Abstract This paper is an analysis of the relationships between Blanche, Stanley and Stella in "A Streetcar Named Desire". It shows that none of the relationships in the play were normal or healthy. In order, it examines the relationship between Blanche and Stella, the relationship between Blanche and Stanley, and the relationship between Stella and Stanley.
From the Paper "Blanche and Stella Dubois came from a well-to-do family. The sisters grew up on a plantation called Belle Reve. Stella had always been very self-absorbed and one day, she left the plantation behind and found her way to the city. She left Blanche to take care of the remaining family. All was well on the plantation until the depression hit and money was scarce, even for the rich. Blanche had to take care of an ailing family while she worked as a schoolteacher to make ends meet. She saw most of her family die and she resents Stella for not being there to help take care of everyone. She is angry with Stella for leaving her with all the responsibilities."
Abstract This paper looks at the similarities between Shakespeare's "Henry V" and Machiavelli's "The Prince", and the concept of the perfect king. The two plays are discussed, and the concept that either Shakespeare is drawing his inspiration for his dramatization from Machiavelli or that both Machiavelli and Shakespeare have similar ideas of what the ideal ruler would be.
From the Paper "In Henry V, Shakespeare presents Henry as the ultimate ideal of kingship. The only question is where does this idea of a perfect king come from, and after reading Machiavelli's Prince and Henry V one begins to note similarities. Not the least of which is the passage quoted above, a true Machiavellian manoeuvre. In this passage, the governor of Harfleur, the French city under siege by Henry's troops, has refused entrance to the army of Henry. As Machiavelli says, "it is wiser to have a reputation for meanness which brings reproach without hatred, than to be compelled through seeking a reputation for liberality". Therefore, Henry, following this advice of Machiavelli, does exactly that, and frightens the innocent people of Harfleur into opening their city gates through the sheer grotesqueness of his command. We frequently see these similarities between the actions of Henry, at least through Shakespeare's portrayal, and the recommended actions of a good prince, as documented in Machiavelli's The Prince. Therefore, one might draw the conclusion that either Shakespeare is drawing his inspiration for his dramatisation from Machiavelli or that both Machiavelli and Shakespeare have similar ideas of what the ideal ruler would be."
Abstract This research paper is an examination of the play Antigone by Sophocles. It proves how the author intended for both the characters Antigone and Creon to be tragic figures. Specifically, it expands on the themes of the play that contribute to both characters? downfall: Antigone's devotion to her family and her own internal character flaws and Creon's obsession with the state and his personal defects.
From the Paper "A careful analysis of the play Antigone will show that Sophocles intended for both Antigone and Creon to be tragic figures. Antigone's devotion to her family combined with her character flaws lead to her death. Similarly, Creon's love of the state together with his own innate defects cause his downfall. The themes that permeate the play also illustrate the inclusion of both the main characters as part of the tragedy. "
Tags: flaws, sophocles, tragic, play, theme, character, symbol
Abstract The Noh Theater of Japan is an extremely ritualized tradition, and traces of the Noh Theater are found in Western theater. This paper explores many of the distinctive elements of the Noh Theater, such as the use of masks, the themes presented within plays, and the evolution from the old Noh Theater to a more modern presentation of Noh techniques. While the focus of this paper is on the Noh Theater, comparisons are drawn between the Noh Theater and traditional Western theater. There is also a discussion of the more dialogue-driven kyogen style of Japanese theater in respect to the more ritualized Noh Theater.
From the Paper "The impact on the Noh Theater on the Western theater can be seen to have occurred in a very diverse way. It appears that the Western theaters managed to assimilate various components from the Noh Theater, such as the use of the hitamen in performances to convey a blank countenance. However, the greatest aspect of the Noh Theater on the West is found within the development of more exacting performance techniques, where rather than a single production being subject to incongruities and shoddy acting, the standards of acting were promoted to a higher level overall."
Abstract This paper examines the contemporary meaning of the flowers used by Ophelia in ?Hamlet.? The meaning of the flowers have been carefully researched and their use and relevance is discussed. There is also a discussion about stage directions and Ophelia's lack of voice.
From the Paper "In the late sixteenth and early seventeenth century, it became a popular trend to speak in what was called ?the language of flowers:? a system where different flowers had different meanings, and entire thoughts could be conveyed through a carefully arranged bouquet. Throughout Shakespeare's tragic play, Hamlet, this language of flowers is used quite prominently, particularly in relation to Ophelia, Hamlet's love. Her flowers ultimately become her voice: all her life she is the lone female surrounded by father, brother and lover, but it is through this language of flowers which she may speak, not in words, but in a way which is completely understood by her contemporaries, since it is safe to say that Shakespeare's original viewers would have been knowledgeable about the "meanings" of different flowers, much more so than today's audience. This conclusion can be reached not only by looking at the period during which this trend was popular,[1] but mainly because some of the most important parts of the play make no sense without a basic knowledge of these meanings."
Abstract This paper analyzes Shakespeare's play, "Romeo and Juliet" and examines its central themes. The author looks at the themes of love and death with reference to determination, passion, madness and uncertainty that the characters experience.
From the Paper "Romeo and Juliet is one of William Shakespeare's most well know plays. The infamous love story between the two main characters is what draws most people to the play. Yet from such a brilliant author, one must look deeper to find greater issues hidden in the lines of this play. Although Shakespeare never specifically states his thoughts, one can find conclusive evidence to support the idea that love is equated with death in this play. Death is defined as destruction; lacking warmth, interest, or brightness; without feeling, motion, or power. On the other hand, love is defined as a strong affection or liking for someone; passionate affection. With such different definitions, it takes the genius of Shakespeare to draw these two phenomena's together."
Abstract This paper argues that William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is a true tragedy according to Aristotle's definition of tragedy. The paper includes textual examples to back up author's opinion. The paper also discusses how the timeless tale is still widely popular and evokes compassion and pity by all who experience the play.
From the Paper "By the end of the play, Romeo and Juliet are in a highly unfavorable position death. Their families also suffer they have lost their only children. This very complicated sequence of events is complex enough to be interesting, but the emotions behind the situations are extremely real. Anyone watching the play would have had experience with missed chances and the consequences of hurrying things. Therefore, we find that " Romeo and Juliet" is a true tragedy according to Aristotle. It follows the sequence of events that define tragedy and evokes the emotions of pity and fear in an audience that identifies with the main characters."
Abstract This paper argues that Shakespeare wrote "Measure for Measure" as a complimentary tutorial for King James. In doing so, he portrays the current state of affairs in England and attempts to provide James with advice concerning the problems facing his kingdom.
From the Paper "Shakespeare's England at the time that Measure for Measure was written was in a state of internal conflict and discord. King James I came to power in 1603 and inherited a kingdom rife with a myriad of social and cultural problems, including corruption in the justice system, religious disputes and crises, and rampant sexual immorality. Shakespeare, the ?King's Playwright,? as Alvin Kernan dubs him, wrote Measure for Measure as a complimentary tutorial for King James. In doing so, he portrays the current state of affairs in England and attempts to provide James, as a ruler with Divine Right and responsibility to his country, with advice concerning the problems facing his kingdom."
The following paper critically examines Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman" which, according to the author, is fundamentally inner-directed rather than outer-directed.
Abstract The following paper examines the fundamental distinction made between the two forms of American drama to emerge from the United States during the post-war period. These two trends are said to be represented by the authors Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller. This paper focuses on Arthur Miller, who takes a more Ibsen-like approach to drama. "Death of A Salesman" is made reference to throughout.
Table of Contents
Common Critical Opinions About Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman
This Paper's Thesis about Death of a Salesman
What is a Tragic Character?
Why Willy Loman is a Tragic Character.
Why Willy Loman is similar to other Tragic Heroes.
What is the Play's Thesis about American Society?
Why Willy Loman is not Just an American Everyman.
Arthur Miller's own view of Willy Loman.
Willy Loman outside of an American Context
The Play-text's View of Willy Loman
Conclusion
From the Paper "Tragedy is defined as a form of drama that depicts the suffering of a heroic individual who is often overcome by the very obstacles he is struggling to remove. The protagonist may be brought low by a character flaw or, a the philosopher Hegel stated, caught in a "collision of equally justified ethical aims.? (Encyclopedia.com) Miller himself commented that ?Willy Loman has broken a law without whose protection life is insupportable if not incomprehensible to him and to many other; it is the law which says that a failure in society and in business has no right to live.? (Drama for Students 71) At first Loman cannot accept his son Biff's life because Biff works on a ranch for a living, ?like a boy.? (31) But Biff shows him that the ideals of success Willy holds are simply untenable for Biff, at least now that the son has attained the age of thirty-four."
Abstract This paper looks at five musicals, starting with "South Pacific". It uses lyrics from these shows to demonstrate how these musicals have served to raise society's awareness about important issues. The idea is presented that since "South Pacific", musical theatre has expanded its base to reflect the lives of a wider variety of kinds of peoples, resulting in a body of work that more completely reflects both the people of America and the issues they face.
From the Paper "The musical, a form of stage play that includes song and dance, has its roots in the opera but developed its current form in the United States. The unique nature of both diverse popuations and a wide range of sets of values in our country has had a significant effect on topics chosen for the story lines of musicals.
"At the turn of the century, shows by such authors as Victor Herbert told conventional stories of "boy meets girl" love. The main characters all lived some mild variant of a conventional life. They might have gotten themselves into improbable situations, but they were heterosexual, chose partners close to their own age, made a strong connection between love and marriage, and generally reflected the accepted mores and standards of mainstream society. Races did not mix in any significant way. Whites did not fall in love with Blacks. In fact, the main characters, with the exception of Gershwin's all-Black Porgy and Bess, were nearly always Caucasian."
Tags: musical, theatre, drama, society, racial, Gershwin, Herbert
Abstract An analysis of Shakespeare's famous play, "Hamlet", concentrating on the storyline and characters. The author discusses Hamlet's contemplative nature and shows its importance. The author feels that if Hamlet was able to put aside his thoughts earlier, Claudius would have been killed in the second act, and the play would be about forty-five minutes long. But the author of this paper believes that Shakespeare does not make Hamlet's rational thoughts disappear until Act III, at the death of Polonius, making Hamlet one of Shakespeare's longest plays. He feels that Shakespeare uses the death of Polonius to show what happens to a man when he kills another human being. In this play, the author says, the murder of Polonius starts a chain reaction of the rest of the deaths the tragedy has to offer.
From the Paper "There are people in this world who are thinkers and dreamers, who think things through completely before anything gets done. And there are people who get things done without thinking too much before hand. In Shakespeare's Hamlet, the main character, Hamlet, is a complex character who thinks about everything to the point where things don?t get accomplished. Throughout the play, the audience can see that Hamlet is a procrastinator, and he cannot kill Claudius, even when he has numerous chances to do so. The key moment in the play when Hamlet's mindset changes is when he mistakenly kills Polonius. Shakespeare decided to include the murder of Polonius to show that by killing a man, Hamlet's mindset has changed and his rational instincts are gone, allowing him to finally avenge his father's death by killing Claudius."
Tags: death, Hamlet, killing, Shakespeare, tragedy, character, Polonius, Claudius
Abstract The author of this paper shows how in Henrik Ibsen's "A Doll's House" the home of Nora and Torvald Helmer is a microcosm of society at large and specifically, society's prevalent sexual divide. He points out that, like dolls in a dollhouse, every character is incomplete: they are fragile, have faults and are easily breakable. The paper shows how Ibsen, who considered himself a social commentator, enters the realm of realism and that the symbolism in "A Doll's House" enhances the realism.
From the Paper "The independence that Nora demonstrates towards the end of the play so shook up the establishment that the production of "A Doll's House" in Germany was not allowed in its original form. In the German version, Nora does not slam the door in Torvald's face and storm out into an uncertain future with steely determination. She takes one look at her children and her resolve melts away into uncertainty and self pity. She relents and stays home. In Sweden, social invitations came with an admonition that "A Doll's House" should not be discussed. Ibsen was incensed at this threat to the basic integrity of the play; he called such a reaction "barbaric." (Ibsen & Kildal, 1911)"
Abstract An introduction and discussion of William Shakespeare's play, "Othello". The writer of the paper also discusses the concept of the tragic hero within the context of the play.
From the Paper "Othello is a tragic hero because he allows the actions of others to determine his own fate, and his own demise. This is one common definition of a tragic hero, especially in Shakespeare's works; the hero must die in the end. Othello certainly fits the definition here, because he falls on his sword in the end, after discovering that he murdered his wife without a shred of real evidence, she was never unfaithful."
Abstract The author states that "A Doll's House" is a strong feminist statement although Ibsen himself always claimed to be resolutely apolitical. The paper describes Nora as a character trapped by the circumstance of her past who refuses to remain trapped. The author of this paper sees the play as an argument that both women and men deserve to be free. The author concludes that the political overtones of the play contributed to its longevity.
From the Paper "His behavior towards her when he discovers what she has done ? and it is important to remember that she has acted only out of concern for his welfare and has shown both courage and initiative in doing so ? is patronizing and unkind. She acts entirely out of love for him, but his response to her actions makes her realize that he has never actually seen her as a real human being on her own but rather as a pretty doll."
Tags: feminist, social, change, infantile, political, doll, norwegian, dramaturgical, rights
Abstract This paper focuses on the importance of the women's roles in the plays Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and Othello. Particularly, the relationship between the woman and their fathers is analyzed in this paper. The father-daughter relationship that this paper focuses on is the relationship between pairs of characters in the plays mentioned above: Lord Capulet and Juliet (Romeo and Juliet), Polonius and Ophelia (Hamlet), and Brabantio and Desdemona (Othello). Each character is evaluated according to their interaction not only with other people, but most importantly their interaction with each other. An analysis on the effect of woman roles in contributing to the tragedy that happened in the play is also discussed.
From the Paper "Women in many of Shakespeare's plays establish their own identity in the story through a series of interaction with various characters in the play. Aside from their roles as a woman and a wife or lover to the main characters of Shakespearean plays, the author presents another side of the woman's character through a reflection of the existing father and daughter relationship in the story. If women were regarded as "goddess" by their husbands/lovers, their relationships with their fathers present another part of their persona, and each of them possesses unique characteristics that make their roles in the story memorable. "
