Abstract This paper discusses how, in the first three acts of William Shakespeare's "King Lear", the evil trinity of Edmund, Goneril, and Regan rises to power and how we have an abundance of horror and pessimism as human decency gradually shrinks. It examines how it is to Shakespeare's credit that, despite making his principal villains partners in their quest for power, he endows them with their own peculiar shades of evil. It looks at how, even though all three have their own idiosyncrasies to deal with, somehow they are never crude, stereotypical villains; each, in his own capacity, has a distinctive quality, which enhances the luster of the evil.
From the Paper "These sycophantic words, which are repeated by Regan, are drenched in hypocrisy yet their purpose is to attain for themselves a portion of the kingdom. Who would not use a bit of flattery for such a reward? Thus, the two daughters are not exactly evil to begin with but more appropriately "hard-hearted" realists who will employ any and all means to get their share of the cake. They are very near to a modern go-getter. Even while arguing their case with Lear, their points are apparently more valid than his. It is true that he is old and choleric, his rages and temper are unpredictable and a source of problem. His retinue, especially if it follows the example Lear sets by assaulting Oswald, is likely to be a riotous lot. We almost find her common sense arguments plausible."
Abstract In Shakespeare's "Othello", Iago is identified with evil and is typically seen as the villain of the play, while Othello is identified with good and is widely viewed as the tragic hero. This paper explains that, although Iago does commit evil acts throughout the play, he is merely a victim of circumstance and is not entirely at fault for the tragedy that occurs.
From the Paper "The first mentioned, and most obvious motive that Iago has for committing his crimes is the fact that Othello passes Iago over for promotion to lieutenant in favor of the less experienced soldier, Michael Cassio. This fact is learned in the very beginning of the play, as Iago speaks to Roderigo about the choice that Othello has made. Iago tells of Cassio's inexperience when he describes him as "a great arithmetician" (1.1. 19). Iago then goes on to say that Cassio "never set a squadron in the field, / Nor the division of a battle knows / More than a spinster; unless the bookish theori" (1. 1. 22-24). These phrases tell the reader that Cassio's military knowledge comes merely from books, and not from experience in battle, like that of Iago."
Abstract This is a literary essay that discusses William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" and how the character of Hamlet would have been perceived by an Elizabethan audience. The paper contends that, in the eyes of an Elizabethan audience, Hamlet is a failure, both as an avenger and as a human being.
From the Paper "In William Shakespeare's play Hamlet the central character, Prince Hamlet of Denmark and heir to the throne has a personality that is often considered flawed. He possesses several negative attributes that would have given the Elizabethan audience of the time good reason to find him failing as a human being and as an avenger. However, there is evidence throughout the text that suggests Hamlet is not a total failure as a human being and avenger. To draw a conclusion, one must explore Hamlet's character and analyze his actions throughout the course of the play."
A comparative analysis of the theme of love and false love in William Shakespeare's "King Lear", F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Great Gatsby" and "Fifth Business" by Robertson Davies.
769 words (approx. 3.1 pages), 0 sources, 2004, $ 27.95
Abstract This paper examines how although "King Lear" by William Shakespeare, "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald and "Fifth Business" by Robertson Davies, are all very different works from different times and places, the main characters all possess a similar downfall or fatal flaw: They cannot distinguish true love from false love. It attempts to show how as a result, King Lear loses his kingdom and his life and how Nick Carraway, the narrator of "The Great Gatsby", gets involved with a dangerous, immoral crowd and undergoes a personal struggle with his own morals and lifestyle. It also looks at how Dunstan Ramsay, the narrator of "Fifth Business, tells the tale of his life, throughout which he suffers because of his inability to let go of a woman from his past.
From the Paper "In the Great Gatsby, Nick Carraway goes through his own hardships and makes his own mistakes. Most of these, like those of Lear, stem from his inability to distinguish between true and false love. He has an infatuation for Daisy Buchanan (one shared by many characters in the novel), and begins an affair with Jordan Baker, a cynical golfer. The problem, of course, is that he mistakes the infatuation or lust he has in the presence of these two women for real emotion, for real love. Because of this, he believes that they care for him, in some way at least, and that they are good people. As he finds out later, however, this is not the case."
Abstract This paper examines "Romeo and Juliet", written by William Shakespeare, which is set in Verona Italy, where two feuding families, the Montagues and the Capulets, produce a pair of "star-crossed lovers". It looks at how within the play there are five events that drastically change the course of Romeo and Juliet's love: Romeo and Juliet's meeting; their marriage; the death of Tybalt and Romeo's banishment; Friar John being detained with the letter allowing Balthasar to inform Romeo of Juliet's death; and Romeo killing himself before Juliet awakens. It attempts to show how these events could be classified as the direct results of a character's action, an act of fate, or a combination of both.
From the Paper "Romeo and Juliet's first meeting is completely due to fate. Their families? hate for one another would have made it impossible for them ever to meet unless there was another force at work. Romeo was originally infatuated with Rosaline, a woman who did not belong to either the Capulet or Montague family, and who would have nothing to do with Romeo. If the Serving Man of the Capulets had not approached Romeo to read the list of guests he was to ask to the party, Romeo would never have been aware that Rosaline was invited, which is the reason that induced him to enter the home of his enemy. This string of events and coincidences could not occur in a situation without fate, which sets up the rest of the play around the delicate relationship of Romeo and Juliet that under normal circumstances would not exist."
Abstract This paper reports that, in Tennessee Williams's "The Glass Menagerie", Amanda is the perfect example of a loving mother who ,at the same time, suffocates her son with her constant nagging and meddling. The author points out that one of the most interesting aspects of Shakespeare's "Hamlet" is the extremely uncomfortable relationship between Hamlet and his mother Gertrude, who throughout the play, appears to be dominating her son by manipulating his feelings and emotions. The paper concludes that the two plays and the characters of the mothers are in contrast. In "The Glass Menagerie", Tom is able to brush off his mother's domination after much struggling, whereas, in "Hamlet", Gertrude is unable to dominate Hamlet, even though she tries.
From the Paper "It is obvious why Hamlet despises his mother so much. Overall, her dominance over him and her betrayal to his father makes Hamlet seek revenge on her. Hamlet appears to be an emotionally charged individual who thinks more from his heart than his head. He sees her marrying his uncle soon after his father's death and realizes how little his father actually had meant to his mother. He is appalled at his mother's sexual behavior and seeks revenge because of his anger at her. His mother to him is a liar, an unfaithful liar."
Abstract Foolery comes in many shapes and many sizes as William Shakespeare reveals in his play, "Twelfth Night". Malvolio's character represents a type of self-delusional foolery that we can laugh at and learn from. Feste captures the mood of the play perfectly when he says, "Foolery, sir, does walk about the orb like the sun; it shines everywhere" (III.iii.139-40). Some foolery is positive, and some is negative and deserves to be punished. This paper examines the significance behind punishing Malvolio for his foolery through a prank.
From the Paper "It is obvious that Malvolio's nature becomes a drag for the other characters in the play. Toby responds to Malvolio's abrasive nature with biting honesty, which Malvolio is blind to, when he asks him, "Art any more than a steward" Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale? (II.iii.110-2). Shakespeare is creating a conflict between Malvolio and the other characters in the play, which prepares us for the upcoming scene in the play."
Abstract This paper examines how "The Tempest" is, perhaps, Shakespeare's most universally appropriate play in that its multicultural and colonial themes have attracted substantial study from all over the world and its characters have been employed as models for both further literary work. In particular it discusses how Caliban is, without question, a slave and how enslavement is a theme that pervades the play as a whole. It investigates this theme, not only in relation to Caliban, but also to the spirit Ariel and, to some extent, Prospero's daughter Miranda.
From the Paper "It would not be insensible to argue that any audience of The Tempest finds itself subject to Prospero's rule. Knowledge of all action previous to the events which take place on stage is presented in the most part through Prospero. Indeed, all of the other characters, once upon the island, are only able to perform what is permitted them by Prospero. Caliban enters on his command, Ariel begins the play in creating a storm at his order, and the passengers of the King's ship are lured into neat groups around the island in preparation for his plan for the recovery of his Dukedom. Most significantly, however, is the position of Prospero's daughter, Miranda. She has lived on the island for nearly all of her cognizant life, taking all of her knowledge of human society from her father."
Abstract This paper discusses Shakespeare's portrayal of evil in the character of Iago. The paper describes the evil actions and deeds of Iago and looks at what different critics consider to be the reason for Iago's evil behavior. The paper also points out that Iago's evil is of a type that transcends time.
From the Paper "Perhaps what makes Iago truly evil is the fact that he is not provoked. While it is true that he has been passed over for the position of lieutenant, this is hardly enough reason to destroy the lives that he does. Many critics maintain that Iago feels jealousy toward Othello, which is the motivating factor for his actions. Others believe he is a man that was born evil and finds delight in destroying the lives of others."
Abstract William Shakespeare's play, "Othello", should be renamed "Iago" because, throughout the play, we witness the rise and fall of Iago's character. When we consider this perspective, we will assume that Iago's rise occurs from his success in turning Othello into a jealous monster. Iago is able to achieve this because he is very cunning and smart. It is also important to note that he understands jealousy because he is a jealous man as well. This paper explores the how Iago was able to rise and fall in "Othello".
From the Paper "He advises Othello to "Look to your wife; observe her will with Cassio./Wear your eye thus: not jealous, nor secure" (III.iii.195-6). Because Othello is first to mention his suspicions, Iago has successfully isolated himself from any of the blame. Kenneth Muir states that Iago "exploits the virtues as well as the weaknesses of Othello and of Desdemona, weaknesses both of character and situation" (Muir 35). Paul Cantor agrees with this notion, adding that "Iago turns everything that makes the love of Othello and Desdemona so extraordinary into an objection against it. The fact that they have overcome such differences in order to love each other becomes in Iago's view evidence for the improbability of their remaining loyal to each other" (Cantor). Iago's actions regarding these statements illustrate his cunning nature."
Abstract This paper focuses specifically on the soliloquies in Shakespeare's "Hamlet" and contains a detailed discussion on the tragic flaw, indecisiveness, that leads to Hamlet's doom.
From the Paper "Although they play an important role in nearly all of Shakespeare's plays, the literary device of the soliloquy plays an especially important role in Hamlet. The reason for this is that fact that each soliloquy better helps us to understand the psychological motivation behind Hamlet's indecisiveness in action. Hamlet is certainly a play about revenge, but like most Shakespearean tragedies it involves a main character with a specific flaw inevitably leading to his downfall and death. For Hamlet, this trait is his indecisiveness. This trait of indecisiveness is displayed to a certain extent in each one of Hamlet's soliloquies, and reveals Hamlet as a man of inaction who is unable to do anything more than think about his problems."
Abstract "Macbeth", possibly one of Shakespeare's most well-known plays, is most well-known for its striking portrayal of a decorated Scottish general and his wife and their quest for absolute power. This paper focuses on the topic of evil combined with unrestrained ambition in Shakespeare's "Macbeth". It considers possible explanations for Macbeth's murders and analyzes the text to determine why Macbeth turned to evil.
From the Paper "MacBeth, possibly one of Shakespeare's most well known plays, is most well known for its striking portrayal of a decorated Scottish general and his wife and their quest for absolute power. Shakespeare's shortest tragedy is also known for its study of human nature, namely, the conflict between the forces of good and evil in the human psyche. Like all tragic heroes, Lord MacBeth has a fatal flaw: ambition. This flaw consumes him throughout the course of the play leading to his inevitable downfall at its conclusion. However, MacBeth is not simply Shakespeare's study of ambition; its focus is much more precise. MacBeth is a study of the evil to which ambition leads when unrestrained by morals."
Abstract This paper first presents a brief overview of the life of William Shakespeare, before explaining the story of one his most famous plays, "Romeo and Juliet". The paper argues that the play and Juliet are both a comedy and a tragedy and that, although it is the ultimate love story between two young lovers and their ironic deaths, the play has comedic highlights.
From the Paper "Juliet, realizing that she may never be with Romeo, concocts a plan to separate herself from Paris by swallowing a potion to put her into a lifeless state. Romeo reacts irrationally to the news that Juliet is "dead" and plans his own death. Romeo drinks poison, killing himself all the time believing that his true love is dead. When Juliet awakens from her lifeless state to find that Romeo is dead she finds the bottle of poison that Romeo drank. Finding the bottle empty, she takes Romeo's dagger and stabs herself. Both young lovers commit the last defiance of their complicated lives, creating the ultimate tragedy."
Abstract This paper provides evidence from the Shakespearean plays, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "The Taming of the Shrew", that there was considerable opposition to women who wanted to express themselves or have their own way in Renaissance times. In "The Taming of the Shrew", it is Katherine who was the deviant, but eventually conformed to the norms of society by obeying her husband. This was because everyone wanted her to do so, including the women around her. Similar to this situation was Hermia?s, where she was ordered to marry a man against her wishes. Women around her and generally everyone else wanted her to obey her father's wishes. However, she revolted and eloped with her lover. From these examples in the play, this paper shows that the voices of women during the Renaissance were greatly opposed. However, it notes that, in the case of Hermia, it can be seen that women finally manage to emerge victorious.
From the Paper "The manner in which some women were in fact reinforcements to misogynistic attitudes is reflected in the Shakespearean texts, "The Taming of the Shrew" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream", as both these texts demonstrate the way that women in the Renaissance reinforced their social positions by repeatedly adhering to what was expected of them. It is clear enough that this attitude on the part of women had caused men to feel elevated and powerful (Belsey 1985, pp 12-15). Men realized that they could get women to act in accordance with what they expected of them, and they reinforced or justified these expectations through religious indoctrination. Particularly, the Christian bible was used in order to get women to conform to what men wanted."
Abstract This paper explains that, at the end of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet", the Prince of the City announces that this tragedy is, in some ways, the fault of all those involved and that further investigation is warranted. The deaths of Romeo and Juliet are the immediate result of the crime of one drug-dealing apothecary. The author believes that the apothecary could have most easily and simply averted this tragedy merely by obeying the laws of his land; the apothecary had nothing personal to gain from selling this poison. Only greed or a blatant disregard for the law could have inspired him to sell such a poison. The paper concludes that, when watching or reading "Romeo and Juliet", it is important to remember that one does not need to be in the center of terrible events to have an overwhelming part to play in them.
From the Paper "At first glance, the tragedy does not seem to be the fault of the apothecary. It seems more convenient to blame it on people who were more immediately involved in the tragedy, such as the parents or the priest. However, all those involved immediately were blinded by emotion and social pressure. It was almost impossible for either side of the feud to end the warfare by themselves -- this was evidenced by Romeo's attempt at pacifism which ended so tragically in Mercutio's death. The feud was bigger than any individual within either family, so one cannot blame any single character on either side of the feud for their deaths, though one can blame their collective families. Blaming the priest or the prince would also be convenient, but on the other hand they were the only people to be actively struggling to end the bloody feud."
