Abstract This paper discusses that the similarity between Shakespeare's Sonnets 57 and 58 is significant enough that one might wonder on first reading if one does not render the other redundant, but close reading of the poems shows that they not only function as a pair but also the order in which they occur in the Quarto of 1609 is essential to their meaning. The paper explains that the Sonnet sequences do "allow for the construction both of a narrative and of an inward-looking 'I' figure", but it is not at all possible to read the sequence as one might read a novel or narrative poem. The author believes that there is a strong hint of the speaker's agonizing discomfort with the young man's heterosexual involvements buried in Sonnet 58's puns that is a harbinger of the agony to come. Annotated Bibliography.
From the Paper "The sense of the poem resides, however, in the anaphoric use of negatives which can be read, at least initially, as a simple litany of the prerogatives that a slave surrenders. As the negatives mount in intensity, the description of what the speaker gives up expands. In the first quatrain, the statement of self-abnegation is plainest, and there is a hint of some sort of reciprocity in the commercial terminology of "precious" "spend" and "services," an indication that the speaker may be or should be compensated for what he gives up. This vanishes in the second quatrain as the metaphor of "sovereign" is joined to that of "slave" and the feelings of the speaker begin to surface. In the third quatrain he identifies the key to his concern, which is his "jealous thought," and the consequence of this feeling, which is the "sad" state in which he "think[s] of nought" but the young man."
This paper briefly discusses the nature of the overall sequence of Shakespeare's Sonnets and then, based on readings of their structure, proceeds to analyze the thematic connection between Sonnets 57 and 58.
Abstract In this paper, a connection is drawn between Shakespeare's Sonnets 57 and 58, which are one of a number of thematic pairs that occur within the larger sequence of poems, to show that the Sonnets not only function as a pair, but that the order in which they occur in the Quarto of 1609 is essential to their meaning.
From the Paper "Shakespeare's Sonnets 57 and 58 are one of a number of thematic pairs or small groups that occur within the larger sequence and subsequences of poems. Indeed the similarity between them is significant enough that one might wonder on first reading if one does not render the other redundant. But close reading of the poems shows that they not only function as a pair but that the order in which they occur in the Quarto of 1609 is essential to their meaning."
Abstract This paper compares the stereotypes of indigenous people using Caliban in "The Tempest," then contrasts it with a real life narrative from Olaudah Equiano's "The Life of Gustavas Vassa, the African."
From the Paper "In Shakespeare's "The Tempest", Caliban is reflected as an abhorred slave (19), who is tricky, savage-like and has monstrous mannerisms. Caliban is an indigenous portrait that is supported by that time periods stereotypes of non-European persons. Caliban is also shown as uneducated, foul-mouthed, and barbaric; both in nature and physical appearance. Sixteenth-century Europeans believed that natives of another land were composed of these things and more. This including that these people were wild men and beast-like. Olaudah Equiano's The Life of Gustavas Vassa, the African, paints a very different picture from that of the stereotypes mentioned. Olaudah is educated, well versed, and has pleasant mannerisms. He is also an honest slave, whose intelligence and patience buys him the freedom from his bound life."
This paper looks for the definition of love in four sources: Ovid's "The Metamorphoses", C.S. Lewis' "The Four Loves", Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" and the New Testament.
Abstract This paper, in the search for definition, explains that the Greek word agape (love) seems to have been virtually a Christian invention. The author cites another type of love, affection or friendship love also know as phileo. The author finds many types of love in "Romeo and Juliet", in which Shakespeare managed to combine love of God with love for humans. Long quotations.
From the Paper "Throughout the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet various types of "love" are displayed. Benvolio believes women are interchangeable, while, at the beginning Romeo believes love is pain. At the beginning, Juliet does not even have a definition of love. Paris's and Lady Capulet's definition of love is in appearance. It is obvious that Shakespeare wants the audience to believe that the only "true" or "real" love is the love that exists between Romeo and Juliet. The first type of love the audience is introduced to is the "interchangeable" love of Benvolio. According to Benvolio, a man should "love" a woman for only the duration of their relationship. If their relationship should end, the man should feel no grief. If the woman rejects the man initially, he should still feel no grief. In either situation, the man should simply start a relationship with another woman. Benvolio's definition of love shows the audience two things about Benvolio: he is a womanizer and he has never before experienced "true love.""
Discusses how William Shakespeare's character, Iago from his play, "Othello" fits the characteristics of a true Machiavellian figure from "The Prince".
Abstract The paper begins by examining how Machiavelli portrayed the characteristics of a true leader in his book, "The Prince", which was meant to offer sound advise to those in power. The paper then looks at Iago from William Shakespeare's "Othello" as an example of how selfishness can sometimes lead to success and how one might use evil powers of manipulation and ruthlessness to destroy the life of one's enemies.
From the Paper "Iago possesses the genius of Machiavelli's prince. He is ruthless and cares about no one but his own goals and ambitions. Secondly, just like the prince, he is least concerned about morality or ethical aspects of his actions. He simply believes in winning by hook or by crook and that is exactly what Machiavelli wanted his prince to do. Iago is aware of the evilness of his intentions as he says, "To counsel Cassio to this parallel course,/Directly to his good" Divinity of hell!/When devils will the blackest sins put on,/They do suggest at first with heavenly shows,/As I do now:? (Act 2, Scene 3)"
Abstract This paper examines there the several distinct characteristics of misery and madness that abound in both Hamlet and Ophelia. It explains how their lunacy each stems from similar sources of grief, but the true evolution of their madness is methodically different due to their gender and their status in Elizabethan society.
From the Paper "Throughout Hamlet, Ophelia appears in a mere five scenes and is only one of two females present in the play and therefore stands not to pose as a prominent member of the play. Ophelia's father, Polonius, whom is the chief advisor to the new King Claudius, and a highly respected man, demands that his daughter tell Hamlet that she can no longer be with him even though she desperately is in love with him."
Abstract This paper looks at the economic role marriage had in Shakespearean times and the importance of women in that role. The paper then goes on to analyze the relevance of marriage as an economic institution to Shakespeare's plays "The Taming of the Shrew" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream".
From the Paper "Both Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew and A Midsummer Night's Dream deal significantly with the theme of marriage. In both plays, a daughter causes difficulties for the father who is attempting to marry her off. In The Taming of the Shrew, Kate's shrewish behavior makes it almost impossible for her father to discover a willing suitor, whereas in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hermia refuses Egeus attempts to marry her because she is in love with another man. In the case of the former, Kate is eventually "broken" and convinced to become a loving and subservient wife. This play upholds much of the Shakespearean social order of what it was to be a wife. A Midsummer Night's Dream, on the other hand, ultimately allows the daughter's forbidden love to prevail. Why the difference in the two plays?"
Abstract William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" (1600-01) is regarded by many scholars and critics as his finest play. The main protagonist, being Hamlet, the so-called "Dark Prince" of Shakespearean tragedy, is an extremely complex man with a great depth of personality who "suffers from insecurity and a sense of the absurd. . . and as a man and a revenger, shifts from an external struggle for vengeance to an internal one". This paper analyzes Hamlet's character and discusses whether his madness was real or feigned.
From the Paper "Another incident closely related to a form of mental torture occurs when Hamlet finds himself alone with Claudius and slyly decides against instituting his revenge towards the new king until he is in a position of utter debauchery. "When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage, or in the incestuous bed" (III.iii. 92), Hamlet will then kill him and send his soul to eternal damnation. This may seem like an act of pure brutality, but in fact it is quite fair, due to Hamlet's father being murdered before given the chance to confess his sins to God."
Abstract This paper reviews the historical background of music in the Shakespearean era and discusses how and why music was used in Shakespeare's works. It looks at how Shakespeare used music in most of his plays as a dramatic device to effectively evoke certain moods and sometimes to reflect the state of minds of some characters. The type of music used by the playwright as well as some examples of music in specific plays are also described.
Outline
Historical Background of Music in the Shakespearean Era
Music in Shakespeare's Plays
Vocal Songs
Ballads
Instrumental Music
Conclusion
From the Paper "Instrumental music has been sparingly used in Shakespeare's plays, in part because of the lack of facilities for such music to be played in performances other than at the Court. Hence in plays performed at the court such as the Twelfth Night and The Tempest we find nearly three times the amount of music normally present in Shakespeare's plays. In these plays, Shakespeare may have had the services of court singers and instrumentalists. In public theater productions, instrumental music was normally provided by a trumpeter, a wind player who doubled on shawm, and a couple of string players who were competent at the violin, viol, and lute. (Springfels) Therefore, the use of instrumental music in most of Shakespeare's plays is sparse."
Abstract The plot of Shakespeare's "Othello" relies on interpretation rather than observation. Iago is able to shift the way that Othello interprets what should be meaningless observations. The paper shows that by doing so, Iago is successful in making Othello believe that his wife is cheating on him when she is not. This illustrates that what is observed is given meaning by how it is interpreted. It also illustrates how one can be fooled into interpreting things incorrectly, especially when another person has the ability to deceive effectively.
From the Paper "It is worthwhile to consider exactly how Iago manages to convince Othello that an affair is happening. The first important aspect is that Iago uses Othello's own nature against him. From the beginning, Iago recognizes that Othello is prone to jealousy. He specifically chooses to make Othello believe that his wife is having an affair because he knows that Othello's nature will compel him to experience jealousy. As Iago says, "The Moor is of a free and open nature, / That thinks men honest that but seem to be so, / And will as tenderly be led by the nose / As asses are? (I,iii). This is exactly what Iago does, using Othello's nature to make him believe what he wants him to believe. One of the most important aspects is that the more jealous and angry Othello becomes, the less rational he becomes."
Abstract This paper discusses how Othello seem to change, but in reality, he never changes but simply reveals his true self. It shows how Shakespeare keeps the readers guessing about Othello's true nature by making him appear good in the beginning of the play but allowing us to see his true nature only after he kills Desdemona.
From the Paper "To introduce us to the complexity involved with Othello's character, Othello's reputation is under attack from the beginning of the play is because of Iago's remarks. Because we do not really get a glimpse of Othello until the third act of the play, Shakespeare has created suspense within us concerning Othello. Shakespeare at the same time is creating a sense of dislike within us for the character of Iago. Our dislike moves from Iago to Othello."
Abstract The falsification of the audience's expectations and Hal's miraculous emergence as a great English king, alongside the Hal-Falstaff relationship out of which the future king's identity is gradually constructed, are the main critical puzzles in most studies of the William Shakespeare's "King Henry" series. The paper examines concepts of fraud and politics in parts one and two of "King Henry IV" and in "King Henry V". It discusses notions by literary critics such as Stephen who claim that Hal is one of Shakespeare's most Machiavellian characters. The paper argues that Machiavelli's Prince is not sufficiently cruel or sophisticated to be ranked with Prince Hal, despite the fact that Falstaff's cry for help, voiced in his paradoxical accusation that the Prince has corrupted him, seldom succeeds in inverting the audience's impression that Falstaff is Hal's misleader.
From the Paper "The concept of necessity, as it arises from the morality-patterned Phychomachia, reinforces providentialist notions, an idea first advanced by Tillyard but in a rather different context. Religious providentialism fuses the personal and political domains and Hal's borrowing from the theatrical and diachronic anthropological deposit causes the interweaving of theatrical illusion with politics, thus displaying their common structural patterns. The fusion of religion, politics and theatre culminates in Hal's gradual conversion to virtue, which is at once a milestone in Hal's allegedly privileged relationship with God, a major political event, and a stock trick of Elizabethan drama."
Abstract Edmund, the illegitimate son of the Earl of Gloucester, is at the center of many of the horrific events in "King Lear" by William Shakespeare. The paper shows that his actions are motivated by the circumstances of his birth, as both illegitimate and younger than his brother Edgar, Edmund is unlikely to ever have the power and influence his father enjoys. The paper shows that he is the "unholy" son, the one that will never be fully accepted by society. The paper explores how the economic and social consequences of Edmund's birth shape his personality and behavior.
From the Paper "Edmund's knowledge of and exposure to circles of power and influence has only whetted his appetite for the title, wealth and power that legally must go to Edgar. Edmund plots to usurp his brother's birthright for himself. He goes about this logically and calmly. Quoting Edmund, William J. Bennett (1998) points out that although in this age of science and research we have many explanations for why people act as they do, Edmund scorned making excuses for his behavior (Bennett, 1998). Edmund is remarkably frank and honest about himself. He says he does not mind being a bastard, because it allows him to maneuver outside society's rules."
Abstract This is a film review of Michael Hoffman's 1999 portrayal of William Shakespeare's play, "A Midsummer Night's Dream". This essay isolates the weaknesses in Hoffman's art, arguing that Hoffman takes so many liberties in filming his adaptation, that the final product is void of anything Shakespearean, save the original language. The paper also highlights several moments of cinematic genius and mentions the excellent acting by Kevin Kline.
From the Paper "Kevin Kline's Nick Bottom is the film's sole redeeming character. Klines shines as Bottom, combining joy and apprehension throughout his oscillating plots. Delivering one of his better performances, Kline plays Nick Bottom as a tragic-comic champion-a despondent drudge with big stage aspirations. The play-within-a play subplot works well with Hoffman's rough mechanicals. When Bottom is transformed into an ass, the object of Queen Titania's affection, it is poignant to note how his moment of grandeur renders him completely oblivious to his physical state. Bottom alone gives flight to the central idea that love is both maddening and redeeming, and the comedy seems to soar whenever Kline appears."
Abstract This paper explores the similarities and differences between the character of Julius Caesar in the Shakespeare play, and the George Bush. It discusses how "Julius Caesar" explores the social and political underpinnings of perhaps one of the most famous assassinations of all time and likens this to current events of the war with Iraq and the present international turmoil.
From the Paper "George W. Bush has recently returned home after making an appearance in a flight suit on an aircraft carrier. The President emerged from his plane and made a speech about the war that the United States recently participated in. During this war, Bush was faced with an enemy whom his father faced before him. The enemy, personified by Saddam Hussein, and the nation's interest in the adversarial relationship between Bush and Hussein is quite similar to Rome's interest in Caesar's nemesis. This coupled with the President's televised appearance on the flight deck was in many ways similar to the appearance of Caesar in the streets of Rome after his victory."
