Abstract The purpose of this paper is to introduce and discuss the play "Oleanna," by David Mamet. Specifically, it looks at the most important idea the play, namely that of sexual harassment. The body of this paper explores the plot in the light of this idea. It looks at the plays comments on human nature and investigates the power struggles within the play.
From the Paper "Many reviewers and critics would say that the most important idea dramatized by the plot of "Oleanna" is sexual harassment. "Ultimately, perhaps the question in Oleanna is not whether sexual harassment has been committed, but exactly who is persecuting whom" (Berardinelli). Even deeper, this play delves into the process of higher education, and whether it provides a real education to today's youth, and Mamet uses the force and power of the English language to get this point across to the audience. So, the most important idea is a blend of all these themes that carry throughout the play, each one builds on the next to create an impossible situation of misunderstanding and power."
Abstract This paper analyzes Hamlet's incestuous attraction to his mother, Gertrude, in relation to the Oedipus Complex. The paper provides textual evidence as well as interpretation. Through a review of the play, the writer illustrates the background to Hamlet's behavior and explains his insanity which is incited by his subconscious sexual desires.
From the Paper "Hamlet's Oedipal feelings toward his mother caused him to have an incestuous attraction to her and an intense feeling of rivalry towards Claudius. The Oedipus Complex is a Freudian term designating attraction on the part of the child toward the parent of the opposite sex and rivalry and hostility toward the parent of its own (The Columbia Encyclopedia). Typical characteristics of this complex include jealousy and anger towards the parent of the same sex, and a subconscious desire towards the parent of the opposite sex. While most of the urges are repressed by early childhood, extreme circumstances can bring them to the surface in the later stages of life. In Hamlet's case, it took the murder of his father to draw out his incestuous instincts."
Abstract This essay explores the existentialist theme in Samuel Beckett's "Waiting for Godot" and how it is used in the play.
From the Paper "In Samuel Beckett's play, Waiting for Godot, Existentialism is the prevailing source of inspiration.
Beckett uses his characters to show that waiting is truly anguish and one must actively pursue the
meaning in their life. This essay explores both existentialism as well as its use in this play."
Abstract This paper details the background of Elizabethan England in Shakespeare's time, in which there were many rigid standards for social customs and marital traditions, but the Reformation was encouraging women to be more independent and to control their own lives, resulting in the emergence of a new "Renaissance woman". It is this conflict of ideas that is played out in "The Taming of the Shrew" and an understanding of the times as put forth in this paper, along with parallel examples from the text, adds to a richer understanding of the play.
From the Paper "Contrary to young Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, the average age for brides of the time was twenty-four, and for grooms it was twenty-seven, but the legal age of consent for girls was twelve, for boys fourteen (Mack 54). Although Kate's age is never mentioned in the The Taming of the Shrew, one can assume that she is probably close to this age, if not a bit older. It is frustrating for her to be single, when Bianca has so many suitors, and her anger at Baptista for helping Bianca to obtain a husband is understandable. When she accuses him of favoritism, and declares that, because of him, she will have to ?lead apes into hell,? she actually is citing a common conception of the period. When a younger sister married before an older one, it was customary for the elder sister to dance barefoot at the wedding to avoid becoming a spinster. It also was believed that the eternal fate of an "old maid" was leading apes into hell (Charlton 87)."
Abstract This paper presents and discusses five possible reasons why Hamlet delays his revenge on Claudius even though Hamlet discovers early on that Claudius poisoned Hamlet's father.
From the Paper "William Shakespeare's Hamlet is one of the most fascinating and complex plays ever written. Young Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, is a man of intelligence and education, but the death of his father the king motivates him to seek revenge against his uncle Claudius. His uncle had succeeded Hamlet's father to the throne of Denmark and commits incest by marrying the King's widow Gertrude. Although Hamlet discovers early in the play that his uncle Claudius had poisoned his father, he delays his revenge until several acts later in the play."
Abstract This critical paper explores Susan Glaspell's first drama, "Trifles", a murder and investigation story. Within the plot lies the undertone of sexual discrimination and the effects it had upon women. Although murder is not a justifiable action, no matter what the offense may be, "Trifles" generates sympathy towards the murderer for what she has been through and makes the reader feel less like she was the suspect and more like she was the victim.
From the Paper "Susan Glaspell's first drama, Trifles, was written on one afternoon in 1916 as Glaspell sat in an empty theater staring at an empty stage. Based on her memories of a murder trial she covered in earlier days as a reporter, Trifles is a story of murder, evidence, and justice. However, underneath the outer facts, emotions, oppressions, and motives are exposed. Two of the major themes developed in the plot of Trifles are the physical and psychological oppressions suffered by the women of the early 1900s and the significance of a male-dominated civilization. Trifles gives the reader a perfect example of how the suspect of a story can evolve into a victim as the plot develops and the inner emotions are revealed."
Abstract The writer examines the characteristics of Hamlet and the forces that drove him to act as he did. The writer believes that Hamlet's melancholic behavior, his ?tragic flaw,? and his procrastination to fulfill the task of revenge are factors that cause him to fall victim to obstacles that he is unable to overcome.
From the Paper "In the play "Hamlet" the protagonist is concerned with situations involving not only social but also moral pressures as well. There are many reasons to believe that Hamlet's actions were not in vain. Although Hamlet kills Claudius, the plan for revenge is not properly fulfilled due to elements that cause Hamlet's downfall and his unfortunate demise. "
Abstract The different characters in this play are all analyzed and looked at, and then compared to Laura, who is thoroughly analyzed herself. It shows how all the characters are like in little "glass bubbles" and do not interact with the world, yet despite this, their necessary interactions with each other are analyzed.
From the Paper "The characters in Williams's The Glass Menagerie are all living in their own world. They do not seem to come out of their own dream world, in which they have clearly found comfort and shelter. Especially Laura has great problems being a part of society, she, of all characters, has most clearly fled into a lonely fantasy world. In this essay I will compare the character of Laura to the other characters in the play."
Tags: literature, play, tennessee, theater, williams
Abstract An examination of how Iago's character changes and develops through different sections of the play. The writer claims that Iago is the main driving force in this play, pushing Othello and everyone else towards their tragic end.
From the Paper "Perhaps the most interesting and exotic character in the tragic play "Othello," by William Shakespeare, is "Honest" Iago. "Iago in external appearance or in his characteristic traits, he is the man who deceived and betrayed Desdemona, Cassio, and Othello" (White 203). Through some carefully thought-out words and actions, Iago is able to manipulate others to do things in a way that benefits him and moves him closer toward his goals. "
Abstract The paper contrasts the two plays, and bases the comparison on a study of the two protagonists - Miller's "Loman" and Ibsen's "Nora".
From the Paper "Both Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman and Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House have at their core a character who is trapped by social expectations and economic realities. Miller's protagonist, Willy Loman, does his best to ignore the problems in his life ? and his attempt to deny the reality around him leads to terrible consequences. Ibsen's protagonist, Nora Helmer, on the other hand, by the end of the play will embrace her difficulties and will learn that by coming to terms with her life she does in fact have the power to change it."
Abstract This paper shows how each character in this novel uses the mechanism of escape in order to deal with the hardships in their personal life. The lives of Tom, Laura and Amanda each take a different path when they realize that they have the option of escaping from their present condition. Each form of escape of the different characters is discussed - physical escape (running away), occupational escape (playing with glass dolls) and mental escape (ignoring the problems of one's relationship).
From the Paper "In the play The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, the theme of escape helps drive the play forward. Amanda Wingfield, the mother, escapes the reality of her hard and narrow life by remembering better times, possibly without great accuracy. Laura, Amanda's daughter, escapes by playing with her collection of glass animals (the "menagerie"). Tom, Amanda's son, is the only one in the family who has a chance of truly escaping the life they have lead, but if he chooses this path, he will be leaving Amanda and Laura behind just as his father did many years before. Tom and Laura's father is an important character in the play, even though he never appears. Tom describes him as ?? a telephone man who fell in love with long distances.? (?The Glass Menagerie,? scene 1) The father's picture in his World War I uniform is placed prominently in the family's living room. In that uniform the sense of his being away is apparent. The father's absence sets the theme of escape for the play."
Tags: mental, occupational, physical, tom, laura, amanda, hardship, escape
Abstract This essay discusses the changes in the relationship between Macbeth and his wife, Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare's tragic play, "Macbeth". It shows that as the events of the play progress, so too does their relationship progress from a loving one to an abnormal and unhappy relationship.
From the Paper "In the beginning of the play, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth seem to be deeply in love with one another, as proven by such things as his referring to her as his ? dearest partner of greatness? and his wanting to go ahead of everyone to get to his home quickly. In the beginning of the play, Macbeth seems to be the "lesser of two evils" as it may be, and Lady Macbeth seems to be domineering. After the murder of Duncan, Lady Macbeth tries to calm Macbeth down by telling him "These deeds must not be thought"so it will make us mad?, which is ironic because her own thought so of the murder eventually drive her to suicide. Lady Macbeth begins to manipulate Macbeth and challenges his feelings of guilt and pity for King Duncan and replaces them with malicious and spiteful feelings "look like th'innocent flower, but be the serpent under't". Lady Macbeth now instructs Macbeth on how he should act, encouraging him to be deceitful to Duncan. Macbeth becomes so absorbed in his mixed feelings about the murder that he withdraws from the loving relationship that he had with Lady Macbeth in the beginning of the play."
Abstract "Edward Albee's play The Zoo Story is a play about communication, or rather, the lack of communication between people who believe they are communicating.
From the Paper "Edward Albee's play The Zoo Story is a play about communication, or rather, the lack of communication between people who believe they are communicating. The play is both comic and tragic, for the same lack of communication which brings laughter can the next moment bring pathos as the consequences of isolated human beings (human beings who cannot or will not communicate openly and honestly) brings death, even murder, or murder by suicide.
The play features two men, Jerry and Peter. Jerry is either mad or so eccentric and troubled that he might as well be mad, and Peter is conservative and completely ignorant of the world beyond his little married life. On one level, the men appear to be trying to communicate, although there are obvious roadblocks to that end."
Abstract This paper plots out how Walter's views on manhood develop and change, including many quotes. Also, a comparison between Mama's definition of a man and Walter's definition - citing the generational gap between the two and how their life experiences effect their perspective about a man's role in the world.
From the Paper "How does one define what it means to be a man? Is there one single step or moment in which a boy moves into manhood, leaving behind his childish ways and moving forward into the maturity of manhood? Many cultures have formal initiations or festivals celebrating a boy's entrance into manhood."
Abstract This paper shows how the Oedipus complex theory can be applied to Hamlet, the main character of "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare and the issues that he faces concerning his mother and girlfriend. The paper shows that the intense rage that Hamlet projects onto Queen Gertrude (his mother), Ophelia (his girlfriend) and women in general compiles this version of Oedipus complex triangle. Hamlet finds himself strangely drawn to the act of matricide whether or not he blatantly expresses it, because he partially blames his mother for the circumstances leading up to his father's death, although he has a strange sexual affinity towards her. The paper describes how Hamlet releases his frustration about his father's death indirectly on Ophelia while raising to the surface strong undercurrents of an Oedipal complex with Gertrude as its center.
From the Paper "According to psychoanalysis, a male child's dual view of his mother as the Madonna and the whore (her relationship with the father) is not abnormal. Men have a preoccupation with virginity as well as an urge to engage in dirty activities with the whore. Unfortunately, Hamlet fails to detangle the complicated web he has mentally and emotionally intertwined them in, and he ends up causing them to incur mental and physical damage. His feelings about Polonius? death have much to do with using Ophelia as a vehicle for him to feel as though he forced the same agony of grief upon his mother that he had to endure when his father died."
