Abstract This paper explores how Sophocles portrays a powerful king with mortal human weakness that betrays him as they do to all human beings. This paper describes in detail the tragic Greek play "Oedipus Tyrannous".
From the Paper "Although acknowledging the importance of destiny, Greek general thought placed little emphasis on determinism and preferred to portray mankind as possessing free will. In Oedipus Tyrannus, Sophocles addresses both sides of the coin by, on the one hand, stressing the infallibility of the oracle of Apollo, yet also endowing Oedipus with ultimate control over his own actions. It is within this context that the story of Oedipus portrays the tragic plunge of a powerful and wealthy man into the depths of ruin and dishonor. "
Abstract This paper takes a look at this play which is set in post World War Two Nigeria and of the customs of burying a King. The play is based on a ritual that was practiced by the Yoruba tribe. If a king died, his horseman, horse and dog had to follow the king into the afterlife. These customs and rituals are analyzed for their symbolism throughout the play.
From the Paper "In ?Death and the King's Horseman,? Soyinka describes the circumstances surrounding and leading up to the ritual suicide of Elesin Oba, the King's chief horseman. On the day of the burial of the king?the day of Elesin's suicide, the horseman is celebrated and praised. The Praise-Singer celebrates the life of Elesin. The village women glorify his exploits and the supreme sacrifice he is about to make. There is singing and dancing as part of the celebration. Elesin is arrayed in the richest and most colorful finery. A prominent woman Iyaloja acquiesces to Elesin's request to marry and consummate relationships, if only for one night, with a young beautiful woman who is betrothed to her own son. Such is the willingness of the village to glorify Elesin. After the marriage, the procession winds to the village and the place of the suicide ritual. Soyinka vividly and lyrically describes how the Praise-Singer plays devils advocate asking whether Elesin is ready to go through with it. Elesin is ready; he enters a trance that transcends the boundaries of physical feeling."
Abstract This term paper examines the character of Hamlet in which we see a very human character, one whose destiny in part condemns a man whose is also condemned by his own actions. This essay discusses Hamlet's habitual indecisiveness which leads to a climax in which there is in fact no clear resolution to the play's action.
From the Paper "We are accustomed to thinking of Hamlet as the hero of the play that bears his name ? the avenger of his father, the man who returns a sense of justice and order to the land of Denmark. And yet a closer reading of the play suggests that while Hamlet is in some sense a hero, he is also quite clearly culpable for the terrible events that occur. And yet rather than make him less compelling as a character, his essential flaws make him more interesting. His own indecisiveness and unwillingness to act in the end cause a great deal of harm in the world. His role as a prince is to serve as the protector of his people, as a dam against the threat of evil. This passivity of his is certainly not as morally wrong as is the active evil involved in the murder of his father. But neither is it heroism, constituting no outstanding feat of virtue. "
This paper describes how patriarchal protection or authority both liberate and debilitate the female characters in Aphra Behn's "Sir Patient Fancy" and "The Feigned Courtesans".
Abstract This paper looks at these two plays by Aphra Behn and shows how she was a radical writer in her times. Focusing on the sexual liberty of women, she created characters that were not suppressed by the male patriarchy and she wrote of the erotic nature that the women possessed. The plays are analyzed for these themes.
From the Paper "Depicting sexually liberalized women the two plays in question, underscore and criticize the patriarchal system of society where a double standard of judgment is applied to the behavioral codes of men and women. Under the guise of protection the women are seduced but then by an ironic set of standards the very same women are criticized on allowing themselves to be seduced."
Tags: female, erotic, play, literature, patriarch, society, liberal
Abstract In the play "The American Dream", Albee exemplifies the theatre of absurd by indicating the way Americans act in reality.The writers shows that it was the lack of communication in American Society that made Albee create such a controversial, yet original play. But even if Albee believes that the main idea of the play was the breakdown of the communication, the play still creates controversy because people are able to read in between lines where the social criticism is hidden.
From the Paper "American society draws the attention of many writers, including an excellent playwright, Edward Albee. In the play, ?The American Dream,? Albee illustrates the way Americans act by using his main theme, the theatre of absurd. By using this theme he sets his main characters as caricatures of normal Americans who care only about having a harmonic life, which includes being rich and having a perfect family. The fact that it is one-act play adds up to its? originality mainly because such a short play creates the controversy over having different meanings to certain critics. These meanings come from various hidden messages that Albee was able to include in this one-act play."
A detailed examination of how tragedy can glorify an individual, through the discussion of August Strindberg's "Miss Julie" and Ibsen's "Ghosts" as examples to illustrate this point.
Abstract This paper examines the contention that characters of literary works often are put through physical and emotional torment in order to strengthen their character and emerge as heroes. In "Ghosts" the writer shows that the character of Mrs Alving is the hero after she suffers greatly from her husband's death and unfaithfulness and her son's illness. Despite all this she rises above her troubles. In the play "Miss Julie" the heroes are the rich daughter and a house servant and their love for each other which cannot be. This paper compares the way in which each of these literary works uses tragedy to strengthen their characters.
From the Paper "Authors of literary works often use their writing to convey the character worth and strength of their protagonists. They may put them through grief and tragedy but in the end they come out on top and even in spite of the horrors they have suffered they look very moralistic and glorified. Two classic works, August Strindberg's Miss Julie and Henrick Ibsen's Ghosts are illustrative of this ability to glorify an individual through the use of tragedy."
A discussion of how various characters such as Hotspur, Prince Hal and Falstaff represent different manifestations of the concept of honor in Shakespeare's 'Henry VI'.
Abstract Honor, the central theme in Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1, is embodied primarily in the two main characters. This essay compares and contrasts the concept of honor as lived by Hotspur and Prince Hall, making frequent use of quotes to substantiate claims. Other characters, King Henry and Falstaff, who Shakespeare finds useful in this major treatment of honor, are also discussed.
From the Paper "One of the main themes around which Shakespeare dramatizes the history of his country in The First Part of King Henry IV is honor. To the Elizabethans honor was a major topic of debate as it had been to Englishmen of all ages. Honor is a complex subject, highly personal to some, highly public to others. Honor can be something for which one quietly stands, or about which one shouts in flowery language. The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast some of the various forms taken by honor as represented in Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part I."
Tags: falstaff, hal, hotspur, prince, Shakespeare, Henry, IV, honor, Elizanethans
Abstract In the play, Shaw set out to challenge the satisfaction of his audience and weaken some of their most deep-rooted notions. He draws public attention to the truth that prostitution is caused, not by female depravation, but simply by underpaying, undervaluing, and overworking women, in a capitalist and chauvinist society. These controversies develop through the different characters particularly, and the theme is analysed in the relation between Vivie and her mother.
From the Paper "Mrs Warren's Profession, written by Bernard Shaw in the early nineteen hundreds, deals with a series of moral issues, which are of important relevance even now. Throughout the play, Bernard Shaw, proves to be an incisive and irreverent social citric, therefore being the antithesis of the romantic dramatist which characterized Victorian society. Shaw, uses the play to put forward his ideas and criticize social and moral issues existent at the beginning of the 20th century in British society, issues which ironically are still applicable in our supposedly developed world."
Abstract This essay shows how Shakespeare's "Hamlet" struggles with the concept of age and growing old. He is pitted against age with his dad's ghost and the real life of his uncle but he has the energy and youthful ideas of youth with which to combat their wisdom. He grows and before he dies he becomes a true adult, something that the audience is happy to see happen, because he was so tortured for so long.
From the Paper "This is the play in which the famous line, "This above all: to thine own self be true". - (Act I, Scene III)." originated. This was the way Hamlet finally learned that he had to do what he had to do to make his life content and he could not worry about how it would affect everyone else. If he lived his life for others he would be forever miserable and that would do no one any good."
Abstract Oscar Wilde in the play "The Importance of Being Earnest" creates humor in several different ways. Three of these ways are-- through the use of ironic situations, through the use of puns and through the use of witty epigrams. An example of each of these methods is given, showing how the humor operates and what it achieves.
From the Paper "The first and most crucial is the use of irony. The entire wit and meaning of the play is captured by the irony. The Importance of Being Earnest focuses on the elite of society and by irony, pokes fun at them and offers a deeper look into their world. The irony is focused on the characters attempts at being earnest, where earnest has a double meaning, meaning serious and also meaning the person's name Ernest. Algernon and Jack both claim to be Ernest, and in doing so act with earnest. We also see that Lady Bracknell is earnest but that this only brings her unhappiness. The irony is that the characters who do not act earnestly are rewarded and the characters who do act earnestly are not. With this, Wilde makes a statement about society's belief in the importance of being earnest. The meaning is that being earnest in fact has no reward. Firstly, we can say that the double meaning creates a humorous situation by the play on words. Secondly, it goes beyond this and through irony shows that valuing earnest has no reward. The end meaning is to show the flaw in society, that those that have acted earnestly are the ones that are not earnest."
Abstract This paper explores how music and the theatre have always worked together for as long as humanity has engaged in staging productions. It shows that music has played a part, sometimes minor, sometimes major, in many theatrical productions; however, since the late nineteenth century with the birth of the modern musical theater it has continued to gain importance and social relevance. The writer shows that as they gained in popularity, musicals became an entertaining forum for discussing relevant social issues, depicting the plights and victories of modern Western society.
From the Paper "The first musical comedies began to emerge in the 1880?s, thanks to a pair called Harrigan and Hart. They were the owners of the Theatre Comique on lower Broadway. Unlike the Extravaganzas of the previous decade, Harrigan and Hart's musical comedies began to stir up some social awareness. Many of the comedies that were staged on Broadway took place in the dishevelled streets of Manhattan, with characters reflecting the lives of those who lived and worked there. While the productions certainly took a comical viewpoint, the audience was very aware of the reality of the situation."
Abstract A look at the character of Hamlet and how Shakespeare uses the literary tool of a soliloquy to help the reader better understand this character. A comparison of a narrator and the use of soliloquies in getting an insider's view into the mind and background of the play.
From the Paper "Hamlet, in the play of the same name by William Shakespeare, uses soliloquies to talk through his problems in an attempt to ultimately avenge his father's death and avoid ruin. There is a general pattern his soliloquies follow. When experiencing periods of self-doubt and depression, he contends with his difficulties by rationalizing his thoughts aloud, which as a result, arouse his emotions. This leads to a resurgence of self-confidence and self-motivation to complete his plan, and often a vow to take action follows. By contrasting with his outward behavior, Hamlet's soliloquies reassure the reader that he his not truly mad by offering a window to his inner workings."
Tags: hamlet, shakespeare, soliloquies, soliloquy, talk, play, character, drama
Abstract This paper uses outside critical sources to point out areas within "Hamlet" that liken the main character, Hamlet, to Sophocles' Oedipus. This comparison is made by exploring his relationship to his mother. Also, throughout the paper not only is Hamlet's Oedipus Complex being explored but so are the effects of its presence in Shakespeare's play.
From the Paper "Hamlet a play written by William Shakespeare is the tragic story of a prince from Denmark by the same name. Hamlet as a young adult has had to deal with the sudden death of his father at the hands of his uncle Claudius, unbeknownst to everyone but himself, and his mother's swift marriage to the same uncle. One can easily see how either one of these events can cause distress in a young man's life. However, in Hamlet's case, "distress" does not even begin to describe how he feels. Not only is Hamlet coming to terms with his father's murder and mother's remarriage he is seemingly madly in love with Ophelia and also dealing with strong sexual feelings for his mother which have been repressed. Many critics have likened Hamlet to Sophocles' Oedipus in this respect and claim that it is this, as Freud calls it "oedipal complex" that feeds into Hamlet's ravenous hunger for revenge towards his uncle and causes him to feign madness and even turn on Ophelia, causing her own emotional breakdown and suicide."
Abstract A paper which presents a discussion about what the character Willy, in Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman", is looking for in life. The writer of this paper answers the question, "What does Willy want?" The other characters in the play and their ideas of what makes them happy, are also examined.
From the Paper "There are several others in the play who present varied ideas of what happiness is about. It is interesting to note where they are in life and correlate that with their happiness ideas. Ben, the ghost figure of Willys brother, has discovered that happiness comes from within and has nothing to do with the outside world. It is ironic that he is the only one in the play who seems to understand this and he tries in several ways to tell his brother and save Willy years of heartache."
Abstract The author of the paper shows Shakespeare's skillful use of imagery in developing the character of Macbeth in the play. The paper shows that although imagery is used throughout the play, it is most dominant in appearances with clothing, light and darkness imagery, and blood imagery.
From the Paper "Using clothing imagery, Shakespeare develops Macbeth's character. This is evident, as, imagery of clothing shows us Macbeth's ambition, and the consequences thereof. We see this ambition, through Banquo, when he says, "New honors come upon him, / Like our strange garments, cleave not to the / mould" (144-146), meaning that new clothes do not fit our bodies, until we are accustomed to them. Throughout the entire play, Macbeth is constantly wearing new clothes, that are not his, and do not fit. "
