Abstract This paper explains that, for his 1999 film, "William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream", Michael Hoffman rewrote the original Shakespeare play, put it into a more modern context and emphasized artistic visual expression over Shakespeare's expression through the poetry of language. The author points out that Hoffman modernized the gender roles by creating a dialogue for Bottom's wife, thus increasing her importance; wherein, in the original play, her role consisted of a stare. The paper relates that, to appeal to modern cultural standards, the movie has been made more aesthetically pleasing by the fantasy theatrics of the costumes and makeup.
From the Paper "The first and most evident difference between the 1999 film adaptation and the original play by Shakespeare is the setting. Shakespeare's work is set in Greece, while Hoffman's is set in the turn of the 20th century Tuscany. It was also filmed in Tuscany. "Hoffman moves the action forward in time and sets it in late 19th-Century Tuscany" writes Welsh, but it is questioned whether this "new setting makes sense". Thus Hoffman's version has an immediate difference between that of Shakespeare's which took place in the traditional classical setting."
Abstract This paper discusses the submissive victim role played by Desdemona in 'Othello' by William Shakespeare, and how it is the central aspect of Othello's demise. She is privately inquisitive as to why Othello is angered at her, but she cannot properly stand up to her husband and fend off the allegations set against her by Iago. This provides the various episodes of jealousy and rage that will culminate in the destruction of their marriage.
From the Paper "In this drama study, the character Desdemona in Othello by William Shakespeare will be analyzed for her various submissive roles as the wife of Othello. In many ways, she does portray a victim role, as she is clearly unaware of the seriously necessity to confront her husband. Although she is at once penetrating in her thoughts about her husband inwardly, she does not publicly surmise the danger of her husband's anger throughout much of the play. In essence, Desdemona is a submissive victim role character that cannot reveal the plot set against her by the vicious Iago. "
Abstract The paper discusses the issue of biological love which plays a weak part in determining how lovers find one another, and how learned behaviors in regards to social norms in males and females deceive proponents of biological instinct. The paper describes how Olivia is quickly fooled by Viola, and the intricate disguise used to veil the sexes is proof of how biology played little in the deception of this play.
From the Paper "The theme of romantic relationships through a biological and gender-based analysis will be pursued in this study of Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare. By analyzing the various characters that use disguise to shield their true gender identity, it is clear that biology sometimes plays a strong part in how certain characters behave toward one another. However, the gender roles that many of the characters reverse in this play, reveal a strong insinuation that gender is learned and may only be a superficial construct through fashion and social norms. In essence, biology and gender both taken on various forms in this play, but it is clear that gender roles take a greater precedence in Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare. The character Viola is a girl who has been shipwrecked, but has survived to tell the tale through Shakespeare's plot structure."
Discusses the life and works of William Shakespeare and the controversy regarding the suspicion that some works attributed to Shakespeare were not really his.
1,150 words (approx. 4.6 pages), 5 sources, 2002, $ 44.95
Abstract This paper discusses the life and works of William Shakespeare. Shakespeare was undeniably the best playwright in English literature but his life has always been a mystery and his works have often been eyed with suspicion as quarters are of the view that Shakespeare was not the author of some of the plays.
Abstract This paper looks at how the play "Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare and the film "Shakespeare in Love", directed by John Madden, utilize disguise as the key to romance and intrigue. It looks at how "Shakespeare in Love" displays the theme of disguise as an equal response to the trickery and guise found in "Romeo and Juliet" and how in "Romeo and Juliet" the theme of disguise through the masquerade ball is important in Romeo realizing his love for Juliet.
Abstract This paper discusses the work of William Shakespeare, focusing primarily on one of his trademarks, the use of humour and wit. From Falstaff to Beatrice, Shakespeare's wittiest characters set the bar for scathing humor that is still unmatched to this day. The paper then discusses one of Shakespeare's most humorous plays, 'As You Like It', which contains perhaps two of his wittiest characters, Rosalind and Touchstone. While Rosalind is the heroine and the focus of the play, and one of Shakespeare's most charming creations, Touchstone, the jaded and cynical clown, is perhaps the wittiest character in the play.
Abstract This paper looks at at Shakespeare's "Richard III", but also discusses the theatre and the times in which Shakespeare lived. It starts with an overview of Elizabethan theatre and society, then moves specifically to theatres in London and the provinces. William Shakespeare, the man, his life and career in the theatre are discussed. "Richard III" is looked at in terms of historical facts, and then the character of Richard is examined.
From the Paper "A history partly based on The Union of the Two Noble and Illustrious Families of Lancaster and York by the English historian Edward Hall and on the Chronicles by the English historian Raphael Holin?shed. Probably first performed in 1593. First published in 1597. In this play, the first history to have a self-contained narrative unity, Shakespeare accentuated the moment of death as a crisis of conscience in which man judges himself and is capable of true prophecy. He centred the drama on a single figure who commits himself to murder, treason, and dissimulation with an inventive imagination that an audience can relish even as it must condemn it; and in defeat Richard discovers a valiant fury that carries him beyond nightmare fear and guilt to unrepentant, crazed defiance."
Abstract This paper explores Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" with the purpose of illustrating how Shakespeare's plays always reflect the values, attitudes and beliefs of the times in which they were written; Elizabethan and early Jacobean England.
From the Paper "Religion in "Romeo and Juliet:" William Shakespeare's writing often focuses on a specific message that he intends to get across to his audience. There has been much speculation as to the specific religious background of Shakespeare. Little is known about Shakespeare's personal life until he moved to London and became a popular playwright. Therefore critics have studied Shakespeare's plays in order to ascertain Shakespeare's religious affiliations. Shakespeare appears to espouse a Roman Catholic doctrine based on the characters in Romeo and Juliet."
Tags:Shakespeare, elizabethan, catholicism religion, war, men, age, youth, marraige, socity, life of Shakespeare.
Abstract Shakespeare wrote 'Antony and Cleopatra' towards the end of his career, around 1600. Some scholars support that its historical nature has more to do with Shakespeare's own time than with the Roman era in which it is set (McJannet). These scholars claim Shakespeare is reconstructing English or Roman history from the perspective of his own historical moment.
From the Paper "But the hero who has distinguished himself, what shall be done to him? In the first place, he shall receive honour in the army from his youthful comrades; every one of them in succession shall crown him. What do you say? (Plato 195). Shakespeare wrote Antony and Cleopatra toward the end of his career, around 1600-1607 ("William Shakespeare (1564-1616)"; "Shakespeare Timeline"), and some scholars support that its historical nature has more to do with Shakespeare's own time than with the Roman era in which it is set (McJannet)."
Abstract This paper discusses Shakespeare, who usually known for his plays, also wrote over one hundred and fifty sonnets. The paper takes a look at how, in some of these sonnets, like the beautiful and ethereal Sonnet 18, "Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day?" we find Shakespeare following the Petrarchan model of regarding the beloved as the Donna Angelicata. However, in Sonnet 130, "My Mistress' Eyes are Nothing Like the Sun," Shakespeare clearly moves away from the earlier model and presents a lover that is both more realistic, and human.
Abstract This drama study historically critiques the theme of political corruption as it evolves in the play, "The Tempest", by William Shakespeare. The paper analyzes the various characters of this play to illustrate how the struggle for power is complex and that power and greed are the basis of corruption. The paper also points out that ,although Prospero dissolves the aggression set against him in the play, Shakespeare uses "The Tempest" to reveal a commentary on political intrigue and corruption that reflects the historical Elizabethan monarchal class system and the politics of Shakespeare's times.
Abstract This paper discusses the theme of idealism as reflected in the works of Chaucer and Shakespeare. In particular, the paper examines Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales" and Shakespeare's Sonnets 18, 116 and 130. The discussion and analysis demonstrates how both authors' works illustrate the prevalence of their ideals: for Chaucer, his ideals on what religion and expression of faith should be, and for Shakespeare, how love is and should be.
From the Paper "Influenced by the ideology of idealism during his time, Chaucer reflected his ideals of Christianity and its followers through The Pardoner's Tale of "The Canterbury Tales." Like the other tales in "Canterbury," the Pardoner's tale is a satire meant to criticize the society that Chaucer lived in during his period. While in some of the tales, Chaucer did not explicitly expressed his disagreement with and criticism of the rampant corruption and hypocrisy within the Church and among its elements (the clergy and the lay), in the Pardoner's tale, these issues were addressed and made explicit through the persona of the Pardoner."
Abstract This is an argumentative paper about the characterization of Shylock in the "Merchant of Venice" and whether Shakespeare should be viewed as a racist for his portrayal of Shylock. The author argues that Shakespeare is not an anti-Semite and merely reflects popular prejudice in his characterization of Shylock.
From the Paper 'Shakespeare is not an anti-Semite. He does not portray Jews with intentional slander but instead utilizes contemporary bias and prejudice to create controversy and commentary delivering social medicine to the public through the very same conduit of their prejudice. Shylock, in the "Merchant of Venice," is a target and conduit for popular prejudice. By first laughing at the realization of social beliefs the audience is then stunned when Shylock forces the realization of his equality. Regarding "The Merchant of Venice," and Shylock, there are two schools of thought. While many call Shakespeare a racist, anti-Semite, bigot and worse, for his many portrayals of minority groups, the portrayal of Shylock has a unique aspect, which necessarily separates it from any other instance of racism within Shakespeare's work."
Abstract This paper examines Shakespeare's use of the theme of time-as-destroyer, in three of the sonnets: No's 64, 65, and 73. Shakespeare's poetic techniques are analyzed in detail. Some of these include meter, alliteration, antithesis, syllogism, personification, ploce, and chiasmus. In order to demonstrate these different techniques, the author makes extensive comparisons between the three sonnets.
From the Paper "The poem is an apostrophe, addressed to the absent (or at least voiceless) lover. It says these things you may see in me: that I am aging, that I am like a setting sun, that I must soon die. But because you see this impermanence, this fading or deterioration, you only love me more. Now, impermanence has become a positive thing, fuelling the love his beloved has for him.
"The imagery in this sonnet is gentler than that of the two others. There, we had raging, engulfing oceans, and battering days, and rocks and brass and hard, indomitable things. Now, the imagery is of yellowing leaves, and boughs that once had sweet singing birds on them. The giving over to inevitable death is not one raged against, but is a sweet thing like the setting of a sun. His late stage of life is being compared with fading light, and with night which is "death's second self that seals up all in rest." We are being eased into death here, being made to think of it as slumber."
Abstract This paper examines the first of Shakespeare's sonnets. It explains the technical aspects of the sonnet and also its major themes and concepts. The first part paper focuses on explaining the sonnet in order to make it more readily understandable. It shows how Shakespeare crafted the idea that it is a tragedy if the beauty of the world is not perpetuated through reproduction. The second part of the paper follows-on from the first part and offers an in-depth analysis of the sonnet. It looks closely at the tone of the sonnet, cultural influences and the concept of profusion.
From the Paper "Indeed, there are a multitude of other Biblical and cultural references in sonnet 1 that are very important in allowing us to understand the poem effectively. In the second-from-last line, we see a reference to gluttony one of the seven deadly sins. There is also an allusion to Isaiah [32.5]. In Shakespeare's medieval culture, the rose of beauty was an often-quoted symbol. Similarly, the central concept of the sonnet (i.e. the dynastic obligation to produce heirs) was heavily rooted in medieval culture. Shakespeare so immerses us, the reader, in such cultural references that one wonders whether he is really intending to make a political point in this sonnet rather than just generally musing over a young man's inability to procreate."
