Abstract This paper shows how the theme of isolation is presented both as a corrupting influence and as positive influence by eminent authors. It analyzes William Shakespeare's "Othello", Homer's "Odyssey", and "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight", and compares how the three different stories treat the concept of isolation in different manner. It demonstrates how isolation has the capacity to create different responses from people because, in "Othello", it creates mistrust and fear, while in the "Odyssey", it creates the deepening of love. It also shows how, in "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight", the power of isolation to lead oneself to sin is depicted very clearly.
From the Paper "Shakespeare uses isolation to heighten the difficulties of a man who mistrusts his wife. In Othello, isolation is a theme that is used to show that self isolation is often dangerous than useful. In Othello, the central characters after moving into Cyprus are isolated from the rest of the world. Perhaps Shakespeare could have used this isolation of the characters to highlight only the main characters who could play important roles till the end of the play. We can however find the widening gap between Othello and Desdemona in the play and it happens when they are isolated and do not have any peacemaker amidst them. Shakespeare uses the physical distance between Othello and his wife to highlight the fact that differences in opinion, if not attended to, would snowball into bigger issues that would be difficult to handle eventually. "
Abstract This paper discusses how individual response to conditions of external or internal conflict is reflected in much of literature. It examines how in the play, "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare, the character of Hamlet must deal with both external and internal conflict. He faces the death of his father, the knowledge that his uncle Claudius is his father's murderer, and the knowledge that he must take revenge. It analyzes how Hamlet's responses to these external conflicts and his own internal views reveal his nature and character.
From the Paper "Hamlet is very distraught and grief stricken for the death of his father the King of Denmark. As well, he is upset with his mother's quick marriage to his uncle Claudius, who is now King. Hamlet is emotional and melancholy, and in his first soliloquy ponders suicide because he wonders what the use there is in living with what he sees as madness around him. Nothing makes sense to him. His reactions to his mother and his uncle's entreaties to put on a more positive attitude are critical and, if you like, often bitingly witty. Hamlet shows that he cares about his father very much because he refuses to put on a show of cheer--his father is dead. He also shows his sensitibity when he talks about wanting to die, and intelligence with his plays on words when speaking with the king and queen."
Abstract Common themes are paralleled in this play between the main characters and the secondary characters. Specific analysis addresses the common themes of authority, blindness, betrayal and death. A general background into the play is also given.
From the Paper "Several observations can be made in William Shakespeare's King Lear between the main plot of the Lear and his daughters and the sub-plot of Gloucester and his sons. These similarities emphasize the message of the play overall and add substance, keeping audiences interested. The recurring themes of authority, betrayal, and blindness can be found in both the main plot and the sub-plot of this tragedy, as well as a parallel in the deaths of Lear and Gloucester."
Abstract "Othello" is one of the most important and popular Shakespeare tragedies. In the play, the playwright highlights the maliciousness of human nature and the way it can destroy some naive souls. This paper discusses how Iago is the villain in this play and is presented as the epitome of deceit and malice. However, this has been done, while keeping the character wrapped in thick clouds of honesty and truthfulness. It explains that this is a strange paradox, as on the surface, we are repeatedly told that Iago is an honest man, and he also considers himself to be so, while beneath all this fake honesty, he is always trying to stab someone in the back.
From the Paper "For some odd reason, he hates Othello who thinks of him as an honest friend and his hatred for the protagonist results in an absolute tragedy where numerous lives are destroyed and reputations tarnished. For those who have read the play, it is difficult to understand why Iago would be considered an honest person when he was certainly anything but this. However as negative as his character was, Iago must have some honest streak in his nature or else no one would have believed him and the whole ploy against Othello would have failed."
Abstract This paper discusses how broken and dysfunctional families are a common thread in many of Shakespeare's works and how "Hamlet," one of Shakespeare's finest works, revolves around the broken family of Hamlet, the central character of the play. It looks at how the motive of broken and dysfunctional families also appears in numerous other Shakespeare works, including "The Comedy of Errors," "Romeo and Juliet," "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "Henry IV," "Henry V", and "Much Ado About Nothing" and how the theme itself causes grief, despair, death, and laughter. It analyzes how Shakespeare uses it quite effectively and how his work shows how a common theme can be woven into many different fabrics, making each of them a unique and lasting work of art.
From the Paper "This theme continues in "Romeo and Juliet," the Montagues and Capulets are broken and dysfunctional in their unreasonable hatred for one another, which ultimately leads to the death of their children, and the reconciliation of the families. The Montagues and Capulets have feuded for years, and hate each other with an unreasonable passion, and this passion carries down to their children, who fall in love despite their families' feuding. Unlike the comedies, where love heals all, and the families come together because of true love, in this tragedy, the broken families can only be healed by true tragedy, and as they both lose their children, the tragedy is complete, and the families recognize what they have lost because of their unreasonable hatred."
Tags: romeo, juliet, much, ado, about, nothing, henry
Abstract This paper examines how Act 3 Scene 1 is a key scene in William Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet". It discusses how it represents the climax of a love story and the beginning of a tragedy and how the scene shows the consequences of hatred or feud and what can happen if things go too far. It also looks at the dramatic effectiveness this scene has on the audience, both contemporary and in Shakespeare's time.
From the Paper "Act 3 scene 1 has a lot of contrast because of its variety of language and style. For instance, it changes from blank verse, to prose to blank and rhyming verse. It's language and style changes to indicate the mood of the scene as well as it's development. In Act 2 scene 6 and Act 3 scene 2 Shakespeare uses blank verses to draw attention to a change in a speaker's mindset, to move from serious to lighter subject matter or vice versa, to emphasize the differences between social classes but in Act 3 scene 1 it is important that Shakespeare uses less verse because this an active scene. Prose is used a lot in this scene. In fact almost half the scene uses prose and this is appropriate because in Act 3 scene 1 there are a lot of speeches in which the characters speak about their state of mind and prose signal insanity."
Abstract This paper studies and identifies the real-life qualities imbued in the characters of Hamlet, Ophelia, and Gertrude, from the play "Hamlet". The paper presents examples of the characters' traits, qualities, and personal experiences that the audience can identify with and that have contributed to the appeal of "Hamlet" through the ages.
From the Paper "Hamlet's procrastination begins early in the play as soon as the ghost visits him. Hamlet has good intentions as revealed when he says, "Haste me to know"t that I with winds as swift . . . May sweep to my revenge? (I.v.29-31). Unfortunately, Hamlet's hesitation renders him unable to kill Claudius. Furthermore, he begins to doubt his father's ghost, which drives him to "test" Claudius with the play, Mousetrap. Even with confirmation that Claudius is guilty, Hamlet still cannot bring himself to kill him, using the fact that killing Claudius in a moment of prayer would send him directly to heaven. Instead, Hamlet says he would rather kill him in a vile condition, "When he is drunk asleep; or in his rage; Or in the incestuous pleasure of his bed" (III.iii 89-90). Hamlet even procrastinates so much that the Ghost returns."
Abstract This study personifies the characteristics of all of the 'blue collar workers' in "A Midsummer Night's Dream", from the stuttering of Snug the Joiner to the arrogance of Nick Bottom, the weaver.
From the Paper "William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream is a comedic play of many plots that supports the themes that love is blind and that when in love one becomes very foolish. These themes are supported by all the characters in the play who are teased by a group of fairies who contaminate their victim's bodies with love potions to make them love other people. There are three main groups of people in the play fairies, royalty, and then at the bottom there are the mechanicals. Absurd, distasteful, rude, and above all of these stupid, men who are brought together by a mechanical Peter Quince who is assigned to produce a play entitled Pyramus and Thisbe to be executed after the marriage of the Duke."
Abstract William Shakespeare's most beloved plays are his tragedies. If one were to list his best and most popular plays, "Othello", "Romeo and Juliet", "Hamlet", "King Lear" ,and so forth, one would find the list comprised almost entirely of tragedies. The paper states, therefore, that it would not be amiss to say that much of the modern literary conception of theatrical tragedy is shaped and influenced by Shakespeare. At the same time, the paper shows that the definitions of the tragic form ,as understood at the roots of theatrical history in Greco-Roman times, continue to be part and parcel of the official comprehension of tragedy. The paper shows that many critics have sought to force Shakespeare into the mold of tragedy as defined in Aristotle's "Poetica", and many others have rightfully protested that he was not cast from that mold, and that, in fact, he owes little to it.
From the Paper "On the other hand, there is a startling number of criteria discusses by Aristotle that Yanni never mentions, and which Shakespeare either fulfills or denies to some degree. For example, Aristotle suggests that the proper metre for drama is "The iambic" the proof is that in talking to each other we most often use iambic lines.? (Aristotle) The majority of Shakespeare's tragedies, of course, use iambic lines. Likewise, Aristotle claims that ?Necessarily then every tragedy has six constituent parts, and on these its quality depends. These are plot, character, diction, thought, spectacle, and song.? Shakespeare is well known for his focus on diction, spectacle, and even song. In these categories one could make any number of parallels between Aristotle's dramatic suggestions and the original staged forms of Shakespeare's work."
Abstract This paper imagines that Shakespeare and Plato are in the same city writing a piece together. It explains how they would come up with a different name for the same character, "Hamlet" or "Philosopher King". The paper gives a synopsis of the new play.
From the Paper "Hamlet is a play about political intrigue and murder in the household of Denmark. This however is underscored by what has amounted to a whiney uninspiring and grossly understated Hamlet, who you can listen to for hours on end but when it comes time to do something about his predicament, does nothing. Of anything he does do, its talk, and think. He thinks and debates and reasons through his decisions."
Abstract Analyzes the major female characters in "Hamlet" and "King Lear". Examines the relationship of these women to the tragic hero of each drama. Discusses the psychology of the female characters and the tragic decline of Hamlet and Lear.
From the Paper "This research examines the characterization of women in Shakespeare's Hamlet and King Lear as a presentation of an apocalyptic vision embedded in the tragic scheme of action. It will be argued that in each of the plays, different as they and their respect..."
Abstract Discusses the cruelty and destruction in Hamlet's story, the murder of Hamlet's father upon which the play's actions hinge, the demand for vengeance from the murdered King, and Hamlet's reaction.
From the Paper "This paper is a discussion of violence in William Shakespeare's Hamlet. The play's actions hinge on a murder and, by the end, eight more people have died violently. Yet the greatest violence is done to the living (in some cases, driving them to kill), a..."
Abstract Discusses subplots as devices to support a central theme. Examples include the primary story of revenge and subplot of Hamlet's relationship with Ophelia in "Hamlet", as well as other subplots. Examines several different subplots in "King Lear."
From the Paper "In many of his plays, William Shakespeare used subplots or a device known as double plotting to enhance his audience's understanding of a play's theme and characterization. This device will be ..."
Abstract Discusses the setting of the last battle in the War of the Roses and the principal combatants. Examines Richard as the epitome of all England's wrongs and the nature of Richard III as a villain with some saving graces.
From the Paper "Shakespeare's Richard III is one of the Bard's "chronicle plays" that describes the eventual ascendancy of the House of Tudor to the English throne. Elizabeth I was the great-great niece of Richard III, who briefly ruled..."
Abstract Discusses common problems characters face in deciding how to behave when faced with conflicting loyalties. Examines the character of Brutus in Shakespeare's Elizabethan drama, "Julius Caesar", and political ideals.
From the Paper "Loyalty signifies one's duty and fidelity to a cause, a person, a place or an ideal. There are times, however, when more than one object of loyalty is present, and the result is conflicting loyalties. This paper will examine conflicting loyalties in two..."
