dream

3 Pages 1200 Words
For some people, love may be something good, but for others, it can be an emotion that causes fear. In Ovid’s Metamorphoses “Daphne and Phoebus,” The Elder’s “Apollo and Daphne,” and Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, you are able to find Differences across themes, like reversed roles, characters, dialogues, and images. Also, there are similarities across themes, topics, and tone....

The Theme of Loss in Hamlet

3 Pages 1212 Words
Throughout Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, loss is a fundamental concept that is present throughout the whole play. There are a variety of losses that the characters of the play suffer from, where this essay will be used to discuss the vast variety of losses. The motif scales from the loss of sanity, to the loss of self-righteousness, to the loss of...

What is Required of the Actor in the Performance of Hamlet

7 Pages 3020 Words
INTRODUCTION In this essay I shall identify the necessary skills, resources and expertise required of the actor in the performance of Hamlet. The purpose of this essay is not to arrive at a definite consensus on what the play is about or address the various thematic, political and morality elements. I shall make use of the play to examine the...

Comparing Twelfth Night & She's The Man: Similarities & Differences

2 Pages 960 Words
The play, Twelfth Night, written by William Shakespeare is a playful comedy which explores the construction of class, gender, sexual identity, and the tensions between the external and internal dimensions of each. Many on-screen and rendition adaptations of the play have been created, with the movie, She’s the man directed in 2002 by Andy Flickmen, being beloved by many. Although...

Hamlet and Memory Functions in the Play

4 Pages 1961 Words
Above the river splitting through campus, I stop for a moment, resting my arms upon the bridge’s cold, iron railing. Spring reaches out from skeleton trees in buds of leaves and wildflowers, hovering over a river reflecting whatever light the moon has left to give. With eyes open to the cloudless sky, I notice the rhythmic flicker of the streetlights,...

Themes in Twelfth Night: Sexuality, Disguise, Marriage, Love

3 Pages 1199 Words
Twelfth Night, or What You Will is one of the most challenging Shakespeare’s plays, as it explores issues of gender identity and sexual orientation, interrogates traditional representation of gender roles and suggests same-sex love and attraction between most of the characters, issues, which unfortunately, nowadays, almost 400 years later, are little debated or even considered taboo topics. Twelfth Night is...

The Meaning of Ghost in Hamlet

1 Page 533 Words
Almost fourty years before Shakespeare had written Hamlet, the Church of England had explicitly rejected the Roman Catholic notion of purgatory and the practices surrounding it (Greenblatt 235). Contemporary pneumatology had declared that only devils – which came out from hell and not from the middle state of purgatory – wandered the earth (James 33). Consequently, much critical debate was...

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