Plays essays

... samples in this category

Essay examples
Essay topics

Macbeth Guilt: Use Of The Supernatural To Develop Complex Characters

2 Pages 1020 Words
The supernatural cannot be explained by science and can help characters develop throughout the text. In the play, Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, he uses the supernatural to develop complex characters better than J. R. R. Tolkien does in his book The Hobbit. Shakespeare uses the supernatural to pull out the worst in human beings, show the struggles the characters face...

Representation of Mental Health Struggles in Fun Home

2 Pages 749 Words
Out of all the mental health struggles that Alison goes through throughout Fun Home, I wish she would have explained her obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) more. She later refers to it as her “obsessive-compulsive year”, and she is never shown to seek treatment for it through medicine or therapy, so it was not a major part of her life; but as...
like 276

Themes in Alison Bechdel's Fun Home

2 Pages 1046 Words
Introduction Alison Bechdel's Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic is a profound graphic memoir that delves into the intricacies of family dynamics, identity, and the quest for self-understanding. Published in 2006, the memoir stands as a compelling narrative that intertwines Bechdel's coming-of-age story with the complex relationship she shared with her father. Through a nuanced interplay of text and illustration, Bechdel...
like 432

Social Class And Snobbery In Much Ado About Nothing

2 Pages 1160 Words
Regarded as one of William Shakespeare’s greatest creations, the novel Much Ado About Nothing clearly illustrates to its readers the unjust and discriminatory society that was in place during the Elizabethan era. Shakespeare explores the themes of social class and snobbery in this novel in order to achieve his main goal for the novel which was to explore the irony...

Butterfly Impact Theory in Oedipus Rex and The Odyssey

3 Pages 1333 Words
Argumentative Essay A butterfly flaps its wings in Chicago and a tornado occurs in Tokyo. The butterfly effect, the theory is an idea that a small change can make much bigger changes happen, that one small incident can have a big impact someday. In Greek literature, a greater part of the writing has elements of the butterfly effect theory throughout...

Fun Home Versus The Diary of a Teenage Girl: Comparative Essay

4 Pages 1969 Words
The path from one’s childhood to their adulthood has never been a narrow, easy path, it is one filled with numerous obstacles that can make it feel like your entire world is collapsing around you, while providing you no way out. This is prevalent in Alison Bechdel’s, “Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic” and Phoebe Gloeckner’s “The Diary of a Teenage...
like 262

Midsummer Night’s Dream: Society Dynamics and Complex World

3 Pages 1481 Words
William Shakespeare is well-known for commonly utilizing the motif of characters trying to outsmart fate—Macbeth denying the prophecies of the three witches, Romeo and Juliet falling in love when the world is against them, etc.—and this remains true in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. However, this text is likely the one with the most explicit use of the natural world (plants,...

King Lear Versus Death of a Salesman: Comparative Essay

5 Pages 2306 Words
To introduce all the elements, it is important to understand the hamartia of the main character. According to Aristotle, hamartia falls under three categories; to make a mistake, to offend morally, and error of judgment resulting from ignorance or arrogance. In King Lear, Shakespeare portrays a king, whose supreme arrogance, superiority, and great animosity bring King Lear’s tragic downfall. King...

Social Classes Speaking And Inequality Of Social Status In Pygmalion

3 Pages 1347 Words
George Bernard Shaw’s, chronicle, Pygmalion, is one of the festinated romantic dramatic comedies in English. Shaw’s play demonstrates and explores aspects of language in a variety of ways of social classes speaking and inequality of social status and how silliness of class. A silly Cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, is a heroine character of the play who has a dream...

Marriage & Social Expectations in The Importance of Being Earnest

2 Pages 883 Words
Reviewed double_ok
Authors use many devices when they want to express what they mean. Literary or rhetorical devices give the purpose of conveying the meaning of the text, to persuade, or evoke emotion and help tie back to the central message of the text. Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, AJD’s “Marriage - How Has it Changed Over Time,” and Marie...

Jealousy and Its Irreparable Consequences in Othello: Critical Analysis

3 Pages 1610 Words
The play “Othello” by William Shakespeare, demonstrates how jealousy brings irreparable consequences, revealing the importance of one’s need for ‘independent thinking’. Shakespeare wrote the play with the central idea of emphasize humanity, worship of humanity, fully express humanity and human desires. Firstly, the impulse is the beginning of the destruction of a person. In the play, Othello is the victim...

Hamlet Revenge: Delays In Commitment

1 Page 440 Words
Towards the end of the play, Hamlet is confronted with another struggle in contemplating the role of providence, which again, delays his quest for revenge. When Hamlet returns to Denmark in Act IV, he acquires a more mellow and mature understanding of Christian salvation, which is the idea that a divine force is wisely and rationally running the universe. Hamlet:...

Hamlet Revenge: Task, Problems And Delays

3 Pages 1602 Words
In Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, William Shakespeare introduces us to Hamlet who is the son of the late king of Denmark. Hamlet has been given the task of carrying out revenge for his father’s death by the ghost of his late father. Those guilty of sin should not go free. Confused and giving vague instructions by the ghost of his...

Trifles Analysis

5 Pages 2279 Words
Introduction to Gender Dynamics in "Trifles" “Trifles” tells the story of Mr. and Mrs. Wright, without them ever being present. Instead, we are introduced to Sheriff Peters, Mrs. Peters, Hale, Mrs. Hale, and County Attorney Henderson, who try to uncover the truth behind the murder of Mr. Wright. Hale tells them that he came in to see Mr. Wright one...

Doctor Faustus and The Picture of Dorian Gray: Comparative Essay

7 Pages 3041 Words
In both Doctor Faustus, first performed in 1562, and The Picture of Dorian Gray, published in 1890, there is an exploration of demonic powers, and the influence they have over the respective protagonists. Both texts utilise the religious chaos regarding Christianity in the time period of its conception and the sensuality of temptation to depict the extent of the influence...

Pygmalion Play Versus Film: Opinion Essay

3 Pages 1502 Words
In George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, there are a plethora of notions that form a clear distinction between the original written play and the 1938 film production. In this play, there are two accounts that are placed in Elizas hands that give her the difficult option of whether to pursue an intimate relationship with the poor boy Freddy, as depicted in...
like 217

Feminist And Psychoanalytical Critical Approach To King Lear

4 Pages 1795 Words
This essay aims to take a look into the play ‘King Lear’ authored by William Shakespeare, using both the feminist and psychoanalytical critical approach. Like most of Shakespeare’s tragedies, King Lear can be identified on various levels and from a diversity of critical perspectives, due to its complexity. The result of the play not having one particular meaning, it leaves...

The Jealousy in Othello: Analysis of Iago Character

2 Pages 1006 Words
Jealousy in William Shakespeare’s Othello in the play Othello, resentfulness and prejudice are obvious themes from the beginning to the end. As the play slowly expands it is evident that jealousy is the cause of the most dramatic actions which takes part in the play. Iago feels jealous of Othello and tells Roderigo “I hate the Moor; and it is...

Universal Themes of Jealousy and Manipulation in Othello by Shakespeare

2 Pages 720 Words
Shakespeare’s Othello unveils the numerous ways a text can still be relevant and valued over time despite the development of society, aspects and new beliefs. The universal themes of jealousy and manipulation are predominant in the text and enlighten audiences both contemporary and Elizabethan. Jealousy At the beginning of the play, Othello was a general hero who was cool, calm...

Irony and sarcasm in The Importance of Being Earnest expose flaws

2 Pages 1057 Words
Reviewed double_ok
Oscar Wilde’s, The Importance of Being Earnest, creates a trivial comedy which emphasizes the absurdity within Victorian society during the 19th century. The playwright uses characters Jack Worthing, Algernon Moncrieff, Cecily Cardew, Gwendolen Fairfax and Lady Bracknell to develop a sense of humor and comments on the absurd nature of Victorian morals and values. Wilde has used the techniques of...

Exploration of Madness and Jealousy in Shakespeare's Othello

2 Pages 775 Words
Shakespeare explores the core themes of madness and jealousy in his tragedies, Hamlet and Othello, creating two similar yet immensely different protagonists. Despite their many shared distinctions, both plays prove successful in enabling the audience to interpret how lies and deceit lead to death and desperation. Shakespeare is able to perpetuate such impact through relationships. In Othello, Lago exploits the...

A Comparative Analysis of She's The Man and Twelfth Night

2 Pages 963 Words
Introduction The adaptation of William Shakespeare's work into modern media often prompts a rich discussion on fidelity, interpretation, and cultural relevance. "She's The Man," a 2006 film directed by Andy Fickman, offers a contemporary retelling of Shakespeare's play "Twelfth Night." This essay aims to explore the similarities and differences between the film and its source material, analyzing the thematic continuities,...

Reflection on Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare: Opinion Essay

2 Pages 931 Words
Recently I’ve been learning about William Shakespeare and his works in English. He was an incredible playwright who was born in (approximately) 1564 and died in 1616. He has been credited for adding (approximately) 3000 words to the English language. He wrote some amazing renowned plays which I have been studying like Hamlet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet...

Contrasting She Is the Man and Twelfth Night: A Comparative Analysis

2 Pages 829 Words
Introduction The adaptation of classical literature into modern cinematic productions often brings a unique perspective to timeless stories. This is exemplified in Andy Fickman's film She Is the Man, a contemporary retelling of William Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night. While both narratives explore themes of identity, love, and societal norms, the differences in their presentation reflect the evolving cultural contexts and...

Self-Interest and Prejudice in The Merchant of Venice

5 Pages 2206 Words
The human experience is the perception of human emotion, encompassing a wide range of conceptions about life and loss. Our capability to love and hate allows writers such as William Shakespeare to construct a world with binaries that highlights how experiences and motivations affect human behaviour. Shakespeare’s 16th-century play ‘The Merchant of Venice’ a comedic tragedy, discovers self-interested behaviours amidst...

Illusion Of The American Dream In The Glass Menagerie

2 Pages 837 Words
Tennessee Williams’ play, The Glass Menagerie and Baz Luhrmann’s film, The Great Gatsby both explore the illusion of the American dream through their criticism of society and the acknowledgement of the repercussions of the pursuit of happiness. The main ideas that dreams are illusions and the past impacts the present is primarily focused in both the film and the play....

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth: A Cooperative Power Dynamic

3 Pages 1392 Words
The concept of marriage is typically accepted as a cooperative separation of power. However, in Justin Kurzel’s film adaptation of Macbeth, power constantly shifts between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth-- thus displaying different moments in time in which one character holds power over the other. Originally, Lady Macbeth uses verbal language techniques to control the relationship she has with her husband,...

Gender roles and justice in Merchant of Venice

2 Pages 983 Words
The study of William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice (1605) (Merchant) has illuminated the notion that individualistic desires lead not to the human experience of self-betterment, but instead on the experience of fragmented identity and relationships. Inspired by his Elizabethan context, Shakespeare challenges the ‘impartial’ justice system by revealing the resulting experiences of discrimination. Furthermore, Merchant explores how materialism paradoxically...

Join our 150k of happy users

  • Get original paper written according to your instructions
  • Save time for what matters most
Place an order

Fair Use Policy

EduBirdie considers academic integrity to be the essential part of the learning process and does not support any violation of the academic standards. Should you have any questions regarding our Fair Use Policy or become aware of any violations, please do not hesitate to contact us via support@edubirdie.com.

Check it out!